New Car Overview of the 2006 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Gas-Electric Mid-Size Luxury Crossover Sport Utility Vehicle/Sedan

Description: Mid-Size Luxury Crossover Sport Utility Vehicle/Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $44,660 - $46,060
Invoice Price Range: $39,746 - $40,992
Where built: Canada, Japan

The new Lexus hybrid-powered luxury SUV brings the exuberant acceleration of a V8-powered vehicle but the miserly fuel economy of a four-cylinder compact car.

Its Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) powertrain teams a strong but efficient 3.3-liter V6 gasoline-fueled engine modified off the RX 330 with two high-torque electric motors -- one to turn the front wheels and the other to work power accessories, crank the V6 and recharge on-board batteries. Total powertrain output is 268 hp. The HSD controls all energy produced by these plants and applies it directly to the front wheels through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT).

And for optional AWD, a third electric motor drives rear wheels as the HSD varies torque distribution front and rear depending on traction conditions. Then Lexus adds VDIM stability controls.

The deluxe five-place cabin of RX 400h trims in soft leathers with brushed aluminum accents.

The line of luxurious performance machines by Lexus, elite upscale label from Toyota of Japan, features elegant sedans, sporty coupes and rugged yet refined sport-utility vehicles. In 2006, Lexus rolls out new iterations of the IS series of wily compact-class sports sedans and recasts the GS series as perhaps the most sophisticated luxury sports sedans on our planet. The world's first gas-electric luxury vehicle also emerges badged as the RX 400h. Derived from the RX 330 crossover SUV, it packs a powerful V6 engine and multiple electric motors plus optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction.