Hello all, I am a new member here and new owner of a 2008 rx400h. I thought people considering an rx400h might benefit from a quick review of the car.
1) Driving. I did not drive a 2007, but did drive a 2006 rx400h and that car "shimmied" quite a bit when travelling around 40mph. The '08 is silky smooth at all speeds. It is whisper quiet, even when the engine is running. It isn't a sports car so the ride is a little softer and the brakes don't seem to stop you as quickly (comparison to bmw 3 series and Range Rover Sport) but it still hugs corners pretty well at speed.
2) Nav. As others have reported, there is no longer an "i agree" screen, rather a warning screen comes up for about 10seconds and then goes away. I will also say that the screen quality is the best I have ever seen in a car and appears almost High Definition. There are absolutely no jagged edges on the letters and the pictures look so sharp, it is simply amazing. I could not stop commenting about the screen during my delivery process. It has to be seen to be believed.
3) Gas Mileage. New epa standards rate the car at 26city and 24highway. I am getting 28.5mpg after 150miles with about 50/50 city/highway driving. Very pleased as this is 2x what I was getting in my old car. It does require a willingness to drive a little differently but the 26mpg city looks very achievable.
4) Technology. If you are into technology then this car is for you. It is absolutely loaded and all of it works perfectly and is well thought-out. The audio, map, bluetooth/phone, energy screens are easy and intuitive. After about a 5 min demo at the dealer I was good to go. And maybe it is just me, but I think the white, electo-luminescent gauges look amazing.
5) Audio. I don't have the Mark Levinson (although it is available and I think it adds around $1,500 to the price) but the audio is quite good. Surprised there is a tape deck still but that comes in handy since there is no iPod adapter (am using the cassette ipod adapter). I am getting Sirius installed tomorrow and Sirius and XM are both dealer installed options on the '08. Apparently the install takes around 6hrs and the installer couldn't get it installed before my delivery time. Will report back with how well Sirius is integrated but my understanding is that it will NOT require another antenna and that I will control the presets on the NAV system just like with FM/AM. There is a DSP and the ability to focus the speakers on the driver, the front seats or the whole car. Very nice.
6) Cabin. Luxurious and comfortable. Came from a Range Rover Sport that was also very luxurious but this car rides softer and feels easier/better to drive. There are door sills with the word "Lexus" in a blue LED hue that look very cool when you enter the car (my kids thought they looked awesome) and the seats are very comfortable (I do have the premium plus package which sounds like most dealers' main package).
Overall, I give this car a 9.5 (nothing's perfect). I have been smiling since I took delivery and I can't wait to drive it to work each morning. I love the gas mileage, the technology and the luxurious comfort. If any of you are on the fence I would encourage you to take a look. Ordinarily I would tell people to stay away from the car I drive as I don't like to have something that everyone else has, but in the case of the rx 400h, it is just too good to keep from people. Everyone that can should have the opportunity to own a car like this. It is absolutely phenomenal.