New Rx400h Driver

[Cainey]

Hello there,

I have just taken delivery of my new RX400H and first impressions - very, very nice! :D I have had a Lexus 220D for the past 2 years and have been very impressed with the Lexus brand so decided to take the plunge and upgrade. Has anybody got any tips/thoughts on how to get the best out of the car? I am a high mileage driver and whilst I didnt buy the car for fuel economy I would like to get as many mpg as possible - dont want to become to friendly with the local petrol station attendant!

Any hints/tips would be welcome - thanks.

[lfoggy]

Welcome !

I'm sure you will enjoy your RX400h...its a lovely comfortable drive with more than enough performance and good fuel economy for a car of this size. Regarding fuel consumption you will soon notice that when driven on motorways at a constant speed the consumption is no different from a non-hybrid large petrol engined car. On A roads and in urban traffic however the regenerative braking and electric motors come into play and its much better then equivalent non-hybrids. My driving is around 25% motorways and the rest slow A and B roads and urban Birmingham and I am getting about 33mpg in the summer and slightly less in the winter due to the heaters and other electric things being on.

Its quite fun to try and drive very economically by maximising the regenerative braking, i.e. anticipating having to stop at lights etc well in advance and taking your foot off the accelerator in good time. Also fun to forget economy and floor it to experience the 269bhp although the torque-steer can be intrusive when accelerating flat out.

By the way, when your mates tell you it gets less MPG than a similar diesel, make sure you remind them of the performance and the fact that petrol contains about 18% less carbon (and hence chemical energy) per litre than diesel fuel….

My only tips would be to consider getting the VAIS ipod integration kit – I’ve just fitted one to my RX. Its cheaper than the Lexus option and is a great gadget. Also beware of pedestrians when runnning on bettery power only...they are often completly unaware of your presence.

Hope you enjoy your new car!

[jonthebarber]

Fast bugger toooooo !

Enjoy .

Jon

[Lexus2D]

:)

[Cainey]

Welcome !

I'm sure you will enjoy your RX400h...its a lovely comfortable drive with more than enough performance and good fuel economy for a car of this size. Regarding fuel consumption you will soon notice that when driven on motorways at a constant speed the consumption is no different from a non-hybrid large petrol engined car. On A roads and in urban traffic however the regenerative braking and electric motors come into play and its much better then equivalent non-hybrids. My driving is around 25% motorways and the rest slow A and B roads and urban Birmingham and I am getting about 33mpg in the summer and slightly less in the winter due to the heaters and other electric things being on.

Its quite fun to try and drive very economically by maximising the regenerative braking, i.e. anticipating having to stop at lights etc well in advance and taking your foot off the accelerator in good time. Also fun to forget economy and floor it to experience the 269bhp although the torque-steer can be intrusive when accelerating flat out.

By the way, when your mates tell you it gets less MPG than a similar diesel, make sure you remind them of the performance and the fact that petrol contains about 18% less carbon (and hence chemical energy) per litre than diesel fuel….

My only tips would be to consider getting the VAIS ipod integration kit – I’ve just fitted one to my RX. Its cheaper than the Lexus option and is a great gadget. Also beware of pedestrians when runnning on bettery power only...they are often completly unaware of your presence.

Hope you enjoy your new car!

Thanks for your reply and feedback....after 2 days of ownership I am still smiling. :)

[ihpj]

Welcome to the LOC - as some here know I'm not a fan of the 400h :P

The novelty value will wear thin quickly enough and as long as you don't go away on holiday for days at a time *wink*, can tame the torque steer and aim to change the car within 3 years - you should be OK.

[Ullevi]

By the way, when your mates tell you it gets less MPG than a similar diesel, make sure you remind them of the performance and the fact that petrol contains about 18% less carbon (and hence chemical energy) per litre than diesel fuel….

Absolutely agree.

Also petrol is way cheaper than diesel at the moment,and diesel stinks and has a horrible smokey particulate infested exhaust emission.Yuk!

[Ullevi]

Welcome to the LOC - as some here know I'm not a fan of the 400h :P

The novelty value will wear thin quickly enough and as long as you don't go away on holiday for days at a time *wink*, can tame the torque steer and aim to change the car within 3 years - you should be OK.

Well,I've had my RX 400h for well over 3 years now and the novelty has certainly NOT worn off for me.

Fabulous car to own.

In fact,when it's time to rplace,perhaps next year,I will be looking at another hybrid RX.

The only doubt is whether to get a good deal on the current model next year,oe to wait for the new model in late 2009.

[ihpj]

I posted in detail my experience with the 400h a while back - especially in town/urban driving conditions and found the car was nothing to write home about. It was a car that I really wanted to like.

For example, the 400h is a FWD only vehicle. This is INSANE given the size, weight and nature of the vehicle. there is no 'proper' AWD system to talk of - unlike the petrol RX. Then there is the issue of how long the Hybrid Battery holds charge for - a few miles at best before it 'depletes' - and should the weather be mildly cold, the car starts on its petrol engine rather than Battery. God forbid it should ever encounter even a gentle incline as the petrol engine kicks in too regularly. The hybrid Battery seems to spend more time charging than actually working IMHO.

Don't get me wrong, the hybrid stuff is nice, but for the money I'd rather buy a proper AWD SUV and a TD one at that - especially if I were doing any long distance driving or towing.

[DJ Wozza]

Welcome to LOC Cainey, I've never driven an RX before, but I had a GS450h on loan and loved it.

I am shocked to find out the RX400h is a FWD only vehicle though.

[lfoggy]

I am shocked to find out the RX400h is a FWD only vehicle though.

The electric motors driving the real wheels operate when driving at low speed and if the front wheels spin. Driving over wet grass and light mud etc is no problem. It's not a Discovery though, nor is it comparable to a performance saloon. Its just a large and very smooth and comfortable family car with plenty of straight line performance for overtaking and better than average economy. When I bought mine I tested the Range Rover Sport and a few large German estates. I preferred the RX......

[ihpj]

In theory the 'rear motor kicking in' is fine [if] when the car detects the need to employ it. Otherwise if there is no skid detected, guess what? Your 2 tonne SUV is being driven on its front two wheels only - rememebr the petrol engine only powers the front wheels - and this is unforgiveable (IMHO) given the dynamics of these cars.

It is far too easy to swing the tail out of the 400h when going round...say a roundabout before the car detects the said 'skid' - if you throw a petrol RX into the same corner, it is sure footed and grips exceptionally well. It is these (and other) flaws that make me not like the 400h.

I think people are far too taken in by the hybrid (but very clever) gadgetry - but actually it isn't that good.

EDIT:

And before I get flamed, please know that I am not anti-Lexus nor am I a Lexus Basher. These views are expressed solely with the view of putting my own POV forward to bring to people's attention what I found out when running one for many weeks. I really wanted to like this car but walked away feeling let down. I would take a petrol AWD over the 400h anyday.

[flyingsniffer]

My summary

- It's not a proper 4x4, but I've never got mine stuck (have now covered 60k miles)

- Economy is OK - I don't seem to be able to better 29.4mpg

- It's fast if you want it to be

- It's easy to drive in traffic

- I ran it as a company car for a couple of years: very low tax for the size of car

- I've never had the Battery issue not starting that some report, even after a three week holiday

- Residuals look good: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/u...icle4480519.ece

Each to their own, I guess

[gsa]

I've had my 2005 reg 400h SE-L for slightly over a month and I've done upwards of 1000 miles in it already. IMHO, the car is clearly a cut above its peers, especially judging by the combination of performance, comfort and economy.

On the motorway, it's more than a match for the above-average crowd. It's fast and never lets you down when you have to complete a tricky overtaking manoeuvre.

In town and country roads, its fuel economy is exceptional (I've never dropped below 30 mpg and the max I've returned is 35 mpg). Even on the motorway, providing you use the cruise control regularly, you'll return an average of around 31 mpg.

The car is extremely roomy and comfortable and quite easy to drive. Also, for a car this size, the handling is quite good.

[Ullevi]

It is far too easy to swing the tail out of the 400h when going round...say a roundabout before the car detects the said 'skid' - if you throw a petrol RX into the same corner, it is sure footed and grips exceptionally well. It is these (and other) flaws that make me not like the 400h.

Oh,I see,that's why I keep falling off roundabouts in my RX400h!

As far as I am aware it takes the VDIM system 10 seconds to detect slippage at the back wheels before engaging the rear wheel electric motors.By then,of course,I am usually in the advertizing boards and road signs and planning a trip to the body shop.

And there I was thinking that it my my lack of driving skills,when all along it was the car's fault.Ho hum...

[Ullevi]

I think people are far too taken in by the hybrid (but very clever) gadgetry - but actually it isn't that good.

That's right.We're all brain washed morons that buy,and like,RX400h's.

I am glad you keep chipping in,telling us how flawed we are in the choice of vehicle we have made.

The RX replacement is due out next year,and I heard that such is the demand for current RX's in the UK that they aren't even going to bring out the hybrid RX due to lack of demand,all the RX's in the UK will be standard petrol models.(Or have I got that the wrong way round?)

[gsa]

I think people are far too taken in by the hybrid (but very clever) gadgetry - but actually it isn't that good.

That's right.We're all brain washed morons that buy,and like,RX400h's.

I am glad you keep chipping in,telling us how flawed we are in the choice of vehicle we have made.

The RX replacement is due out next year,and I heard that such is the demand for current RX's in the UK that they aren't even going to bring out the hybrid RX due to lack of demand,all the RX's in the UK will be standard petrol models.(Or have I got that the wrong way round?)

From what I've read, they're actually phasing out the petrol RX because there's little demand for it in the UK. The next gen RX is likely to be only hybrid.

Frankly, I am astonished at the extent of dislike for the 400h some people have developed.