.
Lexus RX400h Hybrid Review
The Lexus RX 400h is an automobile assembled by Toyota Motor Corp. under the Lexus brand name using Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. It is called the Toyota Harrier Hybrid in Japan. After first being introduced in January 2004 at the North American International Auto Show, it would become the world's second mass-produced hybrid SUV, after the Ford Escape Hybrid. In November 2004, Toyota announced the American launch of hybrid Lexus/Toyota SUV will be delayed to the 2006 model year, with European and Asian launches to meet the same fate. The Toyota version of the same car debuted in Japan in March of 2005 as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Toyota will price the RX 400h/Harrier Hybrid at a substantial premium over the non-hybrid RX300/RX330/Harrier. The list price in Japan ranges from 4.095 million Yen to 4.62 million Yen. In US, it will be priced at US$49,185, which is a $5,600 premium over a similarly-equipped RX 330.
The gasoline-powered part of the engine system is a 3.3 L 3MZ-FE V6, very similar to the one found in the RX 330. It produced, in the case of the Harrier Hybrid, 211 hp JIS (155 kW) and 288 Nm (212 ft·lbf). The petrol engine is aided by a maximum of two additional electric motors, one driving the front wheels, producing 167 HP JIS connected to the CVT gearbox, and the other driving the rear wheels, producing 68 HP JIS. The whole system, called Hybrid Synergy Drive, produces a maximum of 272 HP JIS. Under normal driving conditions, only the front motor and petrol engine will be used. The rear motor will only be used under full-throttle acceleration or when the front wheels lose traction. The petrol engine will switch off automatically and the car will be electrically driven when either stationary, decelerating, or being driven at a slow speed. A Ni-MH battery is responsible for powering the motors, and it is charged during deceleration.
The assistance of the electric motor increases the vehicle's performance; the 400h Hybrid can reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 8 s, quicker than the petrol-only RX. Despite the increased performance, the RX 400h/Harrier Hybrid consumes roughly the same amount of petrol as a compact four-cylinder saloon and it qualifies as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) in America. Under the Japanese "10.15 mode" fuel consumption standard, the Harrier Hybrid can run 17.8 km per litre of fuel (compared with the standard coil-sprung V6 3.0 L Harrier, which returned 9.4 km/L). In Japan, it qualifies as a "4-star" LEV-car, where it produces 75% fewer emissions than the standard specified in Heisei 17 (i.e. year 2005).
High Points
Low Points
Performance and Handling
Gas Mileage
Safety
Styles and Major Options
Standard Equipment
- Leather-trimmed interior
- Power tilt-and-telescopic steering column with memory
- Lexus Memory System to control power driver’s seat (except lumbar), outside mirrors and steering wheel
- Illuminated entry system
- Power tilt-and-slide moonroof with one-touch open/close and sliding sunshade
- Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
- High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with dynamic auto-leveling
- Roof rails/roof rack
- Leather-trimmed interior
- Power tilt-and-telescopic steering column
- Lexus Memory System to control power driver’s seat (except lumbar), outside mirrors and steering wheel
- Illuminated entry system
- Power tilt-and-slide moonroof with one-touch open/close and sliding sunshade
- Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
- High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with dynamic auto-leveling
- Roof rails/roof rack
- Lexus voice-activated DVD Navigation System with backup camera and Bluetooth® technology
- Mark Levinson® 11-speaker 210-watt Premium Audio System with in-dash, single-feed, six-disc DVD/CD auto-changer featuring DVD-audio and DVD-video playback
Individual Factory Options
- Lexus DVD Rear-Seat Entertainment System (RSES) (includes two pairs of wireless headphones) - $1,840
- Heated Front Seats with Rain-Sensing Wipers - $665
- Mark Levinson® 11-speaker, 210-watt Premium Audio System with in-dash, single-feed, six-disc CD changer - $980
- Lexus voice-activated DVD Navigation System (includes backup camera and Bluetooth® technology) - $2,350
Dealer Accessories
- All-weather floor mats
- Car cover
- Cargo mat
- Cargo net
- Front-end mask
- Tow-hitch receiver
- Wheel locks
- Wireless headphones
Pricing
2006 RX 400h
- All Wheel Drive: MSRP $46,755
- Front Wheel Drive: MSRP $45,355
Today's prices for the 2006 Lexus RX 400h are also available at CarsDirect.
Gas Mileage
According to FuelEconomy.gov, the 2007 RX 400h averages 20 MPG City/ 25 MPG Hwy. Visitors to GreenHybrid.com, averaged about 25 MPG with their 2006 RX 400h in the lexus-rx.html Real Hybrid Mileage Database.
|
Trim |
|||||||||
|
2006 RX 400h |
2006 RX 330 |
2005 RX 330 |
2004 RX 330 |
2003 RX 300 |
2002 RX 300 |
2001 RX 300 |
2000 RX 300 |
1999 RX 300 |
|
|
MPG |
|||||||||
|
19/25 |
33/27 |
18/25 |
18/25 |
18/25 |
18/23 |
18/23 |
18/23 |
18/24 |
19/24 |
Safety
- Airbags
The RX 400h's sophisticated network of sensors and airbags includes front seat-mounted side airbags with a larger protection area than the conventional side airbag. A driver's advanced airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) deploys in one of three speeds, depending on many factors including crash severity and driver's seat-track position. Similarly, the front passenger's advanced airbag uses occupant weight and crash-severity sensors to monitor its deployment. And rounding out this impressive system are front and rear roll-sensing side curtain airbags and a driver's-knee airbag.
- VDIM
The new Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) is a technologically advanced system that uses a network of sensors throughout the RX 400h to constantly monitor the driver’s actions and vehicle movement. Anticipating vehicle control problems before they occur, VDIM helps correct the situation with a combination of braking, steering and throttle control.
- ABS with Brake Assist
Four-sensor, four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist is triggered when the brake pedal is pushed quickly and the system detects an emergency situation. Together they can help the driver reduce stopping distance in an emergency by supplementing brake power if the driver does not apply enough pressure to the pedal. And should you need to hit the brakes in an emergency, the computer-controlled Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) modulates the amount of fluid pressure distributed to the brakes, helping to provide greater control during braking.
- Reinforced Body
The RX 400h is designed with a welded-steel unibody frame, strong box-section, side-impact door beams and impact-dissipating front and rear crumple zones. Additionally, three-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners with force limiters quickly cinch the front seatbelts in the event of a severe frontal impact.
- Daytime Running Lights
Just in case its sleek body doesn't draw enough attention, the RX 400h comes equipped with daytime running lights, which help make it easier for other drivers to see your vehicle during daylight hours.
To help keep you in control, the RX is armed with an array of safety systems. Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) senses lateral slip in turns and helps keep the vehicle on course, while Traction Control (TRAC) helps effectively deploy power during slippery conditions.
- Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System
When it comes to driving safety, it helps to have your tires properly inflated. With this in mind, Lexus engineers designed the four-sensor Tire Pressure Monitor System to alert the driver with a light on the instrument panel when tire pressure is critically low.
- Theft-Deterrent System
The RX features a sophisticated theft-deterrent system built right in. A rolling code immobilizes the engine unless the proper key is used, making the RX 350 a very unpopular vehicle among thieves.
Reliability and Maintenance
Interior and Comforts
- Brushed-aluminum accents
- An illuminated meter, displaying the level of power generated by the hybrid powertrain replaces the tachometer
- The gas-electric power distribution can also be pulled up on the multi-information display or the optional navigation system’s 7 inch touch panel display.
The rear seats fold down just like in the RX 350, however they don’t fold down perfectly falt since the battery packs are stored there. Once the rear seats are folded, there is 83.9 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to the RX 350’s 84.7 cubic feet. Both RX models still surpass their main competitors, the BMW X5, the Mercedes-Benz ML350, or the Infiniti FX, in terms of cargo space. However the RX still does not offer a third-row seating area.
