It’s the 2006 RX 400h, the highest-tech and newest version of the popular RX 330 (nee RX 300) that has been selling oodles of copies since its introduction. Lexus says the new hybrid version of the SUV gives V8 performance with the fuel economy of a compact car. Those are pretty impressive claims — almost like proclaiming you’ve built a perpetual motion machine — and if Lexus can’t back them up there are sure to be some people looking to make hay from the fact that the company fell short in its relentless pursuit of perfection.

I don’t think Lexus needs to worry about that, however, if my brief test drive of the RX 400h at an introduction of the vehicle to the media is any indication. It truly does perform, pulling smoothly (ultra smoothly, in fact) away from stop lights or slower traffic (Lexus claims a 0-60mph time of under 8 seconds) and during my hour and a half behind the wheel (of mostly urban driving) the gas gauge never left full.