Lexus Rx L 450h

Like the standard, RX the RX L is only available as a hybrid and faces up against cars like the Volvo XC90, the BMW X7, Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. Against these cars the RX L looks surprisingly good value, given it offers both seating for seven and the attractions of a hybrid powertrain.

But in the case of the Volvo and Audi they’re both full plug-in hybrids, meaning considerable tax savings for VED – or ‘road tax’ – for private buyers and potentially huge ones for company drivers. In running cost terms the Lexus is actually a closer comparison in CO2 and fuel consumption with the diesels offered by BMW and Mercedes, which is fine but perhaps not what you’d have hoped when you saw the hybrid description. Whether in tax or costs at the pump, there’s no escaping it could be cheaper to run many of the RX L’s rivals, even if they appear more expensive to buy.