Art234

I have a 2010 RX450h with AWD, and it is not as good in snow or winter weather as my 2011 BMW 535i x drive. We live on a hill, with a 340 foot driveway, and due to the risks of sliding backward out of control if you lose traction, the only way to get up the driveway in winter is to back up. I always turn traction control off, and I see no real benefit of using snow mode. Unfortunately, the rear wheels are electric driven only, and do not contribute much to snow and winter performance. In reverse there is a critical lack of power, so we have a very hard time making it up the hill. In all fairness it is better than the '06 RX400h which I got rid of in favor of the 450 because the 400 didn't have a switch to disable traction. I know this is an old topic, but I hope my input is helpful. We do love the RX450h otherwise, averaging 26-30 mpg in normal weather.

I have a 2010 RX450h and over the past year and a half we average 27-28 mpg in combined driving, about 30-31 straight highway, and in traffic in Manhattan I have gotten as high as 34. A 27-28 average is not bad for an SUV that size, so I am very pleased. I will note that I run it in Eco mode...a little slower but definitely more efficient.