This isn’t just any Lexus RX, this is a Lexus RXL.

Basically, it’s longer than the standard car, meaning that it can claim the crown of being Lexus’ first seven-seat model in Europe.

If you think that it doesn’t look a lot different, that’s probably because this has been achieved by extending the RX by just 110mm.

So the aim here is to offer a bit of extra practicality to a car that was already pretty practical, while offering seven people the chance to enjoy a bit of Lexus luxury.

It’s big and has plenty of presence and looks sharp if not that remarkable, like most Lexus cars.

Tri-zone climate control and leather are standard and the interior is plush and well put together.

This is a luxury car and it gets a luxury spec, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, pre-crash systems, electric front seats that are heated and ventilated, reversing camera, power tailgate, nav and plenty more – and that third row of seats fold using electric, of course.

Power on what is fully titled the RX450h L comes from the Lexus (and sibling Toyota) combo of electric and petrol power.

The hybrid setup has mixed results depending on which car it’s in – it tends to work better in smaller and mid-size cars and SUVs, in our opinion.

In the RXL it’s a 3.5-litre V6 married to the electric motor, for a combined power output of 308bhp.

You might think attaching such a big engine to a hybrid setup is a bit of a strange one, and you’d be right, to be honest.

Claimed mpg is 47 on the combined cycle, but we managed only low 30s in pretty much all conditions.

It’s tricky to like that when a bog standard diesel would probably be either side of 40.

The setup works better in the stable’s smaller cars, it has to be said, unless you do a lot of miles in town, therefore using electric power only (you can whizz to about 40mph before the engine kicks in), in which case you’re onto a winner.

CO2 stands at 138g/km, which is low for a big SUV.

But you get a very smooth drive on the whole and lots of power there when you need it.

The 0-62mph time is eight seconds on the nose, with a top end of 112mph.

It’s a very comfortable and relaxed ride, as you’d hope for this sort of vehicle, but it still has responsive and engaging handling.

Rear passengers enjoy plenty of legroom – it’s a pretty luxurious experience back there – and there’s a huge boot with the third row down.

We got a chest of drawers home without a problem and there is still a good size space akin to a hatchback even with third row in use.

It’s an attractive proposition, the RXL, but with the hybrid setup it’s hard to see anything other than a fairly niche appeal for it.

It costs from £61,995.