Rx 400h Or Highlander Hybrid?

[TrojanFan]

Hi, folks:

My wife and I are current owners of an IS 350 and a first generation Highlander Hybrid. Our lease is coming up on the Highlander, and we're trying to decide between getting the new Highlander Hybrid and an RX 400h.

It will primarily my wife's car, and she likes both. Besides the obvious size differences, I'm curious to hear if anyone else here chose an RX hybrid over the new Highlander Hybrid. All comments are appreciated.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Welcome TF, We chose the 400h over the HiHy because 'She who must be obeyed' chose it over the HiHy. Wanting to make a "Sucess" statement to her customers that she has to shlep around, it was more important (in her opinion) to exude image over the appx $10K savings, had we gove w/ the HiHy. Others perefer the ride of the 400h over the HiHy, but to each his/her own.

[08rx400h]

Well, for ME, the 400h looks more like a "wife's" car. But, consider it might get replaced next year and she like the all new H.L.H., go for it now or wait for the new 400h (430h? 450h?) then decide.

[Gryphon]

Welcome TrojanFan. I'm a USC grad as well.

Tom

[mindmachine]

Well, for ME, the 400h looks more like a "wife's" car. But, consider it might get replaced next year and she like the all new H.L.H., go for it now or wait for the new 400h (430h? 450h?) then decide.

I just purchased a 08 RX400h instead of the HH and instead of waiting for the next version of the Lexus hybrid. I was considering waiting on the next Lexus revision, but from all my research I am finding out that the next gen RX 350 gas will be a 2010 and the next gen RX400h wont be out to till 2011 mod year at the earliest, plus the new RX hybrid is supposed to be bigger and heavier and include a third row seating setup. I went ahead because I want the current mod without that added weight and size and third row seats filling up the cargo area. I owned a Lexus Land Cruiser with third row seats a few years ago and I never used them and they were always a pain because they took up valuable space and were in the way when you wanted to carry a big item. I considered removing them completely, but then where do you store them so they dont get damaged and be in the way at home.

The current mod RX 400h is the right size as far as i am concerned.

Last I went with the Lexus for several reasons, 1. I wanted a Lexus and the 4 year warranty, 2. I wanted the added luxury the Lexus brand provides over the Toyota, 3. I wanted the extra service you get with a free loaner for everything they do warranty of just routine services, 4 My Lexus dealer provides free maintenance, oil changes and tire rotations,, ect. in 5000 mile increments thru 40,000 miles 5. I dont like the colors offered for the HH but do like two of the Lexus current colors offered.

I have purchased both other Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the past and I value the Lexus experience over the Toyota, however I cant really complain about any of the Toyota's I have owned, but I feel the Lexus overall experience has been worth the extra cost to me.

It really depends on what type of of experience you want and what size vehicle you need. However as far as waiting, well gas prices just keep going up and I suspect the price of the next gen Lexus 400h will probably go up quite a bit and will bein high demand when it first comes out. Plus I dont like getting the first year of a new generation, I prefer to wait for the first year bugs to get worked out.

My 2 cents anyway, good luck, and I feel either one is not a bad choice.

Oh by the way, my first interstate driving trip with my RX 400h averaged 30.1 MPG, now that was highway only with 48 deg F temps and driving at between 58 to 68 MPH. This was the consumption meter reading in the car, not an actual fill up.

[Jim Clark]

If you price out a loaded Highlander Hybrid, it's only a few thousand less than the 400h. Of course you can get a bare bones Highlander for quite a bit less.

We previously had an Audi S6 and wanted all the convenience features the Audi had and the Lexus had most of them. Of particular importance was memory settings for almost everything.

We also went with a new 2008 model because the prices for used 400h's were so high.

I haven't been in a Highlander but I understand the cargo area is bigger and has a 3rd row seat. But the Lexus is plenty big, there's lots of room for all 5 occupants and the cargo area is plenty big.

[TrojanFan]

Thanks, everybody. Wife is leaning towards the HI-HY for now. We actually want the next-generation RX-h, and there are actually a few features on the Hi-HY that aren't on the RX (the mini-plug for the iPOD is a small but important thing). Plus she really wants heated+ventilated seats (which neither have, but something she loves in our IS 350 ).

Size difference is non-trivial, and the Highlander feels noticeably bigger, but not too big. That said, she actually likes the slightly smaller size of the RX, which is one of the many reasons we'll get the new RX-h in a few years regardless.

Please feel free to add any additional comments.

[zembl]

I was looking into this also. The new 2008 Highlander Hybrid is a thorough redesign and does have some good features that are not available on the RX.

For example, the smart key and the mp3 inputs are big things for me. I love the smart key in my prius and hate the half baked solutions for adding an ipod to a car that doesn't have it ready to be plugged in.

These are all the differences that I could find between the new design 2008 highlander and old design 2008 RX:

the new Highlander has -- and the RX doesn't have:

Smartkey

third row (can delete if you don't want it)

mp3 input

more cargo space

EV button for hybrid

19" wheels

driver's seat cushion extension

dual dash LCDs (main one is really large)

flip-up lift gate window

Auxilary engine cooler

fan control on rear vents

cruise on steering wheel

cargo area tiedowns

rear reading lights

95 cu. ft. cargo (vs 85 for RX)

5000 lbs towing capacity (vs 3500 for RX)

59.7" shoulder room (vs 57.9 for RX)

1" (front) 2" (rear) more leg room

cheaper

But the old RX has (and the new Highlander doesn't have):

memory seats/mirrors/steering wheel

headlight washers

xenon headlights

turning headlights

real wood trim

"retained accessory power" (whatever that is -- I think a power jack in the back if you get the dvd player)

auto dimming outside mirrors

4 one touch power windows (vs just drivers on highlander)

passenger seat height and lumbar adjustment

driver seat adjustable 10 ways (vs 8 for highlander)

faster (at least hybrid Lexus is faster than hybrid toyota, and maybe non-hybrid also?)

laser cruise

rain sensing wipers

Mark Levinson stereo

better warranty

nicer (but more expensive) service dept.

Ultimately I decided that memory seats are essential when two different people drive the car and without memory seats I can't buy the new Highlander which I otherwise would have because of the smartkey which is a great convenience but not as essential as memory seats and mirrors which are an important safety feature.

[Jim Clark]

I was looking into this also. The new 2008 Highlander Hybrid is a thorough redesign and does have some good features that are not available on the RX.

For example, the smart key and the mp3 inputs are big things for me. I love the smart key in my prius and hate the half baked solutions for adding an ipod to a car that doesn't have it ready to be plugged in.

These are all the differences that I could find between the new design 2008 highlander and old design 2008 RX:

the new Highlander has -- and the RX doesn't have:

Smartkey

third row (can delete if you don't want it)

mp3 input

more cargo space

EV button for hybrid

19" wheels

driver's seat cushion extension

dual dash LCDs (main one is really large)

flip-up lift gate window

Auxilary engine cooler

fan control on rear vents

cruise on steering wheel

cargo area tiedowns

rear reading lights

95 cu. ft. cargo (vs 85 for RX)

5000 lbs towing capacity (vs 3500 for RX)

59.7" shoulder room (vs 57.9 for RX)

1" (front) 2" (rear) more leg room

cheaper

But the old RX has (and the new Highlander doesn't have):

memory seats/mirrors/steering wheel

headlight washers

xenon headlights

turning headlights

real wood trim

"retained accessory power" (whatever that is -- I think a power jack in the back if you get the dvd player)

auto dimming outside mirrors

4 one touch power windows (vs just drivers on highlander)

passenger seat height and lumbar adjustment

driver seat adjustable 10 ways (vs 8 for highlander)

faster (at least hybrid Lexus is faster than hybrid toyota, and maybe non-hybrid also?)

laser cruise

rain sensing wipers

Mark Levinson stereo

better warranty

nicer (but more expensive) service dept.

Ultimately I decided that memory seats are essential when two different people drive the car and without memory seats I can't buy the new Highlander which I otherwise would have because of the smartkey which is a great convenience but not as essential as memory seats and mirrors which are an important safety feature.

Good write-up on the differences. It was stuff like the memory functions and auto-dimming mirrors (all 3) that made the decision for us as well. We also like the more luxurious interior and we don't need any more cargo space than the 400h. But the real reason we bought any hybrid was so the wife could use the HOV lanes in her commute to her new DC office. We also wanted a nice wagon to replace the Audi S6 Avant and the 400h fit the bill.

[wwest]

You can delete the thrid row seat but not all the extra weight and size for carrying it around....

I doubt if we will see an RX with third row capability before the RX225h, RAV4 version, is out.

[Statman]

My wife has an RX400h. I just traded my GX470 for a Limited HiHy....I have ben very impressed with the HiHy thus far. The summary above is quite good, but to be honest the HiHy is fine for comfort. I was amazed at the gas mileage so far (I have 2200 miles on it). Average is 28.2. I just drove to and from Steamboat twice this last week and averaged 33.4. My wife likes the RX more, smaller mainly.