About to drop 90K CAD on a new RX450h+. I was advised by the sales rep that all remote climate function requires Lexus App with subscription cost after the trial ends. Ok fine whatever but for long term users of the app for climate controls, how's is it?

Is it at least reasonably reliable or a complete PITA to use?

 

First, this is our first Lexus. RX450H+. We’ve only had it for one week. The remote is frustrating to us, compared to the other brands we’ve used. First, can’t find a way for my wife and I BOTH to have full remote control of the car. One has to have “control”. I was told that you have remote start also through the key fob…haven’t tried it yet.

 

Thanks that's a shame, but for the person in "control" do all the features work? Any connectivity issues?

 

We both share the owner account and all remote functions work for both of us. The only thing we are unable to share is the digital key, which we don't trust anyway.

 

I have the 2024 450h+ and I use the app daily. I like the Status feature of the app that alerts one when the doors are unlocked and 1 press and the doors get locked, or notices for the moonroof or doors are open. Knowing the milage, vin, and tire pressures with a glance is an A grade. I use the remote start which is NOT successful 100% of the time. Once I get into the car, hold the brake and push the start button again for completion of the remote start sequence, but then, I have to re-establish the phone's connection for Car Play. This is F grade. I have never been able to set up the Charge Schedule, or when I look at the Charge History, the amount of kwh is always reads zero. This is a C grade.
My wife got the 2025 Camry Hybrid, It has the same app as the Lexus.

 

Thanks, that's a shame. Would be perfect if legacy automakers can get their software right...

 

I have a 2024 500H. I use the app all the time. I like it, and dislike it at the same time.

As one of the others said, you can use remote start with your key-fob, without using the app. Press the lock button 3 times, then press/hold it a fourth time. It works, but you have to be within key-fob range.

The app gives you a lot more information, and the ability to start the car from further away. You can review vehicle data, schedule service appointments, contact roadside assistance. Track any error codes or recalls issued. And of course it allows you to remote start from much further away than the key-fob.

What I don't like, is it doesn't allow some seemingly easy functionality. Like, why can you not open or close the sunroof or windows from the app? My older BMWs allows this from the keyfob as early as mid-1990s. It was great to be able to look out my office window on a hot day and vent the sunroof before going out to my car, or to hold the lock button and the windows and sunroof would automatically close and the car would lock. This seems like it would be easy to do with the Lexus app, but the functionality is not available. You can lock/unlock the doors and start the car remotely.

 

I will renew the Remote Connect for remote start and vehicle alerts and info, but not the Drive Connect navigation and voice control stuff, since I never use that and honestly never knew it was there.