The Lexus H400 Hybrid SUV

Author's Rating:

Pros: Comfort, handling, acceleration, safety, styling, luxury.

Cons: Mediocre improvement in economy over the non-hybrid; nowhere near justifying the difference in price.

The Bottom Line: 
Buy the H400 for lower emissions and increased mileage at low speeds, otherwise buy the RX330 and save the money. Avoid the Highlander.

Author's Review
(See update 2/11/06 at bottom!)
I recently tested this car and its Toyota counterpart, the Highlander Hybrid. I am looking to replace a 1999 Lexus RX300 with a new SUV and am very interested in improved gas mileage and lower emissions. My first observation is that the Highlander is significantly cheaper than the Lexus and the difference in the quality, styling, and amenities reflects that difference. Because of the Highlander's third row seating, the rest of the passenger compartment seems to have suffered... the legroom, front and back, has been compromised. The slope of the dashboard makes getting to the pedals quite clumsy for my long legs as compared to the Lexus. The difference in road noise is noticeable, although both cars have an annoying whine from the electric motors. The Toyota lacks a power lift rear door, a very nice feature on the Lexus. The acceleration seems sluggish in the Toyota as compared to the Lexus, even though the drive trains are supposedly identical. I'm guessing it may be a weight issue. And lastly, the Toyota seats are much less comfortable than those in the Lexus (and, incidentally, the seats in my other car, a 1998 Camry). For me, the Highlander is not worth the price. Considering the Lexus on its own, it is a beautiful car that has features that truly dazzle the mind... rear-facing camera that displays on the dashboard screen when backing up; mirrors that tilt downward when backing to aid visibility and parallel parking; versatile rear seat configurations for stowing cargo; and others. The turning circle has been greatly reduced from my 1999 RX, one of the few gripes I have with that car. In short, it is a pleasure to drive. BUT...For city driving, there is only a modest improvement in gas mileage over the gas-engined model if you can stay in the speed range (under about 25 MPH) that uses only the electric motors. The gas mileage for highway driving is roughly the same as the conventional RX330! Even worse, for long highway trips, they've reduced the size of the gas tank in the H400, thereby making the cruising range between fill-ups less than that of the RX330! My current RX300 has a small tank and I am constantly stopping for gas, something I had hoped to cure with the hybrid. In light of this rather deceptive gas mileage situation, the Lexus hybrid is now out of the running as a replacement for my current wheels. Pity! For more extensive information on the gas mileage issue, see the http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/automobiles/31AUTO.html? from 7/31/05.
UPDATE: We recently drove our '99 RX300 on a 3,000 mile vacation trip between PA and FL, mostly highway driving. We averaged 23+ MPG for the trip. Based on this, the h400 should deliver 27-28 MPG highway. My wife recently retired, so without her long turnpike commute, we expect to have most of our driving local at low speeds. Because of the increased use of the electric motors and the resulting higher mileage, and the issue of reduced emissions, we've decided to buy the Lexus hybrid after all.