I don't understand why the development of this was so lazy. I say lazy because they're using the same motor as the Rav 4 Prime and the NX 450+. This is the first time the RX has a 4 cylinder motor, but sure it has electrical motors that help. I'm good with the motor actually, where I'm lost is the battery. Why would they use the same battery in a larger automobile? Is develpoment towards a larger battery maybe 24 kwh over 18 that expensive? I don't see how putting in a 18 was deemed as a good idea.

I have a NX 450h+ myself and I was pondering getting a RX for 450h+ for my wife but I just hate that my intuition is telling me that the NX is better every way possible here. They don't even offer the RX in F-Sport trim either.

 

Sorry I do not understand this post.

 

The RX 450 H+ uses the same engine and battery as the NX 450h+ which then shares it's stuff with the Rav 4 Prime. So basically they're putting in components from a mid size cross over into a Full Size Cross Over. I'm stating that they should have at least upgraded the battery at the bare minimum.

 

I'm sure it was done to lower the MSRP. Right now the RX undercuts several of it's competitors on price. Putting in a battery pack specific to a few models drives up development/manufacturing cost which in turns drives up the MSRP. Do you want to pay 10k-20k more?

 

From what I see at https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4...brid-detailed/, 0-60 acceleration at 6.2 second is pretty healthy, 0.2 seconds slower than the NX. If I am correct the RX gets 35 mile electric range versus 37 for the NX. For for all practical purposes the RX and NX have very similar performance specs. Seems to me they made the right call balancing price and performance given that the 2024 RX 450h already is the most expensive RX.

 

I understand everything you're saying but what you are not saying is that why would someone pay 25 thousand extra for an RX 450H+ over an NX 450H+

I just left Lexus Newport and I have it under GREAT authority that the West Coast in total is only getting 25 (OR twenty Something) RX 450H+ That number is for the ENTIRE West Coast (Not Just California) The Dealership I left sold their Black on Black RX 450H+ to a woman who runs the Ray Charles Foundation and loves her NX 450H+ and I guess she loves Lexus as she does a OC to LA commute every morning and she is for sure paying the 15k markup on the car and probably trading in her NX 450H+. I have a great connection myself with Lexus Newport and was able to secure a NX 450+ in July of last year at no markup but this is not going to be possible with such a low production/allocation number for the RX 450H+.

So going back to my original point the car is going to be around 74+ a 15k markup about 90k or so... Thus in Comparison to the NX 450+ which can easily be had for 60 or 70 (Worst Case Scenario) how does an additional 20k (Minimum) justify all of that? It will have to be until late 2024 until you see more RX 450H+ being built outside of those 20 some that are coming in.... And it might be one of the few if not only 4 cylinder cars (With electric Motors) being sold in the 90K-100K range.

I'm not trying to bash the car I'm just stating that all of this is very unprecedent...

 

This car isn't going to be as low as you believe it's going to be, in fact it's going to be much much much higher then what you think it's going to cost. Just wait and see... And I'll be there to tell you "I told you so"

 

The difference in MRSP ( at 10k ) is reasonable. All the rest is supply and demand and some dealers being greedy. I personally would refuse to pay any markups ( we got our 350h without markup by shopping around ). So yes, if I were you I would be happy with my NX and stick with it at least until the equivalent RX can can be had without silly markups

 

Find me a dealership that has it at no markup this year for me to purchase and I'll give you a Grand.

 

Most of the RX models share an engine with the NX. You can't just compare power options. The RX is more luxurious (the interior is a step above the NX in every way), has a better ML sound system, offers a hybrid system the NX doesn't get, can get 4 wheel steering, larger rims, nicer HVAC system and I'm sure I'm missing a lot more.

 

Regarding the battery, the main reason for same platform for price savings was given; but scaling the capacity of the battery because you have a larger vehicle only provides a small marginal benefit; considering the recharge speed and input/output power of the motors would all remain the same. You also need to consider the downside of the additional weight of the extra battery countering it's benefit.
You'd need to completely revamp the drivetrain platform to get a meaningful upgrade that can make use of extra battery (e.g. like a 500h plugin, or dropping all the ICE components to go full EV).

On the pricing I think you're combining 2 different things to get you to +$25k difference.
One component is just the cost/benefit of the product components. So you're right here, it is not worth +25k in extra components; that's why the MSRP only has +$10k.

The second topic is the Market Price, where you commented probably will contribute additional +$10k to +15k.
But this is up to the market, supply and demand. Supply side, you noted it is brand new car with less supply=higher price.
The demand side doesn't have to make sense because you are dealing with people who might be unreasonable.
Some people might price insensitive and will choose the RX since they've always had an RX, regardless if a "similar" NX is also available. There maybe some psychology that the NX is the small==bargain product, while the RX is the middle product. Middle products always draw more demand.
They may also believe the pricing for this product will be steady; so even if they are overpaying, so resale value will hold long enough to sell/return it back. They will get all their overpayment back at the other end, all while getting to drive a brand car.

 

The fact that most of the RX models share an engine with the NX is a new thing as previous generations were 6 cylinders and this 4 cylinder thing is new for this iteration the 5th iteration. And it's debatable if that is actually a good thing because I believe there are a handfull of Loyal RX users who are unhappy with the switch. I dont' know about in this forum but I know that on Reddit there were plenty of complaints about new RX users who either have lemons or issues with either the transmission or the engine of their 4 cylinder automobile which actually is shocking and absurd because the car hasn't even been out for a full year yet.

the RX 450H+ isn't offered in F Sport and just luxury

 

Dealers mark up is not part of Lexus/Toyota or any car manufacturer pricing strategy.
Whether the RX is worth the extra 10K(MSRP vs. MSRP) over the NX is up to you.

 

I think it's a combination of factors, including profit (the car is more expensive but inferior in comparison to the pre-redesign, both interior materials and powertrain) as well as Gov't constraints regarding emissions. A lot of carmakers are getting rid of 6 cylinder engines in the mid-size SUVs (MB GLE). As an owner of a '21 RX450h F-Sport, I'm disappointed that no RX hybrid or plug-in is offered with a 6 cylinder engine... Like BMW's X50e...

 

I would take some of the Reddit reviews with "a grain of salt". Not in the fact that it's too soon to make such observations - I rented a brand new Lincoln Navigator for a week and it was awful in terms of the transmission (for a $90K car) and then a new Ford Expedition which had the same issues; jerky, unresponsive, etc. Having said that, I would question some of the complaints solely on the fact that I've owned my Lexus for 3 years and NO ISSUES whatsoever; same can't be said of my wife's Porsche and BMW automobiles, all of which had issues within the first year of ownership...

As to the powertrain, the RX450h+ is only 325 lbs heavier than the NX450h+, and I'm sure the powertrain was tested exhaustively by Toyota, so I can't see at first glance why the "bigger car" would have issues with the powertrain, perhaps not a design issue but an execution issue, the latter again being suspect given that it's Toyota...

I am not happy, however, with a 4 cyl engine in the RX (or other SUV of this size)...