2008 Rx400h- Any Cool Features I'm Missing?

[cduluk]

Hey guys. Recently traded in my Rx300 for an 08 Rx400h, and really like it!

But for some reason, i feel like i'm missing some features i thought this model year came with.

One of which, i thought the 07+ Rx's had some special cruise control, like a laser cruise that automatically slows you down or something? I remember seeing commercials a few years ago all about "pre-accident avoidance etc....) ?

Is there anything really "neat" about this car i might be missing? It has the nav and everything... but i feel there's gotta be more.

I like the AFS headlights and voice activation (even though it seems to only understand few commands such as 'radio on' and 'cd changer'... but still pretty cool). And bluetooth which really helps since i'm on the phone 24/7. And the power tailgate...

Anything else i might be missing? Or any cool upgrades i might be able to try? I think the previous owner eliminated the 'i agree' button, is there some other nav hack i can do so i can operate while still driving?

I went through the thing to eliminate the seatbelt off "beep-beep-beep" noise, but i want more hacks :D

Just want to make sure i'm not missing anything lol. Thanks guys!

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Hey guys. Recently traded in my Rx300 for an 08 Rx400h, and really like it!

But for some reason, i feel like i'm missing some features i thought this model year came with.

One of which, i thought the 07+ Rx's had some special cruise control, like a laser cruise that automatically slows you down or something? I remember seeing commercials a few years ago all about "pre-accident avoidance etc....) ?

Is there anything really "neat" about this car i might be missing? It has the nav and everything... but i feel there's gotta be more.

I like the AFS headlights and voice activation (even though it seems to only understand few commands such as 'radio on' and 'cd changer'... but still pretty cool). And bluetooth which really helps since i'm on the phone 24/7. And the power tailgate...

Anything else i might be missing? Or any cool upgrades i might be able to try? I think the previous owner eliminated the 'i agree' button, is there some other nav hack i can do so i can operate while still driving?

I went through the thing to eliminate the seatbelt off "beep-beep-beep" noise, but i want more hacks :D

Just want to make sure i'm not missing anything lol. Thanks guys!

sorry cduluk, you missed the boat by 2 years :P

The 2010 is the 1st year Lexus went all out. The new model will have the Atkinson ICE (where the crank spins only once for all 4 piston strokes), gear driven inverter instead of chain, as well as SKS, lane assist, collision avoidance, LED headlights, higher MPG, lower drag, and the like. I believe it'll also have HD (hard drive) navi, instead of DVD. WAY cool. The up side is you paid a lot less than you'd have paid, clunking down for the 2010. I wonder who will be the 1st on the forum to pony up for one of these.

[cduluk]

GRR :(

I would have waited for the 010 Rx, but it just seems so darn ugly to me. I've seen several 010 Rx350's in person, and i just don't like them.

And i read the 010 Rx450h is slower than the current Rx400h

If they just put push button start and all the rest in the 09's design! ;)

[george66gr]

Good morning to everyone,

I am a new owner of an 08 RX 400h and very happy with it. It has the standard "cool features", but not the Adaptive Cruise Control (must be very few cars that have it). I asked a local dealer about it and they told me that if the ACC is not "factory pre-installed" it can not be installed as extra. Is there anyone here that have a different opinion and information? .. or verify the dealer's statememnt, so to forget about it.

Thank you in advance.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

GRR :(

I would have waited for the 010 Rx, but it just seems so darn ugly to me. I've seen several 010 Rx350's in person, and i just don't like them.

And i read the 010 Rx450h is slower than the current Rx400h

If they just put push button start and all the rest in the 09's design! ;)

The 2010 is heavier than the 2009, because it's bigger ... appx 5% more cargo room ... plus a heavier battery load, along with the heavier body. So when you consider bigger & heavier, the fact that the 2010 is less than a half second slower in the quarter mile ... is it really such a big deal? Do you really need to get to the next red light any faster than a 7.6 second Zero to Sixty mph time? It's weird. Folks are starting to whine about gas prices back between $3 and $4 a gallon in several areas, and over $70 / barrel oil prices ... but what's a body to do.

I do agree that the new body style will have to take some 'getting used to' ... at least for me.

[RX400h]

By the way, I believe Car & Driver achieved a 0-60 MPH time of 6.7 seconds with an 06 RX400h. At the time, that meant that the RX was faster than a Porsche Cayenne-S, while still getting almost double the fuel mileage of the Porsche.

[Gryphon]

By the way, I believe Car & Driver achieved a 0-60 MPH time of 6.7 seconds with an 06 RX400h. At the time, that meant that the RX was faster than a Porsche Cayenne-S, while still getting almost double the fuel mileage of the Porsche.

But wasn't it an AWD?

Tom

[cduluk]

Yeah, i keep seeing different 0-60 times for the Rx400h. I believe the AWD is less than a second slower than the FWD. But here in RI with all the snow, i need AWD.

I've seen 7.2 sec, and as low as 6.9 sec for the AWD from different testers. When i tested it myself, i got over 8 sec... so i guess human error is pretty bad lol... Either way, the 400h is pretty darn faster than the Rx300 i was driving...

And as far as mileage, i'm averaging 20mpg according to the car's LCD thing. I tank up just as often as i did with my rx300. The Rx300 had a 19.8 gallon tank while the 400h only has a 17.2 gallon tank! So i guess the mileage on the 400h is a bit better, but due to the smaller tank i have to go to the pump just as much...

Only real benefit i am noticing between the 400h and my Rx300 are all the newer technological features, and the fact that it's completely quiet under 5mph in parking lots etc, which is pretty cool to watch people look at me driving like i have four heads... The small tank on the 400h and Rx330/350 is a bummer though... I was looking forward to only having to tank up once a month vs once a week GRRR.

I forgot to add auto sensing wipers to the list of awesome things on the 400h. It's freakin awesome!! Whoever invented this is the MAN! But, my friend's hyundai has it too, so i guess it's kinda average for an 08...

And i still need to figure out how to get rid of the doors automatically locking whenever the gears in R or D... Sometimes i drive up to someone to pick them up, and have to manually unlock the doors or put it in P..... i mean as if i'm going to drive away on them?? Oh well, i'm sure it's in the manual i'm just too darn lazy to look it up lol.

[RX400h]

By the way, I believe Car & Driver achieved a 0-60 MPH time of 6.7 seconds with an 06 RX400h. At the time, that meant that the RX was faster than a Porsche Cayenne-S, while still getting almost double the fuel mileage of the Porsche.

But wasn't it an AWD?

Tom

Yes, it certainly was. Of course, it had a fully-charged battery but still, that time is better than the majority of vehicles on the road.