For 2012, the Lexus RX 450h sees no changes of note.

It used to be pretty much impossible to find a luxury crossover SUV that got good fuel economy. But the Lexus RX hybrid changed all that when it debuted six years ago, providing respectable performance and an impressive city rating of 27 mpg. Although the 2012 Lexus RX 450h has a couple of rivals that didn't exist when its forebear (the 400h) debuted back in '06, it continues to be a top pick.

As with its RX 350 brother, the RX 450h has a 3.5-liter V6 engine, but being a hybrid, it is also supplemented with electric drive and the typical hybrid traits like regenerative braking. Notably, the 450h is more powerful (by 20 horsepower) than the standard RX, yet gets fuel economy about 40 percent higher. This best-of-both-worlds proposition doesn't come cheap, however; the 450h costs nearly $6,000 more than the 350. So if saving greenbacks is more important to you than being green, know that it will take a number of years to recoup that cost in fuel savings.

Along with its impressive efficiency, the 2012 Lexus RX 450h provides all the other RX benefits such as a plush ride and a handsome cabin fitted with top-quality materials. There are also plenty of high-tech features available, including a navigation system with an intuitive, mouselike multifunction controller and a superb Mark Levinson sound system.