2007 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid
Tuesday, June 20th, 2006
The 2007 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid boasts all the advantages of a hybrid gas-electric vehicle: Emissions are extremely low, reducing your impact on the environment. And it burns about as much gas as a compact car, helping to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
But it’s fast. Stomp on the gas and the RX 400h jumps off the line significantly quicker than the regular RX 330. It can go head-to-head with a V8-powered Mercedes ML500.
And it’s a luxury SUV, loaded with power-hungry features: dual-zone climate control, available GPS navigation, power seats, power windows, a power rear door, available rear-seat DVD, an optional megawatt audio system by Mark Levinson®. You can run all that stuff at the same time without any fears of draining the battery.
And no, you do not plug this car in to recharge it. There is no electrical cord dangling from the grille, no need to look for recharging stations. Living with it is quite similar to living with a regular car. Like other gas-electric hybrids, the RX 400h recharges its battery packs as you drive. The gas engine helps propel the car and recharges the battery.
The RX 400h combines a regular 3.3-liter V6 gasoline engine with one high-torque electric drive motor-generator driving the front wheels and another one driving the rear wheels. It uses a planetary gearset and generator to help route power to the motors and recharge the batteries. It sounds complicated and we haven’t even discussed the all-wheel drive, the elaborate stability control and electronic brake system. The more you study it the more you realize its complexity.
But it’s easy to drive. It isn’t all that different from driving a regular RX 330 with one major exception: The RX 400h is considered a full hybrid. Most of the time, it uses a combination of the V6 and electric motors. But in certain conditions it will run strictly off the V6 engine. In other situations it will run strictly off the electric motors. Gliding around silently in parking lots and heavy traffic is a different sensation that’s quite enjoyable. Also enjoyable is the performance. Step on the gas and RX 400h takes off with enthusiasm.
The RX 400h offers the same 3,500-pound towing capacity as the RX 330, attesting to its capability. The electric motors should work well in the Rocky Mountain states because high elevations don’t drag batteries down the way they do gas engines. But RX 400h drivers should stick to the pavement. Batteries are no match for boulders.
This vehicle is an amazing piece of technology and an interesting vehicle. It’s also complex. To quell concerns about reliability Lexus warrantees the hybrid drivetrain for 8 years or 100,000 miles.
Overall, the 2007 Lexus RX 400h offers more power, more features and better fuel economy than the regular RX 330. That may be enough justification for the approximately $5,000 premium over a loaded RX 330. A better justification may be knowing that you are driving one of the most environmentally sensitive vehicles on the planet, cleaner than electric cars when the big picture is considered. Yet you’re not suffering for this, instead enjoying the luxury and practicality of a Lexus. Another justification is a little less tangible: The RX 400h is a technological marvel and would be an interesting vehicle to own.
Tags: 2007 lexus, lexus rx, lexus hybrid, hybrid, 2007 rx, 2007 hybrid, lexus rx 400h, hybrid
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