| Blackura |
| Looks perfectly legal to me. :) |
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| dj-mdx2 |
Hey Pete,
How do u find the RX hybrid? |
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| Blackura |
quote:
Originally posted by dj-mdx2
Hey Pete,
How do u find the RX hybrid?
Overall, loving it. Of course it helps if you take the EPA gas mileage claims with a grain of salt.
In my X, my actual mileage was 13 city, 15.5 combined, anywhere from 22 to 24 highway (ranging from 55 mph to 85 mph). Same roads/same driving in the RX400h I get 22 city, 25 combined, 24-45 (yes, 45 mpg, not a typo) highway depending on speed. The 22 city number may look odd when you consider the city mileage is EPA rated higher than the highway number, but I have a short commute to work and the worst condition for a hybrid is short trips from a cold start.
I use regular gas (recommended) in the hybrid and I used the recommended premium in the MDX. That saves 25 to 30 cents per gallon right there. I know lots of people here at "the org" use regular gas in their X's, but I use what the manufacturer recommends.
The hybrid is screaming fast compared to my X (which was no slouch for an SUV) and it's eerily quiet unless I've got my foot slammed to the floor. Under heavy acceleration it's very noisy and un-Lexus-like, but only when driving like a bat out of hell. I think the MDX was much tighter and sportier in the handling department, while the Lexus is softer and leans more in turns. The ride is more luxurious in the Lexus, and the leather is far better than my 2003 X (I understand later model year MDX's have improved).
The continuously variable tranny works like a charm, but takes a while to get used to since there are no shifts. It's so weird having the engine "stall" at red lights, and it's seamless when it starts again on acceleration. Very cool.
I wasn't able to get the uplevel Mark Levinson audio which was a disappointment, but the standard Lexus system is far better than the uplevel Bose in my MDX Touring. The low quality Bose was one of those seemingly minor things that annoyed the heck out of me every single day I drove the X. I considered ripping it out and starting from scratch but decided to leave the vehicle in stock condition.
What's wrong with the RX400h? Not much. The aforementioned noise on hard acceleration is the biggest minus. I *wish* I got 31 mpg in the city instead of my 22 mpg, but I've always taken the EPA numbers as a joke so I'm not too upset. 22 in the RX still beats 13 in my X. There's no provision for XM or Sirius, which is odd when you consider that all Hyundais have it available as an option. And I have a long way to travel to get to my Lexus dealer. I'm not about to be a guinea pig for a local fix-it shop, and the only place with the on board diagnostic tools is a Lexus dealer. I'd also hate to have a mechanic electrocute himself if he momentarily forgets it's not 12 volts running through those wires!
One last point. Most people will tell you that you'll never make your money back in gas savings after paying extra for a hybrid. If you don't take resale value into account, that is correct (even with the $2000 tax deduction). But with waiting lists for new hybrids, I could drive my car for quite a while and get all or most of my money back when I sell. That's certainly not true of regular SUVs today which are plummeting in value due to $3+ gas prices. That won't always be true of course, but it is true with today's market conditions so my depreciation is pretty close to zero.
Overall, I'm quite happy I made the jump. Hopefully, Acura will do a hybrid with the next generation MDX. |
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