Chicago Tribune Review - RX400h
#1
05-16-2005, 12:20 PM
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 275
Chicago Tribune Review - RX400h
From yesterday's Tribune.
Mr. Mateja is showing his age, but he's generally levelheaded - and I think he's favorably dispositioned to hybrids... his complaint about the start-up time - does it take that long for a Prius to 'boot', by comparison ?
Mr. Mateja is showing his age, but he's generally levelheaded - and I think he's favorably dispositioned to hybrids... his complaint about the start-up time - does it take that long for a Prius to 'boot', by comparison ?
Jim Mateja
Hybrid boost an RX for mean, green machine
Published May 15, 2005
Toyota proved gas/electric technology works in a Prius car. So, now it's turned to sport-utility vehicles, which need a bigger mileage boost than cars.
The Lexus RX400h from Toyota's luxury division is in showrooms now; the Toyota Highlander hybrid arrives in June.
It appears consumers can't wait. Lexus spokesman Bill Usury said more than 13,000 400h's were sold before the first were loaded on the truck.
Considering reports of four-month or longer waits for a Prius, how long will it take to get your mitts on a 400h?
"It's hard to say if it's two-, four- or whatever-month wait," Usury said. "Many have placed $1,000 deposits at several dealerships and then take the first that comes in and run around getting their deposits back at the other stores."
Hmm. The old multiple ordering routine. Look closely at the order form folks, and you'll see that the dealer doesn't have to return the deposit.
But we digress.
"Based on Prius [output doubled this year to meet demand], we made a request to get a larger share of the 60,000 global production [of the 400h]. We'll get 26,000 to 28,000 in the U.S. while Highlander will get 18,000 to 22,000," Usury said.
"To get more means Toyota would have to boost production capacity in Japan like it did with Prius. We have to assume that same scenario will happen," he said.
We tested the 2006 RX400h, the hybrid version of the RX330 that combines a 3.3-liter, 208-horsepower, gasoline V-6 with a 68-h.p. electric motor fed by nickel-metal-hydride batteries. The electric mode system has an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The gasoline system has the standard three-year/36,000-mile coverage.
Other than hybrid power, the 400h comes with a different grille, front fascia, round fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels and LED taillamps. It also has a power meter in the instrument panel to let you know when in gas mode, electric mode or both and when the electric motor acts as a generator to recharge the batteries when coasting or braking. No need to plug in at night.
Unfortunately, the meter is low in the instrument panel and too small for anyone other than the driver to appreciate. Because you can't feel the switch from battery to gas power, watching the hybrid magic at work on the meter shows which driving habits are most fuel-efficient. The gauge should be much larger.
"The motivating factor isn't the fuel savings as it is the power of a V-8, the mileage of a V-6 and therefore fewer trips to the gas station and time saved at the pump," Usury said.
The 400h uses batteries to start the vehicle and assist the gas engine when added power is needed to pass, merge or climb.
The RX400h boasts zero- to 60-m.p.h. acceleration in about 7 seconds. You pull into the passing lane or tool down the merger ramp like sports coupes do, but in a fleet-of-foot SUV. The V-6 has the energy of a V-8 thanks to the electric motor.
The beauty of the vehicle, however, isn't in how fast it travels, but in how quietly it starts using those batteries. Remember, though, we said quietly and not quickly.
It's not like flipping a light switch--or even starting a gas engine. You step on the brake pedal, turn the key, wait for the "ready" light to go on and then listen for the faint sound of the electric motor being activated before you can move. The colder the weather, the longer it takes.
More than once we had to repeat the procedure before the battery would hum. Car goof or driver goof? Don't know. But this problem hasn't cropped up on other hybrids tested.
Starting and getting going in electric mode is why city mileage at 31 m.p.g. is higher than highway mileage at 27 m.p.g. and far better than the 18/24 rating for the gas V-6 in the all-wheel-drive RX330.
Gas takes over at about 20 m.p.h. A light foot on the accelerator can coax the electric motor back on at about 40 m.p.h. (another reason for a larger power meter to see what you are doing). We traveled for lengthy distances between 40 to 45 m.p.h. in battery mode.
After about 45 m.p.h. you operate in gas or gas/electric mode. Unlike the Honda Accord hybrid, the 400h doesn't have cylinder deactivation to shut off 3 cylinders when not needed.
When stopped at the light, electric and gas shut off. The silence of fuel being saved is eerie.
While the 400h accelerates very quickly and the suspension was tuned for sportier handling to complement the muscle, the steering was lackluster and vague in terms of quick response to steering wheel input. This may be a sports SUV in terms of off-the-line speed, but a typical SUV in terms of maneuverability.
Other than hybrid power, the 400h is noteworthy for standard Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM). Traditional stability control applies anti-lock brakes or reduces engine power when a wheel starts to slip. VDIM doesn't wait. It calculates vehicle motion based on yaw rate, speed, deceleration and steering sensors to anticipate slippage and make a correction before you start to slip in a curve.
Along with standard AWD, the 400h offers a solid sense of motoring security under all weather and speed conditions, though you'd feel even more secure with quicker-response steering.
Safety features include side-curtain air bags with rollover sensors to stay deployed longer if the vehicle tips; rain-sensing wipers and a water repellant surface on the windshield and front side windows so water beads and rolls off the glass; a rearview camera near the top of the license plate holder that uses the navigation screen to show what's behind when backing up; and adaptive front lights that move in the direction of the wheel to illuminate curves as you steer into them.
The drawback is that Lexus priced the 400h at $48,535, or about $11,000 more than the AWD RX330 at $37,425. Lexus says $6,000 comes from 330 options made standard in the 400h, such as voice-activated navigation system, moonroof and those rain-sensing wipers, rearview camera and adaptive headlamps. The other hybrid systems accounts for the rest of the difference.
The navigation system, which comes with graphics showing 3-D renderings of buildings in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, went unused because the time was spent focusing on the power meter instead.
Other standard features include sliding/reclining second-row seats; dual-zone climate control; power seats; power and heated mirrors; and audio controls in the steering wheel.
The test vehicle added a DVD rear-seat entertainment system for $1,840 and a Mark Levinson audio upgrade with 11 speakers and six-disc, in-dash CD changer for $980.
A nice touch is the power rear liftgate that opens when you press the key fob.
With the $11,000 spread, you don't buy a 400h to save a few hundred dollars in fuel each year. And $11,000 is a lot to avoid one extra trip to the gas station each week.
- - -
TEST DRIVE
2006 Lexus RX400h
Wheelbase: 106.9 inches
Length: 187.2 inches
Engine: 3.3-liter, 208-h.p. V-6 and 68-h.p., 650-volt electric motor
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel economy: 31 m.p.g. city/27 m.p.g. highway
Base price: $48,535
Price as tested: $52,053. Includes $1,840 for rear-seat DVD entertainment system, $540 for heated front seats, $980 for Mark Levinson audio system, $92 for cargo mat and $66 for wheel locks. Add $650 for freight.
Pluses: All the amenities of the regular Lexus sport-utility with the added benefit of gas/electric power that provides the energy of a V-8, mileage of a V-6. One small contribution to cleaning the air and reducing dependence on foreign oil. Full-time all-wheel-drive. Mileage rating means fewer stops for fuel.
Minuses: It carries a hefty price, and there's a long wait to get one. The wait for the vehicle to start. Instrument-panel gauge that shows when in gas and/or electric mode is too small.
Hybrid boost an RX for mean, green machine
Published May 15, 2005
Toyota proved gas/electric technology works in a Prius car. So, now it's turned to sport-utility vehicles, which need a bigger mileage boost than cars.
The Lexus RX400h from Toyota's luxury division is in showrooms now; the Toyota Highlander hybrid arrives in June.
It appears consumers can't wait. Lexus spokesman Bill Usury said more than 13,000 400h's were sold before the first were loaded on the truck.
Considering reports of four-month or longer waits for a Prius, how long will it take to get your mitts on a 400h?
"It's hard to say if it's two-, four- or whatever-month wait," Usury said. "Many have placed $1,000 deposits at several dealerships and then take the first that comes in and run around getting their deposits back at the other stores."
Hmm. The old multiple ordering routine. Look closely at the order form folks, and you'll see that the dealer doesn't have to return the deposit.
But we digress.
"Based on Prius [output doubled this year to meet demand], we made a request to get a larger share of the 60,000 global production [of the 400h]. We'll get 26,000 to 28,000 in the U.S. while Highlander will get 18,000 to 22,000," Usury said.
"To get more means Toyota would have to boost production capacity in Japan like it did with Prius. We have to assume that same scenario will happen," he said.
We tested the 2006 RX400h, the hybrid version of the RX330 that combines a 3.3-liter, 208-horsepower, gasoline V-6 with a 68-h.p. electric motor fed by nickel-metal-hydride batteries. The electric mode system has an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The gasoline system has the standard three-year/36,000-mile coverage.
Other than hybrid power, the 400h comes with a different grille, front fascia, round fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels and LED taillamps. It also has a power meter in the instrument panel to let you know when in gas mode, electric mode or both and when the electric motor acts as a generator to recharge the batteries when coasting or braking. No need to plug in at night.
Unfortunately, the meter is low in the instrument panel and too small for anyone other than the driver to appreciate. Because you can't feel the switch from battery to gas power, watching the hybrid magic at work on the meter shows which driving habits are most fuel-efficient. The gauge should be much larger.
"The motivating factor isn't the fuel savings as it is the power of a V-8, the mileage of a V-6 and therefore fewer trips to the gas station and time saved at the pump," Usury said.
The 400h uses batteries to start the vehicle and assist the gas engine when added power is needed to pass, merge or climb.
The RX400h boasts zero- to 60-m.p.h. acceleration in about 7 seconds. You pull into the passing lane or tool down the merger ramp like sports coupes do, but in a fleet-of-foot SUV. The V-6 has the energy of a V-8 thanks to the electric motor.
The beauty of the vehicle, however, isn't in how fast it travels, but in how quietly it starts using those batteries. Remember, though, we said quietly and not quickly.
It's not like flipping a light switch--or even starting a gas engine. You step on the brake pedal, turn the key, wait for the "ready" light to go on and then listen for the faint sound of the electric motor being activated before you can move. The colder the weather, the longer it takes.
More than once we had to repeat the procedure before the battery would hum. Car goof or driver goof? Don't know. But this problem hasn't cropped up on other hybrids tested.
Starting and getting going in electric mode is why city mileage at 31 m.p.g. is higher than highway mileage at 27 m.p.g. and far better than the 18/24 rating for the gas V-6 in the all-wheel-drive RX330.
Gas takes over at about 20 m.p.h. A light foot on the accelerator can coax the electric motor back on at about 40 m.p.h. (another reason for a larger power meter to see what you are doing). We traveled for lengthy distances between 40 to 45 m.p.h. in battery mode.
After about 45 m.p.h. you operate in gas or gas/electric mode. Unlike the Honda Accord hybrid, the 400h doesn't have cylinder deactivation to shut off 3 cylinders when not needed.
When stopped at the light, electric and gas shut off. The silence of fuel being saved is eerie.
While the 400h accelerates very quickly and the suspension was tuned for sportier handling to complement the muscle, the steering was lackluster and vague in terms of quick response to steering wheel input. This may be a sports SUV in terms of off-the-line speed, but a typical SUV in terms of maneuverability.
Other than hybrid power, the 400h is noteworthy for standard Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM). Traditional stability control applies anti-lock brakes or reduces engine power when a wheel starts to slip. VDIM doesn't wait. It calculates vehicle motion based on yaw rate, speed, deceleration and steering sensors to anticipate slippage and make a correction before you start to slip in a curve.
Along with standard AWD, the 400h offers a solid sense of motoring security under all weather and speed conditions, though you'd feel even more secure with quicker-response steering.
Safety features include side-curtain air bags with rollover sensors to stay deployed longer if the vehicle tips; rain-sensing wipers and a water repellant surface on the windshield and front side windows so water beads and rolls off the glass; a rearview camera near the top of the license plate holder that uses the navigation screen to show what's behind when backing up; and adaptive front lights that move in the direction of the wheel to illuminate curves as you steer into them.
The drawback is that Lexus priced the 400h at $48,535, or about $11,000 more than the AWD RX330 at $37,425. Lexus says $6,000 comes from 330 options made standard in the 400h, such as voice-activated navigation system, moonroof and those rain-sensing wipers, rearview camera and adaptive headlamps. The other hybrid systems accounts for the rest of the difference.
The navigation system, which comes with graphics showing 3-D renderings of buildings in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, went unused because the time was spent focusing on the power meter instead.
Other standard features include sliding/reclining second-row seats; dual-zone climate control; power seats; power and heated mirrors; and audio controls in the steering wheel.
The test vehicle added a DVD rear-seat entertainment system for $1,840 and a Mark Levinson audio upgrade with 11 speakers and six-disc, in-dash CD changer for $980.
A nice touch is the power rear liftgate that opens when you press the key fob.
With the $11,000 spread, you don't buy a 400h to save a few hundred dollars in fuel each year. And $11,000 is a lot to avoid one extra trip to the gas station each week.
- - -
TEST DRIVE
2006 Lexus RX400h
Wheelbase: 106.9 inches
Length: 187.2 inches
Engine: 3.3-liter, 208-h.p. V-6 and 68-h.p., 650-volt electric motor
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel economy: 31 m.p.g. city/27 m.p.g. highway
Base price: $48,535
Price as tested: $52,053. Includes $1,840 for rear-seat DVD entertainment system, $540 for heated front seats, $980 for Mark Levinson audio system, $92 for cargo mat and $66 for wheel locks. Add $650 for freight.
Pluses: All the amenities of the regular Lexus sport-utility with the added benefit of gas/electric power that provides the energy of a V-8, mileage of a V-6. One small contribution to cleaning the air and reducing dependence on foreign oil. Full-time all-wheel-drive. Mileage rating means fewer stops for fuel.
Minuses: It carries a hefty price, and there's a long wait to get one. The wait for the vehicle to start. Instrument-panel gauge that shows when in gas and/or electric mode is too small.
Last edited by Jason; 05-16-2005 at 12:40 PM.
#2
05-16-2005, 12:41 PM
Re: Chicago Tribune Review - RX400h
The navigation system, which comes with graphics showing 3-D renderings of buildings in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, went unused because the time was spent focusing on the power meter instead.
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