2006 Lexus RX

400h Other

3.3L V6 Cylinder Gas/Electric Hybrid

Automatic

JTJHW31U660043851

All Wheel Drive

Gasoline

Power Windows

Truly a dream come true for hybrid lovers The "400h" in its designation reflects the performance one might expect with a 4.0-liter V-8 engine, yet in fact this Lexus uses the same basic 3.3-liter dohc V-6, augmented by two electric motor/generators — one front, one rear — plus a third unit that provides no motive force but functions as a generator and starter motor. The front transaxle uses an ingenious stepless planetary gearbox very similar in concept to the Prius' transmission (albeit greatly strengthened), and houses two of the motors. At the rear, the third motor with its own compact aluminum gearbox supplies electric-only power to the rear wheels. Look, Ma, all-wheel drive without a prop shaft! So one might ask, "How powerful is it?" and Lexus would tell you that the total system power is 268 bhp, with 208 of that produced by the V-6. But torque is another thing altogether, as the electric motors generate their peak twisting force at revs far lower than the gas engine's 4400 rpm?try 247 lb.-ft. at 0-1500 rpm for the front motor, and 96 lb.-ft. at 0-610 rpm for the rear. So there's no single, tidy torque figure here that's in any way relatable to non-hybrids. Instead, Lexus offers this interesting nugget — total axle torque at launch (that is, after torque multiplication through gearing) is 3500 lb.-ft. Yeouch! In sheer, away-from-the-stoplight punch, this translates to a 0-60 time of 7.3 seconds, which Lexus reckons is a half-second quicker than the RX 330. And you can still tow the race car, perhaps on a lightweight aluminum trailer, with its 3500-lb. towing capacity. One thing you can't do is drive off-road, which will no doubt disappoint the tens of RX owners who routinely slog through the mud. The reason is that under load and without sufficient speed, the air-cooled rear motor could fry. The 400h is a true parallel hybrid, meaning it can operate solely on electric power (up to 41 mph), internal combustion or a combination of both.