friends have been telling me to stay away from the hybrid....i know the 06/07 had issues with the power inverter but what about the rx450? i mainly love the fact that the 450h is fully loaded...looking at the 2011-2013 models

 

I have owned Hybrids, plug in Hybrids, electric and ice. Without hesitation I can tell you my 450h is as good if not better.
Just make sure you do your homework with the Lexus Drivers website and buy one that's been perfectly maintained.
The 450h is my first car which I bought with more than 105k miles but so far it's worth every penny.

 

Of course there are minor changes from year to year, but note that the 2013 is a refresh year, the 2010 to 2012 and the 2013 to 2015 have some cosmetic and feature differences, although the power train is still essentially the same. Something to consider if you are deciding between a '11 or '12 and a '13.

I know its hard to trust the older hybrids, a lot of people with opinions really have no long term (or any) experience with them so their comments are based on the fear of the unknown. Yes, hybrids can break and be expensive to fix. Search these forums and you'll read the occasional incident like a battery replacement, inverter or motor fault. They remain infrequent so far. Yes, non-hybrids can break and be expensive to fix. You'll also see non-hybrid drivers lament having to replace their automatic transmission which is not present in a hybrid. But also infrequent. So far the 3rd gen RX whether h or not continues to be generally a reliable vehicle, most systemic/common issues on both kinds are mainly non-serious issues. Most people feel older hybrids are going to be less reliable is that they have more (and more expensive) components. More parts, greater chance something will fail. Seems to make sense, but no one knows if that condition will generally materialize after 10 yrs, 15 yrs, 30 yrs, who knows. There doesn't seem to be a big difference between h and non-h yet from my experience on this forum (going back to 2012).

I've been driving Toyota hybrids since 2006 (Camry for a while and then this RX). I've not had to do a hybrid related repair yet (knock on wood). Knowing the history of a vehicle, checking it thoroughly continues to be the best way to pick a used car, whether h or not.

Good luck.

 

Yes i know about the cosmetic differences and have done my research as to refresh it if i do a pre2013....i love the 13-15 look and in a few cases i've seen 2013 450h going for cheaper than a rx350...i just wanted to get a feel, i'm still undecided about the 350/450 but it'll also matter on the deal and options i find in a 350

 

ICE RX is slow..... Hybrid has more torque especially when merging in traffic or overtaking a slower car. That torque is instantly there without revving up your engine. More torque and higher mpg. That is why I kept my car all these years.

 

If your worried about maintenance you can buy a warrantee if the car is fresh enough to qualify.
For myself. I needed a car to pull my boat and wanted something that still got something that related to fuel mileage. I was unwilling to accept bad mpg in today's world. I was also unwilling to use a car not rated for towing a ton. This was the only vehicle that I could find. There may be others but I didn't find them. Also its got toys in it... I wish I had more.
I also enjoy getting gas back from braking. While the engine does start simply to recharge the battery you do get something for free while coasting to a lower speed or stop or down hill.

Also I noticed these cars don't use brake pads much. When you research the maintenance history an a particular car the brakes are checked but not sucking down any money. Those who have had one for years could comment on how true this is.
I've had my '12 for about a year. So far I've spent money on an inspection.

 

I purchased a '10 with 62K miles in '16. It now has 132K miles on it. I wouldn't hesitate again. I have the AWD, so it has 3 motors. 2 electric and 1 gas. She scoots pretty good. I've had zero battery and power train issues, but I don't know about the previous owner. I found mine on a Mercedez lot.

 

I have 105K miles and have 60% of brake pads left.

 

The con of having a hybrid is that the used market may be a bit hesitant to buy, so resale value is typically poor compared to conventional ICE model.

This is reflected also in what insurance companies are willing to cover, in terms of maximum agreed values.

Being "green" is costly!