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2006 Lexus RX 400h First Drive

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

A Subtle Shade of Green

Introduction

Lexus RX 400h -- 2006 First Drive Luxury SUVs have long been loathed by the environmentally conscious. All that leather and space, the big engine, the heavy weight, and abysmal fuel economy to boot.

They are considered by some to be modern day white elephants -- comfort for the sake of it, size just because you can afford it, waste because no one really cares.

That may well be changing, thanks to Lexus and the latest hybrid vehicle to be introduced in North America, the 2006 Lexus RX 400h. Now even luxury SUVs and their owners can quietly take a role in saving the planet -- without joining Green Peace or giving up any of the creature comforts or performance they've come to expect from the vehicle they drive. That may well be changing, thanks to Lexus and the latest hybrid vehicle to be introduced in North America, the 2006 Lexus RX 400h. Now even luxury SUVs and their owners can quietly take a role in saving the planet -- without joining Green Peace or giving up any of the creature comforts or performance they've come to expect from the vehicle they drive.

Based on the current Lexus RX 330 platform, the RX 400h hybrid combines a 3.3-liter V6 with a permanent magnet electric motor up front and an electric motor for the rear wheels to produce 268 total horsepower.

Technology

The 2006 Lexus RX 400h's front electric engine develops 247 lb.-ft of torque, while the rear motor generates 96 lb.-ft. of torque through a six-time gear reduction, boosting overall rear wheel torque to an impressive 650 lb.-ft. of yanking power. That's good enough to achieve a 3,500-lb. towing capacity. Lexus also includes a third electric motor, mounted at the bell housing, to function as a generator, engine starter, ratio controller for the continuously variable transmission (CVT), and part-time charger for the 288-volt battery pack. Taken as a whole, the system effectively produces performance similar to a V8, while sipping fuel like a compact four-cylinder sedan.

The technology that drives the 2006 Lexus RX 400h, however, is not completely transparent. When you insert and twist the key in the RX 400h's ignition, don't be surprised when the engine doesn't start. You'll sense that the electric air conditioning will quietly kick on, and the electric power steering will ease steering input under your fingertips. Otherwise, it's eerily quiet inside the RX 400h. Place the CVT into gear, push down on the accelerator, and the front electric motor pulls you away without using the gasoline-fired V6, up to 42 mph, given proper conditions.

Adding additional pressure to the accelerator makes the V6 come to life, and the CVT seamlessly streams through the ratios, maximizing the powertrain's torque curve. Mashing the throttle to the floor takes the Lexus RX 400h from mild-mannered SUV to hybrid hyper drive vehicle, as the battery packs deliver a full surge of voltage to the front and rear electric motors. Make no mistake -- under full acceleration, the Lexus RX 400h feels as though a small block V8 has been transplanted between the front shock towers, though the muted exhaust of the V6 and whine of the electric motors audibly remind you otherwise. Let off the gas and the V6 stops running while all three electric motors go into regenerative braking mode to recharge the nickel metal hydride batteries.

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