The first Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUVs arrived in the United
States in mid-April, and are starting to rattle the automotive
industry the same way Toyota’s Prius did four years ago.
Toyota pre-sold a staggering 12,000 Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUVs
before a single one hit American pavement. Since that 12,000 represents
about half the number of RX 400h vehicles Lexus expects to sell
in the United States this year, the pundits who predicted the
cars to sell north of $50,000 were dead on.
Does the RX 400h match the hype? Absolutely, based on early reviews
from some of the most respected automotive journalists in the
country.
Dan Neil writes in the
Los
Angeles Times that the RX 400h “feels like a masterpiece
of both engineering and accounting.” It’s faster to
60 mph than the conventional Lexus RX 330, yet gets better gas
mileage because of the thrust of not one, not two, but three electric
motors.
(It doesn’t hurt that Neil lobs a barb or two at General
Motors’ Bob Lutz while explaining why/how he thinks Toyota
can afford its super-aggressive hybrid manufacturing roadmap.)
Edmunds.com
was equally laudatory, noting that the RX 400h is certified as
a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) and accelerates as
quickly to 60 mph as a Mercedes-Benz ML500 SUV, which demands
a gallon of unleaded premium for every 14 miles trod in the city.
Luxury and Speed
Why will thousands plunk down 50 large for a hybrid SUV?
Because, essentially, it has everything a luxury SUV buyer seeks
—rugged exterior, leather-swaddled creature-comfort interior—
in a super-green package that delivers a reported 28 mph on the
highway and 30 mpg around town. And with a 0-to-60 performance
in less than 8 seconds, it should appeal to those who have the
occasional urge to merge—on the freeway—with un-hybrid-like
alacrity.
Consider some of its selling points:
- All-wheel-drive featuring a rear-drive electric motor, for
quicker acceleration and safer handling.
- The auto industry’s first Vehicle Dynamic Integrated
Management (VDIM) system, which monitors a variety of sensors
to anticipate and correct a vehicle slid or skid—by getting
“panic assist brakes” ready for maximum stopping
effort, while modulating the throttle. During these situations,
the VDIM also will remove the slack in the front seat belts.
- Extra safety equipment such as side curtain airbags and knee
airbags to compliment the top-rated crash safety scores the
RX 330 already enjoys.
- An exceptionally smooth and quiet ride, like you find in today’s
current hybrids.
- The same craftsmanship and attention to details found in the
RX330, plus brushed aluminum accents that convey a high-tech
look.
- In place of a tachometer, the RX 400h will have an illuminated,
18-centimeter touch panel screen that displays the level of
power generated by the gas engine or electric motor. The screen
will be similar to the one found in the 2004 Prius.
"The Pleasures of Hybrid Life" at a Cost
Denny Clements, Lexus group vice president and general
manager, sums it up, saying, “the RX 400h will exceed the
expectations of luxury vehicle buyers and establish a premium
market for performance-oriented, fuel efficiently gas-electric
hybrids.” The fuel economy is a far cry from the upper 40s
and 50s of the compact sedan hybrids, but the Lexus SUV hybrid
will at least introduce an entirely new segment of drivers to
the pleasures of hybrid life. Once this group starts paying attention
to their fuel economy numbers, hopefully they’ll slow down
on the road, drive more carefully—and maybe even give up
a little size, speed, and luxury in exchange for more miles-per-gallon
on their next car.
The $48,000-plus MSRP puts the RX 400h’s price tag several
thousand dollars higher than a comparably equipped, non-hybrid
RX 330. Consider also the astonishing number of pre-orders—the
most Lexus has received in its history for any car— and
it’s fair to expect that a dollop of additional dealer mark-up
will push prices above $50,000.
