05/16/2006
By Mike Blake
Carlisle Events

Gas prices are still hovering around $3/gallon and concern about the environment is regaining strength -- even if it is economically motivated. So, is there a way to enjoy a luxury SUV and still show your consideration for the environment? Or is that a contradiction in terms?

Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota, has shown us that you CAN be green friendly and still enjoy all the opulence you can dream of while driving an SUV. They’ve made it all come together in the 2006 Lexus 400h Hybrid SUV.

Some 27 percent of all cars sold are sports utility vehicles, and this one addresses fuel economy while not forsaking anything in the luxury department. The RX 400h is the world's first gas/electric hybrid-powered luxury vehicle. Nearly identical to the best-selling luxury SUV, the RX 330, the RX 400h improves fuel economy and lowers emissions while still providing safety, performance and luxury.

The RX 400h utilizes a new, advanced hybrid-synergy drive, making it the first luxury vehicle to feature hybrid technology that combines a low-emission 3.3-liter V-6 engine with a high-torque electric drive motor-generator. The RX400h also utilizes a rear electric drive motor-generator to provide on-road all-wheel drive capability.

Cutting to the chase, the gasoline power system provides 208hp and 212 lbs./ft of torque and can propel the 4365-pound wagon from zero to 60mph in 7.5 seconds. The front wheel motor generator purrs in 167 hp and 247 lbs./ft. of torque and the rear wheel motor generator adds 68 hp and 96 lbs./ft. of torque. The combination, charged with a 288-volt battery, is EPA rated at 31mpg in city driving and 27mpg on the highway, though during my weeklong test, I only averaged 24.5 mpg. Still, that is a solid 5mpg better than with traditional gasoline-only engines, and it may offer a whopping double the gas mileage of the gas-guzzling V-8s that power many luxury SUVs.

The 5mpg figure would save the average driver about $400 per year in gasoline expenses, and the savings over a V-8 could be as much as $1,000 a year. If you look at recouping the cost of the hybrid, it could take 10 years of driving to balance the budget. But with state rebate plans and the Federal Tax credit plan, you actually could be recompensed by close to $3,000 in the first year, making total payback a four-year-plan.

But owning a hybrid-engined vehicle is about more than just cost savings. It shows your empathy with the environment and displays that you are someone who is doing something about it. Buying a hybrid vehicle is also an investment in the future of the technology, because quite frankly, without some of us stepping up to the plate to buy now, there would be little incentive for any of the major manufacturers to continue to offer the option while continuing to improve technology and eventually lower prices.

Back to the SUV at hand, the Lexus 400h is priced at a luxurious $52,703, but for that price, you are not left wanting for anything.

Inside and out, you get Lexus luxury at every turn.  Moving to the cabin, you sit on plush 10-way-power, two-level heated front seats. The font passenger gets 8-way power and there’s dual-zone climate control. For entertainment, you get an 11-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with 21- watts of power, 6-disc in-dash CD player and a digital information center. A spiffy and accurate touch-screen navigational is user friendly and is hooked into a seven-inch DVD screen. A rear back-up camera is sharp and clear and allows you to check for kids, cats and bikes. A Bluetooth voice activation system, internal telephone and DVD rear entertainment system with individual wireless headphones round out this very rich interior.

And if you don’t need all the accoutrements but choose to use your SUV to haul cargo, the cargo capacity of 38 cubic feet expands to nearly 84 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded down.  

Lexus has always paid extreme attention to safety, and they didn’t miss a beat with the RX 400h. The Lexus Dynamics Integrated Management system anticipates loss of vehicle control in virtually any direction and can make stabilizing corrections while allowing higher dynamic capability. The VDIM is mated to a new Electronically Controlled Braking system, ABS, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control setups, while a new Electric Power Steering system optimizes steering assist for each situation.

The cabin design utilizes cage reinforcement, and there are air bags all around, including advanced front airbags for the driver and passenger, a knee airbag for the driver, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags

The leather, brushed aluminum, DVD screens and cushy seats make you feel comfortable, but the Lexus ride makes you feel special. The engine and electric motor offer quiet transport – the turn of the key provides a dead-silent start – and work together seamlessly. Acceleration is powerful and response in curves and straights is exceptional.

And that last word may be the best way to describe the Lexus RX400h hybrid luxury SUV … it is one exceptional car.

Visit www.carsatcarlisle.com for more on the automotive hobby.

MIKE BLAKE, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

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