Preview: 2006 Lexus RX400h


PALM SPRINGS, CA: Seven years since the debut of the Lexus RX300? My, how time flies. The RX was one of the most significant vehicles in recent automotive history, as it created the now-burgeoning luxury crossover-SUV category. It quickly became the Lexus sales leader, and its successor, the Lexus RX330, continued that sales success. In addition to being the best-selling Lexus, it is the best-selling luxury SUV. But Lexus never stands still, and has added another model to the RX lineup, the RX400h.

That's "h'' as in hybrid. When the RX330 was introduced almost two years ago, Lexus announced that a hybrid version was in the works. This was hardly surprising. Lexus's parent company, Toyota, is the leader in gasoline-electric hybrid technology. The Toyota Prius has been very successful, and the technology behind Toyota's hybrid system has been licensed to several other manufacturers. A hybrid crossover would make sense, given the popularity of both the hybrid concept and the use to which such machines are put by their owners, not to mention the cachet that hybrid ownership currently has. But there was a twist. The hybrid would be marketed not merely for its economy and low emissions, but for its performance. An interesting comment, as the Toyota Prius was not exactly known for its accelerative ability.