Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Sport Utility

Lexus could not have chosen a more perfect venue for the press introduction of its new RX 400h sport utility than the Mauna Lani Resort, located on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii’s big island. Both car and resort are notable for their low environmental impact. The RX 400h is the world’s first hybrid luxury SUV, achieving a combined EPA city-highway fuel economy rating of 29 mpg that’s simply unheard of in its class. For its part, the Mauna Lani holds the distinction as the world’s largest solar-powered resort, reducing its reliance on local diesel-burning powerplants with a 660 kilowatt solar-powered generator and a fleet of solar-charged electric golf carts.

But these two pleasurable getaways have something else in common. It’s not the solar power that makes the Mauna Lani a vacation hot spot, nor the fuel economy alone that has prompted an unprecedented number of pre-sales for the RX 400h. It’s all about the luxury. All the niceties of the RX 330 – the quiet, refined, and smooth operation not the least among them – carry over uninhibited in the transition to hybrid drive. If anything, these traits have been enhanced in the process. Without the engine running, which is often the case in low-speed driving, the cabin is even quieter. The increased torque from the electric motors makes accelerating and passing a quicker and more effortless affair.

Lexus claims that this sport utility’s 0-60 mph time is down by a half-second to 7.3 seconds compared to its conventionally powered counterpart. The sophisticated electronic control unit seamlessly integrates power from its 3.3-liter V-6 engine and three electric motors, providing four-wheel traction and computer-assisted handling features that are among the most advanced on the market. It is, in a word, a system that is serendipitous…providing luxury, power, and environmental performance in a single stroke of the designer’s pen.



Perhaps the greatest luxury of all is the hybrid system’s absolute transparency. Driving the RX 400h requires no sacrifices or coping with any inconveniences. In many ways, this is the first hybrid vehicle to make you forget about the benefits of increased efficiency at work. It’s that seamless. No hybrid badge adorns the flanks of the vehicle, with only the subtle “h” in the emblem providing a hint that this upscale Lexus is motivated by an advanced technology hybrid electric powerplant. Exterior changes from the RX 330 are limited to an air inlet in the front bumper that provides additional cooling, subtle aerodynamic touches, circular fog lamps, and a revised grill and tail lamps. Inside, a power meter replaces the tachometer and a graphical display in the dash provides power-flow information, representing the only differences here. Both are entertaining to watch…and just as easy to ignore.

All of these subtleties downplay the significance of the hybrid technology. Taken together with a marketing strategy that will emphasize performance over environmental gains, it’s clear that Lexus is engineering a paradigm shift away from conventional hybrid wisdom. Lexus believes its customers are sold on performance, not fuel economy, and thus views hybrid technology as a premium performance-enhancing upgrade. While the stellar fuel economy and resulting reductions in greenhouse gas pollutants are noble achievements that should be applauded, Lexus makes no secret of the fact that this SUV’s environmental aptitude is a secondary distinction. In other words, if the performance benefits did not accompany the efficiency improvements, we probably wouldn’t be seeing the technology on Lexus vehicles, or so we’re told. Besides, if potential RX 400h owners were truly looking to make a statement, they’d buy a Prius. Toyota, Lexus’ proud parent, would be happy to sell them one, or at least show them where the waiting line to buy one starts.

Evidence abounds of an efficiency-luxury balance that is tilted decidedly to the latter end. For example, the low-profile P235/55 tires, mounted on attractive 18x7 inch wheels, were chosen for their on-road traction and clearly will not be confused with low rolling-resistance tires. The V-6 engine, essentially the same unit that powers the RX 330, runs on the conventional and familiar Otto cycle rather of the more-efficient Atkinson cycle employed by the Prius. While the engine power is down 10% to 208 horsepower due to a more restrictive exhaust (which thankfully qualifies the vehicle for SULEV status in California), the added power of the electric motors more than compensates. Total combined output is 268 horsepower, up 38 hp over the RX 330. Lexus did not sacrifice any amenities to compensate for the added weight of the electric components and 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, so overall curb weight is up by 300 pounds. This added weight is all but indiscernible, as we found while touring the Big Island’s perimeter highway.



Only a few slight indicators distinguished the driving experience from that of an RX 330. The gear-driven, continuously variable transmission – unique to the RX 400h – made a high-pitched whine that was only noticeable at low speeds. This transmission’s attempts to keep the engine within a narrow rev range, driving by the need to maximize efficiency, created a clutch-slipping sensation under hard acceleration. Since the hybrid drivetrain severs the direct mechanical link between wheel and engine, no compression braking occurs when backing off the throttle. However, moving the gear selector to the “B” position puts the rear electric motor into generation mode, which increases rotational resistance and slows the vehicle. The most noticeable difference is the vast reserve of torque that can be summoned instantly with a jab at the throttle. This surge of acceleration-in-waiting is addictive, and despite frequent forays into the far end of the throttle pedal travel, our 115-mile drive around the varied Hawaiian roads yielded a fuel economy of 27.3 mpg.

Hoping to prevent the problems that have kept the Prius supply from keeping up with demand, Lexus is premiering a new sales method with the RX 400h. This so-called retail ordering program will assign a customer name to a specific vehicle before production begins, allowing the buyer to track the vehicle through the production and distribution process. Ramping-up production capabilities at the Kyushu plant in Japan in light of the elevated initial interest is the reason for delays in the vehicle launch date, according to the company. Despite these preemptive actions, however, the U.S. allocation of 24,000 units per year will likely not be enough to meet demand. Already, over 11,000 buyers have made deposits, more presales than any other Lexus model.

The $49,185 base price represents a $6,000 increase over a comparably equipped RX 330. Drivers would have to amass many miles before fuel savings make up for that premium, but such concerns aren’t likely to enter the minds of RX 400h buyers. As Lexus is sure to point out, that’s a small price to pay for such a tempting package of improved luxury and performance. At the same time, this vehicle’s positive environmental attributes could go a long way toward softening the guilt that some might feel from owning a luxury SUV, and who can put a price on that?