Lexus RX 400h
Mileage mania |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: Lexus warns not to use the RX 400 off-road, even though it's equipped with all-wheel drive, since the batteries that power the electric motor could get damaged by rough terrain. Few would drive a Lexus into the bush anyway, but the all-wheel drive system could convey an exaggerated sense of the RX 400's abilities.
G forces: The combined gas-electric drive system is a joy to drive–smooth, responsive, and decidedly quick. The only noticeable difference is that the gas engine shuts off at stops and low speeds, to conserve fuel. It's odd at first but quickly becomes familiar. Big 18-inch tires, and the same sporty suspension system as in the RX 330, provide grippy handling for an SUV.
Gizmology: The dashboard can make you feel like you're in a science lab, with all those fancy diagrams on the display screen and a power-meter in place of a traditional tachometer. Most of the controls on the RX400 are intuitive and effortless–a Lexus trademark.
Kidmarks: The rear seats recline for napping or comfort, and the RX 400 has all the conveniences of an SUV, with seats that fold down in various configurations for maximum flexibility. Rear cup holders, A/C vents, and overhead lights help keep kids content.
Hot or not: Hot. Like the 330, the RX 400 is svelte and stylish.
Envirometer: Not yet given air-pollution or emission ratings by the EPA. Mileage ranges from 27 mpg/city to 31 mpg/highway.
Crash course: The RX 400 has not been crash tested by the government or by private testing organizations. The structurally similar 2004 RX 330 earned 9 stars out of 10 in the government's frontal crash test, and 10 out of 10 in the side-impact test. Details: www.irs.gov. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the RX 330 a "good" rating, its highest, and also calls it a "Best Pick." More info: www.iihs.org.
Price points: Base price is $49,185. Price as tested: $52,703.
More info: www.lexus.com
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Model year tested: 2006
As with any other car, you can climb into the Lexus RX 400h and drive off without giving any thought to the technology under the hood. But you do end up thinking about it. A lot.
In most ways, the RX 400 is a clone of the RX 330 SUV that debuted two years ago. There are a few telltale features, however, that remind you this is the first luxury sport-utility powered by a hybrid gas-electric power train. One of the menu options on the centralized display screen is an energy monitor, with snazzy moving arrows that show whether the vehicle is being powered by the gasoline engine, or the two electric motors—or all of them at once. At first this has all the allure of browsing a physics textbook. But it becomes oddly mesmerizing once you start to connect your driving patterns to the way the car consumes energy. At slow speeds, or during stop-and-go driving, the diagram shows most of the power coming from the electric motors. When you accelerate quickly or drive fast, the power tends to come from the conventional V-6 engine. The constant adjustment between the two power sources allows the hybrid system to use each most efficiently, and maximize fuel economy—for a combined city/highway mileage rating of 29 miles per gallon. That's pretty snappy for a 268-horsepower vehicle–and 32 percent better than mileage on the RX 330.
Without any prompting at all, the ability to monitor your car's power consumption in such detail becomes a self-fulfilling inducement to maximize your mileage. I kept testing the pressure point on the gas pedal, to gauge when the gas engine would kick in. The longer I could coast along on the electric motors, the more proud I became. And there's further incentive, besides mileage, to milk the electric motors: With the gas engine off, the car is as quiet as an elevator. Then the V-6 roars back to life the moment you tickle the accelerator. To aid in the physics experiment a separate set of diagrams on the display screen graphs your mileage over time and shows your current and average fuel economy.
Of course, you can ignore all that data, and just bask in the RX 400's wraparound luxury. Parent company Toyota decided to outfit the hybrid RX with just about every amenity Lexus offers, including a navigation system, a rear-view "back-up" camera, sumptuous leather, and voice-activated controls. The point: You don't have to make tradeoffs to drive a hybrid. That is certainly apparent while driving the RX400, although some might consider the base price of $49,185 a bit of a tradeoff. Luckily all those gizmos take your mind off the price.
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