It's the full Lexus experience in a midsize sport-ute

 Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- For the complete Lexus experience, it's hard to top the Lexus RX 450hL.

My recent week in the 2020 all-wheel-drive model made the point ... "clearly" as the politicians are prone to say over and over these days.

Simply put, this ride had it all: brilliant Lexus fit and finish, luxury to the max, an eye-popping list of safety features, state-of-the-art communications/entertainment features and, oh yes, a hybrid system that boosts fuel mileage ratings to 29 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. 

All this for a sticker price of $63,645 on the tester. That's a hefty bit of change to be sure, but frankly, it's a fair price given everything built into this hybrid midsize sport-utility vehicle.

The tested model drove well in all conditions.  The 3.5-liter V-6 is rated at 259 horsepower, but when the hybrid/electric systems are added in, the horses increase in number to 308.  Multiple electric motors assist engine starting, front wheels and rear wheels

It all adds up to stout acceleration -- impressive considering the curb weight of nearly 5,000 pounds -- when needed and silky smooth cruising on the freeway.  It's an easy driver, and an enjoyable one.

It looked good too, especially riding on those 20-inch dark silver alloy wheels with a machined finish.

The suite of safety features guards against seemingly everything except maybe sunburn.  A smartly laid out dash has everything within reach, and my ride was loaded with available perks sure to please most folks.  The short list included a heated wood and leather steering wheel, heated/ventilated front seats, a panoramic view monitor, a color head-up display, triple-beam LED headlamps, a premium Mark Levinson 15-speaker audio system, a power tilt/slide moonroof and a touch-free power rear door with kick sensor.

The vehicle seats six, but you might want to guide smaller folks to the third-row seats, which are a bit snug. 

Lexus touts the vehicle's admittedly extraordinary communications, connectivity and infotainment systems, including the on-board touchscreen master control.  It takes a practiced hand -- or perhaps just a younger one -- to master these, so if you're a methodical technology learner, be prepared to spend time with the owner's manual, and mastering just the right finger touches on the controls.

Once you've got all that down, you'll be ready to enjoy the total Lexus experience.  And yes, it's a positive one.