Road TestCar reviews - Lexus - RX - RX400h 5-dr wagonLexus modelsOverviewLexus expands its hybrid push with the RX400h, the world's first petrol-electric SUV22 Dec 2006 By LUC BRITTEN LEXUS hopes that, in addition to hordes of SUV buyers concerned about the effects their vehicles are having on global warming, turbo-diesel adopters may also turn their eyes on the new RX400h as a cleaner, more civilised way of reducing fuel costs. The RX400h is technically quite remarkable in many ways, what with its planetary gearset-controlled drive system and CVT transmission, as well as its maintenance-free battery bolted away underneath the rear seat, but it’s especially noteworthy because it’s also the first mass-market vehicle to drive the rear wheels without a driveshaft. Although, like most of today’s light-duty 4WDs, it runs most of the time in front-drive mode, the Lexus is unique in that it uses a dedicated electric motor to drive the rear wheels when the extra traction is needed. The savings in weight and complexity must be considerable. For your $100,000, you are getting hybrid technology you can trust in a vehicle that drives like a conventional SUV but returns fuel economy that can be quite outstanding. Model release date: 1 September 2006 to 1 February 2009 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen |
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