Good-Bye 400H

[SW03ES]

You're correct that its not really running higher all the time. The CVT is constantly providing the best gear ratio possible depending on the acceleration load, whereas a normal transmission "makes do" with one of several different ratios until it has to switch into a different gear. The issue from a noise perspective is that when any acceleration is called for, the engine on the CVT car responds with much higher RPMs than a car with a normal transmission, increasing noise and harshness. The benefit is instant acceleration, but the drawback is noise.

So if we were cruising at 75 on cruise the RPM may be similar (or lower in the 400h) as may the noise and harshness, but if we are having to give throttle inputs to respond to traffic, whatever at that speed the 400h is going to be louder. I don't have a 400h but I have driven them extensively, I do have a Prius.

My ES350 runs at about 2100 RPM at 75...I'd assume a RX350 would as well...

[lemon]

You're correct that its not really running higher all the time. The CVT is constantly providing the best gear ratio possible depending on the acceleration load, whereas a normal transmission "makes do" with one of several different ratios until it has to switch into a different gear. The issue from a noise perspective is that when any acceleration is called for, the engine on the CVT car responds with much higher RPMs than a car with a normal transmission, increasing noise and harshness. The benefit is instant acceleration, but the drawback is noise.

So if we were cruising at 75 on cruise the RPM may be similar (or lower in the 400h) as may the noise and harshness, but if we are having to give throttle inputs to respond to traffic, whatever at that speed the 400h is going to be louder. I don't have a 400h but I have driven them extensively, I do have a Prius.

My ES350 runs at about 2100 RPM at 75...I'd assume a RX350 would as well...

Hard to say, depends on the final gearing of the tranny (I 'assume' the transmission is different in the RX than the ES?). I was busy fooling around trying to make a 'hybrid' NAV disc today and didn't get out on the highway, but my Scanguage II is waiting patiently in the car.

That weird feeling where the engine races and the speed of the car tries to catch up is sometimes called 'motorboating' and if you've ever piloted a boat with an outboard, you'll know where the saying comes from.

I agree with you almost 100% by the way - I find on full acceleration (like pedal to the floor to pass someone) that the noise is excessive and harsh and very un-Lexus-like. But my God, can the RX sprint ahead - I don't know if it's the hybrid, the CVT or more likely a combination of both, but passing is absolutely effortless in this vehicle. On regular or moderate acceleration I don't find it noisy at all.

One thing I absolutely don't miss is all the shifting - my wife's car is a 2010 Equinox with the 3.0 DI engine and the six speed tranny...all that thing ever does is shift up/down/up/down...it's crazy.

[SW03ES]

Hard to say, depends on the final gearing of the tranny (I 'assume' the transmission is different in the RX than the ES?). I was busy fooling around trying to make a 'hybrid' NAV disc today and didn't get out on the highway, but my Scanguage II is waiting patiently in the car.

I'm sure the gearing is slightly different, but I bet its within a hundred RPM or so...

One thing I absolutely don't miss is all the shifting - my wife's car is a 2010 Equinox with the 3.0 DI engine and the six speed tranny...all that thing ever does is shift up/down/up/down...it's crazy.

My wife says the same thing after driving the Lexus since she's so used to the CVT in the Prius.

[cduluk]

The CVT is nice because it's smooth, but dammit it's BORING. Sometimes when trying to accelerate hard, i just hear the engine and transmission noise getting louder and louder (without switching gears), and it just "sounds" like it's a 4cyl car trying to get into the next gear -but can't. The CVT certainly isn't a "sporty" sound or feel. It's 100% luxurious.

If the Rx400h wasn't 0.2 seconds faster than the Rx350 (on paper) from 0-60MPH, i certainly wouldn't be bragging about it. The Rx400h may be a little faster, but it doesn't FEEL like it, at all. Without the rev sounds, it just feels "slow".

There are only a "select few" times in the Rx400h when it feels (and i can tell it is) faster than the Rx350- and that's during passing (around other cars). If you're following a car in the 30MPH-40MPH range and want to pass, just slam on the gas (waiting the few seconds for the DELAY of course) and the car just GOES!!! and i mean GOES! At any other speed though, it just crawls. From stop, it's pretty bad... without a doubt, not as quick as in the Rx350. I've driven the 07 Rx350, and man, it flies from a stop. With the Rx400h, there's a huge delay after pressing the pedal (does this at any speed actually...) and the engine does NOT max out like the Rx350 does.

The CVT is nice when you're just cruising, but it isn't fun to play with. And i agree, it's pretty loud at any speed (with the exception of at rest) in comparison to the Rx350.

[maseace]

I think mine sounds pretty good under hard acceleration (definitely not a 4-cylinder sound), and I clocked a 0-60 time of 6.68 seconds using a friend's performance meter.

[cduluk]

I think mine sounds pretty good under hard acceleration (definitely not a 4-cylinder sound), and I clocked a 0-60 time of 6.68 seconds using a friend's performance meter.

For sure, the Rx400h is very sporadic; sometimes it's powerful and sometimes it's not. I think it has to do with the battery charge and... well, something else. If you were to do 20 or so 0-60 test runs, you'd get 20 or so VERY different times. It sucks... I can't always depend on it to accelerate the way i'd like it to.

[aus_rx400h]

My only gripe with the RXh is that the engine noise doesn't sound 'luxury' (aka. droning)when you accelerate from standstill. I read somewhere that Lexus Engineers dialed in this artificial noise to give owners a sense of aural satisfaction. If this is true, it hasn't work for me. Does anyone know if this is fixed in the RX450h?

Apart from that, the CVT is fantastic. very smoothhh and fast when overtakings.

[lemon]

I think mine sounds pretty good under hard acceleration (definitely not a 4-cylinder sound), and I clocked a 0-60 time of 6.68 seconds using a friend's performance meter.

For sure, the Rx400h is very sporadic; sometimes it's powerful and sometimes it's not. I think it has to do with the battery charge and... well, something else. If you were to do 20 or so 0-60 test runs, you'd get 20 or so VERY different times. It sucks... I can't always depend on it to accelerate the way i'd like it to.

Hmm...I don't find this at all. The power is always there when I need it. However, if you did a bunch of 0-60 back to back, I guess the battery would get weaker and afffect speed/times, but in ordinary day to day driving, I don't do 0-60 over and over and I always find adequate power.

[RX400h]

For sure, the Rx400h is very sporadic; sometimes it's powerful and sometimes it's not. I think it has to do with the battery charge and... well, something else. If you were to do 20 or so 0-60 test runs, you'd get 20 or so VERY different times. It sucks... I can't always depend on it to accelerate the way i'd like it to.

Having battery assist is like having a bottle of nitrous that is automatically replenished (albeit a bit slowly) by a large tank. If you are going to race someone, make sure your charge (bottle) is full. Car & Driver achieved a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds with a full charge. You couldn't beat that with an RX350 no matter how hard you tried.

[LEXIRX330]

For sure, the Rx400h is very sporadic; sometimes it's powerful and sometimes it's not. I think it has to do with the battery charge and... well, something else. If you were to do 20 or so 0-60 test runs, you'd get 20 or so VERY different times. It sucks... I can't always depend on it to accelerate the way i'd like it to.

Having battery assist is like having a bottle of nitrous that is automatically replenished (albeit a bit slowly) by a large tank. If you are going to race someone, make sure your charge (bottle) is full. Car & Driver achieved a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds with a full charge. You couldn't beat that with an RX350 no matter how hard you tried.

Who are you going to race in a rx? My neighbor has a Viper if you want me to line something up for you! :) :)

[lemon]

I'll race that Viper in January in a snowstorm and we'll see who wins.....

Speaking of 0-60 times, here's an interesting site I came across...

http://www.zeroto60times.com/

and the Lexus page..

http://www.zeroto60times.com/Lexus-0-60-mph-Times.html

[LEXIRX330]

I'll race that Viper in January in a snowstorm and we'll see who wins.....

I am sure you would win that one. :D He won't take it out of the garage if it is even cloudy... :D

[RX400h]

Who are you going to race in a rx? My neighbor has a Viper if you want me to line something up for you! :) :)

BMW X5s and X3s are good candidates, but also Porsche Cayennes (non-turbo) and Ford Explorers also get beaten quite easily! :chairshot:

[cduluk]

On one of those links lemon provided, it lists someone with an Rx400h having a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds and there's another person with an Rx350 with a time of 6.7 seconds. Of course they've got someone with an LX under 7 seconds... so you can tell its not very accurate.

I wonder if anyone has run actual "scientific" test runs of both the Rx400h and Rx350 side by side... that would be interesting to see.

[RX400h]

Car & Driver tested both and the RX400h came out on top with a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds. Faster, better gas mileage and smoother-shifting. What else can you ask for?