ReXus

We're clones! :D The silver exterior compliments the silver interior nicely. And the black interior with brushed silver is actually quite classy looking.

In my area, there are no Levinsons available. Seems it goes by region or something. I would have preferred the upgraded audio, but the standard one isn't bad really.

Hi F86D/wwest. Sorry, I hope my complaint didn't get you banned. I did think your post was impolite, but certainly not punishable by death! :-) FWIW, I've read many of your posts on a number of sites over the years, and you do have a unique way of presenting "the other side of the coin." I for one usually do appreciate the occasional reality check and the 180-degree counterpoint. No hard feelings I hope.

I think you'll be quite happy too. I passed on the RX to get an Acura MDX a while back. Now I've traded the MDX (truly a wonderful vehicle) for the hybrid. I'm looking forward to double the gas mileage once it gets broken in, and in the meantime, this machine is a stealth flyer! All the gadgets and gizmos are really cool too. I just spent more than I ever thought I would on a vehcile (yes, MSRP) and I have *no* buyers remorse at all. My guess is you'll feel the same.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm having a blast driving the new toy. On lunch break today I figured out a few more buttons and functions while waiting for one of my daily "interminable" traffic lights (2.5 minutes.... I've timed it to be sure I wasn't nuts). After work I cracked open the War & Peace owners manual and found a whole bunch of things I'll probably never use, like a schedule calendar. I have a Sony Clie for that. Also how to find my dealer. I found them quite easily with no NAV, so I think I'll pass on programming that one in. :-) I love the rear camera, among other gadgets. It helps a lot particularly driving an unfamiliar vehicle. The automatic rear hatch is awsome, especially coming out of a store with both hands full. Back seat passenger reported supreme comfort whilst reclining peacefully back there. av8tr, I know what you mean about the metal vs wood. My parents' 1965 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 had a huge brushed metal dash that reflected the sun into your eyes if the sun was coming through the back window. I remember thinking what a stupid design that was, and couldn't believe it was making a comeback in 2005 (or is it 06?). I thought I'd hate it, but found I actually like it. The quality is very nice, and it's not shiny enough to reflect sun glare. That said, the RX330 wood is also nice, but the Thundercloud Edition black maple is the one to die for. I wonder if that'll be available as an option? Like everybody else, I have a few very minor peeves. Why is the center console *almost, but not quite* wide enough for easily stacking CDs front to rear? (A smaller quantity fits easily from left to right.) Where's XM/Sirius? Not essential, but for $50 large, mirrors with turn signals seem to be the order of the day on lux vehicles. I've only averaged 22.5 mpg so far, but that's mostly highway. I bought the vehicle because I spend more time at very poorly timed red lights these days than I do on the Thruway. I think I'll probably average 28 or so once everything is broken in a bit, and that suits me fine for a fast AWD luxury SUV.

wwest, that was extremely rude to another poster, and totally uncalled for. You owe her an apology.

After a two year wait, my silver/black RX400h is finally parked in my garage! I thought I'd hate the brushed aluminum interior, but it's actually really cool looking with the black interior. Also, with the silver exterior, it adds some continuity in the look. On the drive home, I had the NAV on and in the dark I couldn't figure out where the mileage reading is, so I have no idea how I did on my 65 mile drive, 45 miles of which were on the NY Thruway. Also can't find the switch to turn on *all* the interior lights (but I do know where the two front map lights are, just not the rear interior light). It was pouring rain while I was at the dealer, so I didn't get the dealer's feature set-up on all the personal options. I can get that next time I'm in, so it really doesn't bother me. I've got lots of reading to do. I suspect that half the extra weight difference between the RX330 and the RX400h is the weight of the owners manuals! It's quiet, it's fast, it's cool looking and comfy. If it's also turns out to be as economical as I hope it will be, I'll be thrilled even more!

If you like reading about both, you can certainly surf through both forums. If you prefer to read exclusively about the one vehicle you own, the RX3** or the RX4** you can breeze through a separate forum quite quickly on your lunch break or during your morning coffee without having to sort through all the other posts. True, both vehicles share many (not all) body parts and interior features, but under the hood, under the rear seat, and under the car itself the two are night and day. Technically, the RX400h is more similar to the GS hybrid and the Prius than the RX300.

I've never owned a vehicle that lived up to it's mileage figures. I just traded an Acura MDX for an RX400h. Old vehicle rated 18/24. I got 12/16 unless I drove it like my foot would barely reach the gas pedal. I figure that if I got 14 on the MDX and get 28 on the RX I'll save half at the gas pump and wait on gas lines half as often. If I get 24, I'm still way ahead of the game. FWIW, many years ago, my 1984 Honda CRX-HF was rated at 55/68 mpg. I actually got 48. Don't beleive what you read on the window sticker. It's just a reference point. To quote from Spamalot: Always look on the bright side of life!