joewnj

Wife wants RX450H to replace her previous RX400H. The local dealers here have the safety package bundled with the luxury package which upgrades the wheels to 20".
We live on a steep hill and have seen other AWD SUVs (with wrong tires for winter) get stuck on the hill.
Any thoughts about whether the 20s are worse in the snow compared to the 18s. I don't want to buy snow tires and wheels for a few months of winter. Previous AWD cars we have had (with all season tires) have had not problem on the hill. Neighbors with RWD or FWD typically can't get up hill in the snow.

Mdme

It will be fine either way. The first few months you can probably do without snow tires. After that though, snow tires will always make a big difference.

RXOwner

I will agree with the above and there is just no comparing snow tires to what comes on the vehicle, no matter what size. Snow tires are the best option.

kitlz

Snow tires aren't necessary in NJ. We can get some big storms but they're infrequent. Certainly not enough to justify the cost or hassle. My 450h with 20"s is on order so I can't comment yet. But I've had RXs with 16", 18" and 19" tires. Not once have I gotten stuck including a few times where I went out for fun. Hills are a big part of my commute. Most are 1/4 mile to mile in length. There is a short steep one with railroad tracks at a plateau. As luck would have it the gate came down just as I was about to crest the hill one time. I had to sit on the snow covered incline until the train passed. The 450h with mediocre Dunlops didn't slip at all. The only thing I did was engage brake assist to help ease the transition from a stop.

The 450h has VDIM. That will kick in automatically when tire(s) lose traction. Or you can turn off traction control to keep power to all four tires. I would worry about tire brand more than anything. I'm still waiting to see if I can do snow roosters with the Premiers I put on two months ago Let it snow!

NateJG

I've been thoroughly impressed with the winter prowess of my AWD 450h with the OEM 19" LRR Bridgestone tires; and to amplify Anita's observations - traction in "Snow Mode" on the RXh is simply amazing.

IrishJoe

This thread is timely for me because I am seriously considering buying a 2016 RXh without F Sport, but uncertain if it will perform well on wet or snowy roads. Our local dealership told me that the snow mode is no longer available, and that VDIM is only included in the F Sport models. I already knew that power to the back wheels is limited to the low horsepower of the rear electric motor, and that a differential cannot be locked down, as on the non-hybrid RX. So, I'd really appreciate opinions of how well it well perform in bad weather. Does it hold the road well? Can it make it through a few inches of snow without a problem? Thanks!

AL13NV8D3R

It's too bad there is not a lot of forum members who owns the RXH so it took so long to reply to your question. Heck I don't even own a hybrid but just stumbled into this thread and saw your question unanswered.

Just goto YouTube and type down RX 450h in snow and you will find your answer. Most of these videos show both the previous generation hybrid and current Gen hybrid performing in the snow just fine. The RX 350 awd does the job better than the hybrid because it can get you out of a snow bank if you are stuck. That being said both hybrid and Gas only versions of the AWD will keep you moving on the road even if the road is covered in 3 inches of snow. But remember that nothing replaces the safety of WINTER tires. AWD with all seasons is not as good as RWD with winter tires. I know this because I use to live in Michigan and drive all year in a 2006 Lexus LS430 with dedicated Winter tires and NEVER got stuck. While I see some people get stuck on the side of the road even though they have AWD.

I recommend you getting the Fsport version of the RX regardless of hybrid or gas only because it also has VDIM. Which is very good safety tech. I don't know why Lexus doesn't included it in all its cars.

Macs4RX

Imo, it's not really snow per se that's troublesome. Certainly there is a great reduction in friction when the tire is gripping say 3" deep snow compared to a cleared road surface. But when one encounters "black ice", there is almost no friction between the tire and the ice whatsoever. "Black ice" is really the culprit to be fearful of, not snow (as long as you're reducing your speed appropriately). I remember a few years back trying to stop at an intersection coated with a thin film of "black" ice. Just completely slid through the intersection sideways - no control whatsoever. One really needs that friction between the tire and whatever surface it's traversing to maintain control of the vehicle.

My guess is that none of these AWD RX's would have any trouble traveling through snowy conditions in the 1-6" depth range using all season tires (again, being reasonably cautious and reducing your speed). It's what I've always used. However, if I lived in northern Vermont or New Hampshire where they get some significant snowfalls I probably would invest in a dedicated set of snow tires.

kitlz

Very true, Macs4RX. I unexpectedly found myself driving on snow covered ice going down a slight hill. That's just about as insidious as black ice. But VDIM kicked in when I stepped on the brakes lightly for a turn. The 450h stayed perfectly straight and in control. It just stopped about 10 feet beyond where I wanted. I was still able to make the turn.

IrishJoe

Thank you all very much for the feedback on driving a 450h in snow and slippery conditions! One follow-up question: VDIM is not offered on the 2016 base RX or 450h, only on the F Sport. How much worse will the Lexus regular vehicle stability perform than VDIM on black ice and slick roads?

NateJG

The rear axle motor (in the 3rd Gen) RXh puts out 67 Hp. How much more is needed to get one out of a snow bank?

AL13NV8D3R

The all gas version RX 350 3rd and 4th Gen can fully lock the center diff and distribute 50% power to rear wheels that's more than 130+HP to the rear wheels. More than double the power of the Hybrids rear electric powertrain. Wait until your stuck on the side of the road with a slight incline then you will know why you need more power.

I have heard many people conplain about disadvantages of having an awd hybrid compared to those who have The Gas awd versions.

It's simple logic. If the engineers felt that 67 Hp is enough to get one car unstuck from the snow than why not limit the RX 350 AWD GAS version to only a rear power of 67HP? Some Mercedes and Audi AWD can put to the rear 200+ HP to the rear wheels. Why do we need so much power to the rear? You can take a guess.

Don't get me wrong if I were to buy my next vehicle it would be a RXh fsport. I do think it's a great system to drive in the snow as long as you don't get stuck on the side of the road.