New Car: 2010 Lexus RX 350 and 450h

With a suspension that can churn a washboard road into butter and enough soundproofing to stifle a passing garbage truck, the Lexus RX has become a popular cocoon for the cosseted class. The RX 450h, left, is the first Lexus hybrid that delivers truly exceptional fuel economy.

The E.P.A. estimates that the all-wheel-drive version gets 30 miles a gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. The front-wheel-drive version does slightly better in the city, at 32 miles a gallon.

Starting at $42,955, the front-wheel-drive hybrid features dual electric motors up front; the $44,355 all-wheel-drive model adds a third electric motor that runs the rear wheels when the front tires slip or the driver floors the throttle.

The gas-only version, the RX 350, left, costs about $5,000 less than its hybrid counterpart.

The soft, pliant controls are, for the most part, just where

they should be. A bright display in the middle of the main instrument cluster uses a cutting-edge screen.

While the RX’s interior comes close to perfection, it doesn’t quite attain it.

Lowering the rear seat essentially doubles the cargo area to more than 80 cubic feet.

Lexus all but invented the luxury crossover with its first RX. The new model builds upon its previous success.

[imagebrowser id=22]