Following the launch of the fifth-generation Lexus RX here in May with the debut of the RX 350 Luxury, Lexus Malaysia has announced the introduction of a second variant of the SUV for the local market, with the 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport officially joining the model line-up. Order taking for the variant, which is priced from RM498,888 (on-the-road, without insurance) starts from today.
Exterior-wise, the hybrid retains the general visual format as seen on the petrol variant, but adds on a sportier presentation courtesy of an F Sport package. It gets a new front bumper with larger corner intakes than that seen on the RX 350’s unit as well as a gloss black, criss-cross mesh pattern spindle grille.
The rear also gets a different bumper design, which drops the silver insert on the lower section for two large faux outlets at the edges, dressed with covers featuring the same pattern as the front grille.
Like the RX 350, the wheels on this one are 21-inch light alloy units, but feature a different styling and a matte black finish, and they are wrapped with 235/50 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres that have been specifically developed for the car. Six-piston caliper front brakes and F Sport badging complete the exterior differences.
Inside, changes from the RX 350 are led by Dark Spin Aluminium ornamentation trim elements, unique to the model, as well as full leather upholstery compared to the semi-aniline units on the petrol-only variant. The seat sides on the hybrid are also dressed in Ultrasuede accent material, which is made from plant-derived raw materials.
Also making its way on is a Mark Levinson surround sound system, which features a 21-speaker and subwoofer driver array. Additionally, the RX 500 h F Sport – which omits the Performance suffix in its designation here – comes equipped with sports aluminium pedals and Active Sound Control, which generates driving sounds inside the cabin in accordance with the driving situation.
Otherwise, what’s on the RX 350 is to be found here, including a high-definition 14-inch infotainment touchscreen with support for voice recognition commands, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity. Other displays found inside the cabin include a digital instrument cluster – complete with an exclusive racing-style read-out – as well as a head-up display.
The kit list also includes an e-Latch electronic door release, three-zone climate control with rear vents, powered front seats with memory function, powered 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats, all-seat ventilation/heating and a powered tailgate with hands-free access. As for USB connections, front occupants get four ports (three Type-C and one Type-A) as well as Qi wireless charging, while rear occupants get two Type-C USB ports, located at the rear of the centre console.
Under the hood, the RX 500h F Sport has the same T24A-FTS 2.4 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as seen on the RX 350 Luxury, but the mill works as part of a parallel hybrid system together with an integrated front motor and power control unit.
The 85 hp/292 Nm front electric motor is positioned between the engine and the transmission (which has a clutch on both sides), enabling flexibility in power delivery and the ability for the vehicle to run in all-electric EV mode, with the hybrid control system automatically switching between parallel and EV modes depending on the situation.
Meanwhile, the rear wheels are driven by a 102 hp/169 Nm eAxle, which integrates a high output electric motor, inverter and reduction gearbox. Power delivery to each wheel is controlled by the automaker’s Direct4 intelligent all-wheel drive system. Both front and rear electric motors are juiced by a low-resistance, 288 volt nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack installed beneath the vehicle’s rear seat.
On its own, the petrol engine puts out 275 PS (or 270 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 460 Nm from 2,000 to 3,000 rpm, and a six-speed automatic transmission transfers that power on to the road when the car isn’t running on pure electric mode. With everything at full pelt, the combined system output is 371 PS (366 hp) and 550 Nm of torque, good enough to give the RX 500h a 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.2 seconds.
The RX 500h F Sport is also equipped with a Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) system, where the rear wheels steer up to 4° either way depending on the speed of the vehicle. At higher speeds, the rears adjust in phase with the front wheels to offer stability, while at slower speeds, they oppose the direction to make for easier turning into corners and in tight spaces.
As for active safety, the car gets the full Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+) suite, which consists of Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with stop and go function as well as Curve Speed Reduction, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) with BladeScan and Road Sign Assist (RSA). There’s also a Blind Spot Monitor with Safe Exit Assist, Rear Traffic Cross Alert (RTCA) and a panoramic view monitor with 3D imagery.
Like the RX 350 Luxury, the RX 500h F Sport is fully imported (CBU) from Japan and is available with four exterior colour choices, these being White Nova Glass, Sonic Iridium, Graphite Black Glass Flake and Sonic Copper, the last three common with that available for the RX 350 here.
The RX 500h F Sport comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, while the hybrid battery pack gets an eight-year unlimited mileage warranty, extendable by an additional two years to 10 years as a cost-added option.
GALLERY: Lexus RX 500h F Sport official photos
The post 2023 Lexus RX500h F Sport debuts in Malaysia – 2.4T AWD hybrid, 371 PS and 550 Nm, priced from RM499k appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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