Lexus RX400h
Lexus
show that a mean machine can also be a green machine.
What's
New
There's just no imitating the hybrid powered RX 400h. Visually,
it's easily distinguished from the other RXs on the road,
thanks to a front bumper that incorporates two small foglamps
flanking a small, extra grille cut right into the middle.
That's
not there for show but to provide extra cooling, which the
RX 400h needs because it has a few extra components - like
the Toyota Prius, it's a petrol-electric hybrid. The Lexus
combines a 3.3-litre V6 with a pair of electric motors.
These draw current from 650-volt batteries topped up by
a generator, or when you decelerate. Slow down for a red
light, or even for a corner, and the Lexus stores the otherwise
wasted energy and saves it for an electric boost the next
time you hit the throttle.
Lexus
says the technology cuts fuel consumption enough to give
the RX 400h an appetite for petrol similar to that of a
small sedan, at just 12.35km per litre. More importantly,
however, the RX 400h was also designed to get the point
across that eco-friendly doesn't have to be boring. In fact,
it's badged '400' even though it's a 3.3-litre because Toyota
reckons that with the electric power chipped in, the hybrid
drivetrain performs more like a V8 of roughly 4.0 litres.
How it Performs
Put your foot sharply down and it's immediately clear that
this is something of a petrolhead's hybrid. There's an authoritative
surge forward that's not present in the RX 350, and while
there isn't the instant neck-snapping torque of a big V8,
the engine does feel like it's been turbocharged.
The
hybrid drivetrain actually employs a motor for the rear
wheels and one that works with the engine to drive the opposite
end, which gives it effectively three power sources. Given
that they all develop their peak power at different rpms
though, it's difficult to calculate just how much firepower
the Lexus has under the bonnet (and the boot floor).
Combined,
the maximum output is 268bhp, which is less than the RX
350's 272bhp, but the mid-range surge from the hybrid powertrain
tells you that numbers aren't everything. Accelerating to
three-figure speeds is smoother than in the RX 350, too,
the Continuously Variable Transmission of the hybrid car
providing one long surge instead of a series of bursts of
speed.
It's
quieter, too, as you'd expect. In fact, up to around 50kmh,
the Lexus is eerily silent under gentle prodding from your
right foot. That's because it enters an electric-only mode,
the petrol engine more or less staying in suspended animation.
Needless to say, the RX 400h also shuts its engine down
at standstill, giving rise to zero fuel consumption, and
zero emissions.
How it Stacks Up
The number of rivals for the RX 400h is somewhere between
zero and none. If hybrid is your thing, only the Toyota
Prius or Honda Civic Hybrid fit the bill, and both are vastly
different propositions from the Lexus.
Best
to consider the RX 400h in its own right, then, in which
case the car does absolutely what it says on the label.
It's quicker and quieter than its petrol-only siblings,
and it makes real savings not only possible, but easy. Thanks
to tax breaks for green vehicles, the RX 400h qualifies
for over $24,000 in tax savings, bringing its price down
to that of a fully-equipped RX 350
| Technical Specifications |
|
MODEL
Lexus RX 400h
ENGINE
Engine: 3,311cc 24-valve V6 with two electric
motors
Max Power: 268bhp at 5,600rpm
Max Torque: 288Nm at 4,400rpm
TRANSMISSION
Continuously Variable Transmission
TOP SPEED
180km/h
0-100km/h
7.9s
|
