2018 Lexus RX 450h base price slashed by $7,340

Khodrocar - Consumers shopping for a Lexus RX 450h will be pleasantly surprised with a $45,695 base price for the 2018 model year. That represents a $7,340 decrease from 2017 to give the Lexus hybrid crossover SUV a much more affordable entry point.

However, with the friendly price comes a slimmer standard features list that sees items such as a moonroof, heated and cooled seats, blind-spot monitoring and roof rails become optional features. Adding the previously standard features back into a 2018 RX 450h bumps the price to just under $52,000, which is still a nice little discount to the 2017's $53,035 starting price tag.

The RX 450h is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid drivetrain with total system output of 308 horsepower. Unlike its gas-power-only brethren, that is offered in front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, the hybrid is available exclusively with all-wheel drive. According to the EPA, the RX 450h returns 31 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

The more affordable RX hybrid is just another bit of news for the 2018 RX lineup that will grow with the addition of three-row variants. That will go on sale in spring and be available in both RX 350L and RX 450hL trims, with seating for either six or seven, based on a second row of either captain's chairs or a bench seat, respectively.