RX400h

America's thirst for power has increased rapidly over the years. Why else would Crysler come out with a 425 HP sedan? I can't even cout the number of vehicles that now have over 300 HP, can you? Heck, the new Corvette Z06 cranks out 505 HP and gets 28 MPG on the highway! Believe me, the Rx400h and Hylander hybrids crush the wimpy Ford Escape hybrid in sales, even at their much higher prices. The 25 MPG we average in our RX400h matches that of a Camry 4 cylinder and beats many smaller and much lighter vehicle's real-world mileage figures. The icing, of course, is the 650 lbs-ft of torque - gotta love it! BTW, Consumer reports achieved a paltry 12 MPG in a new Honda Odysey van recently while driving their city cycle. I'll take the RX400h any day!

...not for 10K, maybe 15K for a nice 95 C4 Corvette. Of course, if you have about 28K, a C5 like mine will spoil you for life!

The RX400h should be great in the snow! Its limitation is serious rock-climbing at very steep angles and slow speeds (may tend to overheat electric motors). Fortunately, most of us do not intend to do THAT type of off-roading, especially with a $55,000 vehicle! Here's good luck in getting your RX400h

This is the beauty of a hybrid - stopping or puttering along in a traffic jam means that no fuel is being consumed. This is why the EPA City estimate is 31 MPG - plenty of engine shutdowns. I'm not sure how the RX computer calculates fuel usage, but I have checked number of gallons used vs number of miles driven and it agrees almost perfectly with the MPG readout (25 MPG).

We have been totally happy with our RX400h. Our Nissan Quest GXE van averaged about 17 MPG and was as slow as molassis. We are now averaging better than 25 and everything works perfectly (4000 miles). I highly recommend this vehicle.

But i mean i probably cant drive it into a shallow lake like i would with a jeep. lol ← Probably not, but you also WON'T be getting 13 MPG like you would in a Jeep, either! :chairshot:

Looking at the pictures from New Orleans got me to thinking about how a hybrid would perform on flooded roadways. Does the fact that it is a hybrid mean the 400h is more prone to stalling? No, those Japanese engineers know plenty about flooded roadways. Just how much water can a 400h go through before it will have a problem? If the water is as high as the doorsil, you and the RX are in a heap of trouble. What happens if you go through water 3 - 4 inches deep at high speed and it splashes hard against the bottom? Nothing; every vehicle should be capable of that miniscule amount of water.How about if it is salt water?Most of us here would expect that you clean it up as soon as possible. After all, it IS a Lexus! If you do drive into deep saltwater say 3 feet deep, will the car short out or will the will the engine jus stall or both?I wouldn't want to be the first to find out, that's for sure. What's it going to cost to fix the car and what has to be done?If the water enters the interior, you probably won't need to worry about cost, since the paramedics will be calling you "Crispy". If the car does stall in salt water and you get out of the car are you, your passengers and bystanders at risk of an electric shock?Not if the water isn't high enough to enter the interior. Still, you'd be wise to avoid traverse rapids, especially if you notice people canoeing in them. Also as I understand it you are not supposed to drive the 400h on loose sand, i.e. the beach, has anyone done this? Does firm moist sand create a problem for the 400h.Avoid prolonged tire spinning and your RX will thank you for it by not overheating its electric motors. Anybody tried their 400h in real world off roading? Is it any good? Few of here are rich enough to go Dukes of Hazzarding with a $55,000 vehicle. Heck, I haven't even taken my Corvette to the racetrack....the mountains of Southern Cali - yes.....racetrack, no.

The slight surging, the feeling of slightly varying brake pressure, and the electric motor roar are all part of the hybrid experience. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives, IMO. I drove from San Diego to Monterey (many hundred of miles) and never once felt that any of those issues were unbearable or even a slight nuisance. The biggest gripe I have is that I can't open the tailgate all the way in my garage. (which is also the case with RX330 owners, I'm sure). Overall, though, we are very happy with our RX400h, especially at the gas pump.

I agree, but isn't it closer to 4400 lbs? I'll bet a 6000-lb rolls fairly quickly, too. The key is to use its weight to your advantage and roll, roll, roll your boat....

I agree - more than likely, it's the pump.

The San Diego Tribune recently ran a review of the Highlander Hybrid and the reviewer averaged only 22 MPG, from what I recall. We're averaging 25 MPG without babying the throttle, but from what I've read so far, there should be very little difference between the two vehicles. As I mentioned in another post, my wife's coworker claims here Mercedes ML320 gets nearly the same gas mileage as our RX400h. Again, jealousy tends to inflate numbers considerably.....

Don't forget that 650 lbs-ft of torque (more than a Hummer!)!

Welcome to the "2-week Club". That's how long we had to wait for a bumper cover to arrive from Japan. My advice is to drive your RX until the part comes in. Sitting there at the dealership does it more harm than good. The oils and coolants need to be cirulated and the batteries, charged-up. If I had known in the beginning that there was a two week wait, I'd have never left our RX at the collision center. Regarding air conditioning, I believe ours is working the way it should.

You definitely don't want to drive a Maxima, then - grabby brakes, super-touchy throttle and air vents that don't adjust sideways! Yes, the RX400h is a winner. However, it's funny how so many people are in denial as to the fuel savings it achieves. My wife's coworker drives a Mercedes ML320 and insists that there is very little difference in gas mileage between it and the RX400h! How ignorant can someone be?

I see that the Honda Insight and Accord hybrids did not qualify, either. Hey, at least we're getting the $2000 tax credit!

Most insurance companies will have this type of windshield damage fixed for free - no deductible at all. The glass repair people come to you, whether you're at home or at the office. They did an excellent job with my Mazda windshield's chip.

Patt and I are certainly not doctors. We are engineers who are facinated by high-tech stuff. It is certainly beneficial to see thoughts from people of many professions.

The problem with plug-ins is that it would mean (for many commuters) that the engine would be turned on for only a few miles, encouraging oil sludge from improper warm-up. This would mean that super-frequent oil changes (every month or so) would be mandatory to prevent said sludge build-up from destroying the engine. How do you get around this scenario? Obviously, Toyota and Honda have not determined the answer.

Very nice! Does your payback calculations assume a 10% per year rise in fuel costs or is the chart not connected to the payback time calc? Another thing that is not mentioned is the increase in horsepower and especially, torque when referring to the Highlander and RX400h. Consumers typically will pay thousands of dollars to get a significant jump in power. Perhaps a "Luxury SUV" chart that adds a few $ to the non-hybrid vehicle cost would be beneficial.

We signed up in April of 04 as well and received our non-DVD entertainment RX400h in April of this year. In fact, we were among those who received theirs after the very first shipment came in.

Why in the world would he spend money on a battery unless it was late Saturday and all dealerships were closed?

Yes. We really scrutinized the color match, bumper fit and finish. Our RX was actually the third (including the wrong RX330 bumper cover) Bamboo Pearl bumper they painted within the last five weeks, so they certainly had some practice. I'm anxious to look at it under full sun, as it was overcast when we picked it up. Still, I'll bet the color is perfect under the sun as well.

Why were you disassembling it - mods already?

Well, we finally picked up the RX400h last night. After a $1000 rental car bill, a noticed screw sticking out of one of the front tires (RX400h), and a $500 deductible payment, we were on our way. Boy, does it feel good to smell that new leather again! One of the things that irritated me the most about that rental Maxima was the dang air vents - the wouldn't pivot left to right, just up and down. What were they (Nissan) thinking? Anyway, we're anxious to continue to put more miles on the Lex (only 3000 miles at present) and enjoy the NAV once more! Thanks again for the advice and support, everyone. Dave

There are quite a few "Dent-fixer"-type companies around here. However, they don't paint, so any damage requiring repaint must be repaired by a body shop. Minor or paint damage-free dings could be fixed at the dealership. They would simply call one of the mobile services and have it done.