Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Exterior and Interior Overview

When looking at the exterior of the Lexus RX 400h Hybrid, most people see a middle sized hybrid version of the popular RX 350 SUV. Of course this makes sense because it basically is the RX 350 SUV with a different engine. What you find on the outside of the 350 you find on the Lexus RX 400h Hybrid. The Lexus RX 400h Hybrid is just more fuel-efficient with its dual electric motors in addition to the gasoline one.

Both vehicles are elegantly styled, and share the same dimensions. There are a couple of differences, like the front grills and round fog lights. The tail lights are different, and the outside paint job comes in a larger variety of colors which are brushed and includes aluminum interior accents instead of the wood trim that is reminiscent of the regular SUV version. The 2006 was noticeably different in that it had wood trim that was called Bird's Eye Maple.

As mentioned before, the 2008 edition includes changes to the exterior such as chrome door handles, revised front grille, and rear spoiler. And don't forget the new 18 inch wheels. Is it enough to attract new customers? Yup. This vehicle is sleek, aerodynamic with a raked windshield and sloping roofline. The whole vehicle has been put together seamlessly and it's assuredly one of the best assembly jobs Toyota has done in a long time.

People who like the outside will love the inside and it's pretty natural to expect only top quality in the cabin. It's spacious and the buyers love it. The cabin can seat five and looks entirely different from the standard RX 350. It makes a statement, claiming its own identity in the SUV world. The driver's and passenger's front seats are well-padded - cushy comes to mind - and everything is well in the driver's reach along the front console. The gauges are easy to read and the wood trim tops it all off. And there is a touch screen information display that gives the driver immediate access to amount of gasoline left, how much charge is in the battery, oil life, tire pressure, and more. This kind of information has become fairly standard on all SUV's, hybrids or not.

The rear seats are just as cushy with plenty of headroom and legroom for taller passengers. There is nothing worse than cracking your skull on the roof whenever you climb in and out of a vehicle. Okay, feeling like a pretzel is worse. The seats have a 40/20/40 configuration which means they can be split and fold down to increase the cargo space. The cargo space isn't the Grand Canyon, but it can hold quite a bit and with both passenger seats folded down, you get 85 cubic feet that can also be reached by the tailgate. There is no third row seat and Toyota's other popular SUV, the Highlander, is the same way. Many of the competitor's vehicles offer an optional third row seat that can be folded down to make cargo space.

The front seats are powered and can move in ten different directions. There are dual climate controls, steering wheel controls, and a six-CD changer with an eight speaker radio system. The second row seats slide and recline. Additional ala carte options include power-tilt steering, sunroof, driver seat memory, leather upholstery, back-up camera, navigations, audio package and rear-seat DVD. Just think how quiet the children will be on that long trip or how nice it will be to shuffle the CDs without having to fumble for the case.