- suv 206,775
- 1,573 below average
- 8,987 good
- Maplewood, MN
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,573 below average suv 206,775 gasoline silver
2006 lexus rx 400h review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Hybrid-powered suv boasts power and luxury. introductionhybrid gas-electric cars started out as miserly compacts designed to get a gazillion miles to the gallon. That picture is changing. And it burns about as much gas as a compact car, reducing america's dependence on foreign oil. but it's also fast and powerful. Stomp on the gas and the rx 400h jumps off the line significantly quicker than the regular rx 330. It can drag race head-to-head with a v8-powered mercedes ml500. There is no electrical cord dangling from the grille, no need to look for recharging stations. Living with it is quite similar to living with a regular car. The gas engine helps propel the car and recharges the battery. the rx 400h combines a regular 3. 3-liter v6 gasoline engine with a pair of high-torque electric drive motor-generators, one driving the front wheels and another driving the rear wheels. It uses a third electric motor to run all those power accessories, start the engine and recharge the batteries. If this sounds complicated, it is. And that's without delving into the elaborate stability control setup and the electronic brake system, which also charges the batteries. Driving it isn't all that different from driving a regular rx 330 with one major exception: the rx 400h is considered a full hybrid. Most of the time it uses a combination of the v6 and electric motors, but in certain conditions it will run strictly off the v6 engine, and in other situations it will run strictly off the electric motors. The electric motors should work well in the rockies because high elevations don't drag batteries down the way they do gas engines, but rx 400h drivers should stick to the pavement. Batteries are no match for boulders. this vehicle is an amazing piece of technology and an interesting vehicle. To quell concerns about reliability lexus warrantees the hybrid drivetrain for 8 years or 100,000 miles. The rx 400h should hold its value well if the prius is any indication; 2003 prius models have held their value even better than camry and corolla. lineupthe 2006 lexus rx 400h comes as one well-equipped model. It is the premium model in the rx series, adding numerous standard features that are offered as options on the rx 330. The rx 400h comes standard with electric all-wheel drive and all the powertrain features mentioned in this article. the list of standard features is long: regency leather interior trim, automatic dual-zone climate control, premium audio, cruise control, automatic headlamps, 10-way power driver's seat, eight-way power front passenger's, leather trim for the steering wheel and shift knob, am/fm/cassette/6cd stereo, and a power rear liftgate. options include dvd navigation with back-up camera, bluetooth and voice activation, mark levinson premium audio with 11 speakers, adjustable front seat heaters, dynamic laser cruise control, dvd rear-seat entertainment. safety features include side curtain airbags designed to provide head protection for front and rear outboard passengers. Other supplemental restraint systems include advanced front airbags for the driver and passenger, a knee airbag for the driver, and side-impact airbags mounted in the front seats that are designed to protect the torso, abdomen and pelvis, all of which are important for things like walking. The hybrid system is designed to shut down whenever sensors detect a rollover to reduce concerns from emergency crews about high-voltage power. Also, the fuel tank is much thicker and encased in metal to protect it from damage. All-wheel drive and the sophisticated electronic stability control system (vdim) are standard, which integrates anti-lock brakes, brake assist, traction control and other dynamic safety features. The adaptive front lighting system aims the high-intensity discharge headlamps to illuminate corners as the driver steers into them. walkaroundthe rx 400h and the rx 330 look more alike than different, but there are some subtle styling differences. Among them: a new front bumper for increased cooling, a new grille, new fog lamps, new tail lamps with leds instead of traditional incandescent bulbs. the rx 400h also gets specific 18-inch wheels. The wheels are 7 inches wide and the tires are designed to provide grip in corners rather than offer low levels of rolling resistance. This says a lot about the intent of the rx 400h. Three electric motors draw on 30 modules of nickel metal-hydride (ni-mh) batteries. Clever engineering has resulted in efficient packaging of the batteries, which are split into three groups housed largely under the rear seats. the hybrid powertrain adds just 300 pounds to the curb weight. That's not an insignificant amount of weight, but it's an impressive engineering achievement, and most of the weight is mounted low in the vehicle. Lexus increased the rigidity of the chassis to manage the additional mass. Brushed-aluminum accents lend a contemporary look. Also, the instruments have evolved: in place of a traditional tachometer, there's an illuminated meter on the left that displays the level of power generated by the hybrid powertrain. The driver can also monitor the gas-electric power distribution on the multi-information display or on the optional navigation system's seven-inch touch panel display. the cabin is luxurious and inviting. The leather is soft and slightly bunched. Getting in is easy, with no need to either climb up or duck down. The front seats are positioned off the floor at a comfortable chair height and are snug and supportive. Foldable armrests on both front seats provide additional comfort on longer trips. The center console slides forward and back, allowing room for a purse between the front seats. the instrument panel has three large round gauges. The center dash area is framed in metallic-looking plastic topped with a pair of air vents. The center stack is dominated by the seven-inch display. This screen is used for climate control and trip computer functions, as well as displaying the outside temperature and clock (with alarm). It's also used by the optional navigation system and rear-view camera. The camera is automatically activated when the transmission is shifted into reverse. The system includes bluetooth and voice activation. Also, the trip odometer is hard to read. The radio has big knobs for volume and tuning, that are easy to use. The lexus premium audio is a 132-watt, eight-speaker system with am/fm/cassette with six-disc in-dash cd changer. There's a folding center armrest with cup holders and storage. There is no third-row seat for the rx. folding the rear seats down reveals 83. 9 cubic feet of cargo space, more than a bmw x5, mercedes ml350, or infiniti fx, and just slightly less than an rx 330. The rear seats don't fold perfectly flat, however. The battery packs are housed under the rear seats. driving impressiondriving the lexus rx 400h is quite similar to driving the rx 330. It's smooth and sophisticated, powerful and responsive. Starting out is a bit different, however. twist the key and everything on the dash lights up, but there's no sound of an engine starting, only silence.
8,987 Maplewood, MNMaplewood, MN at autoshopper.com