Autocar India
•48w

Hi, I want to change my 8-year-old BMW X5 and pick up a Lexus RX 350 hybrid. I will be doing mostly city driving. Please advise.

Verified
•34w

Yes, considering your driving is in the city, the Lexus RX 350h is a good option. Its strong hybrid powertrain is incredibly efficient, which will bring down your running costs considerably compared to the BMW. Also, service and maintenance costs of the Lexus car will be lower, too. 

It's also very luxuriously appointed and well equipped, with a uniquely Japanese take on exterior and interior design. Do note, however, that it is slightly less spacious than the BMW X5. Especially if you intend to carry three passengers in the rear seat frequently. Though the chassis is able enough, the four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol-hybrid powertrain is nowhere near as strong or exciting as the 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines that power the BMW X5.

Lexus RX

Lexus RX

•34w•

Hi, Autocar India, I am planning to buy a car within 1.5 Cr, what are the options available? Including good after sales service.

More posts on similar cars

•14h

Hi Autocar, I’m unable to decide between the Renault Duster 1.3 petrol DCT Iconic and the Duster Hybrid Emotion. While I like what the hybrid has to offer, the current discounts on the petrol variant put the on-road price difference at close to Rs 3 lakh, which makes me question whether the hybrid’s additional upfront cost will ever pay off. My usage would be around 60 percent highway and 40 percent city, and I expect to drive about 7,000 km a year. Beyond the pure price equation, is there anything about the hybrid that should make me consider it?

Verified
•32m

With your annual running of just 7,000km, the Duster Hybrid's extra Rs 3 lakh is unlikely to be recovered through fuel savings alone. However, the hybrid does have a significant advantage in city driving: based on our tests, the real-world fuel efficiency difference between the 1.3 turbo petrol DCT and the hybrid can be around 10kpl in the city. That is a substantial gap, especially if a third to two-fifths of your driving is in town.The hybrid also has advantages beyond economy. Its 160hp powertrain is more powerful and refined, delivering strong acceleration while keeping the ride and handling excellent. It's also a good highway cruiser, so you're not sacrificing performance for better mileage.However, because you cover 60 per cent of your distance on highways, the fuel saving will be smaller than it would be for someone who drives mainly in the city. The petrol DCT is also significantly more efficient on the highway than in town, returning 13.47kpl in our test, but its overall tested average was 10.47kpl.If you value the hybrid's refinement, performance and city efficiency, it is worth considering. But at just 7,000km a year, the Rs 3 lakh premium is difficult to justify on fuel savings alone.

VehicleRenault Duster

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Posted on: 1 Mar 2026