Best MPG Luxury SUVs for 2012: Lexus RX 450h
The numbers don’t lie. If you’re looking for the best MPG luxury SUV of 2012, this is it: the Lexus RX 450h. Rated to get 30 mpg in combined driving with front-wheel drive or 29 mpg with the optional all-wheel-drive system, the Lexus is capable of passing more gas pumps than any other luxury SUV in terms of miles traveled per gallon.
Don’t construe these fuel economy ratings to mean that the Lexus RX 450h is a slow, underpowered SUV. On the contrary, the RX 450h is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and electric assist motors powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack to generate 295 horsepower – more than any other Lexus RX.
One way Lexus buyers can spend extra money on the RX 450h is to visit the options menu. Though well equipped in standard format, leather seats are included as part of the optional Premium Package, which also provides upgrades such as a power sunroof and a power tailgate. Comfort, Luxury, and Navigation option packages are also available, as well as a Mark Levinson audio system, a rear-seat entertainment system, intelligent cruise control with a Pre-Collision System, Intuitive Park Assist, and more.