Lexus Sets New Price for RX 400h Hybrid SUV March 2005

Lexus' hotly anticipated RX 400h luxury hybrid will have a suggested sticker price of $48,535 when it comes out April 15, the company said Monday.

That's about a $10,000 beyond what consumers pay for the car-based SUV's gas-powered brethren, the RX 330.

The buzz surrounding the 400h, piqued by some high-profile placement at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, has already reached a fever pitch. The company says it has taken 12,000 deposits for the 400h and plans to sell 27,000 units annually.

"That's a lot of demand -- a staggering number of orders for Toyota and Lexus historically," said Cindy Knight, a spokeswoman for Lexus parent Toyota (TM: news, chart, profile) .

In addition to the hybrid engine, which adds about $4,000 to $5,000 to a vehicle's price tag, the upscale 400h comes standard with more than $6,000 in features offered as premium options in the RX 330.

Along with a navigation system, moonroof and more high-tech gadgets, the all-wheel drive 400h comes equipped with a 268-horsepower engine that delivers more punch than its gas-powered sibling.

In fact, the 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds compares favorably to the rate of acceleration found in many of its mid-size SUV competitors lumbering along with a V8 engine.

The 400h logs 27 miles per gallon on the highway and 31 miles per gallon in the city, according to EPA estimates. That represents a 67 percent improvement over the RX 330 and easily tops Lexus' rivals in the crowded segment.

Toyota, with its popular Prius model, owns about 60 percent of the hybrid market already, according to J.D. Power and Associates -- that figure, however, is expected to decline as more and more competitors vie for the environmentally-conscious dollar.

Some auto industry officials and observers contend that hybrids generally are more hype than substance. Bob Lutz, vice chairman of General Motors, has said they "just don't make business sense," while others label hybrid a "stepping stone" technology as the U.S. moves toward the hydrogen economy.

A recent study from J.D. Power suggests that hybrid market share, which is currently under 1 percent in the United States, will top out at 3 percent by 2010.

But that hasn't slowed marketing efforts nor has it sated the public's appetite for the next trendy, fuel-efficient vehicle.

SOURCE: Market Watch

Hybrid Car Links

Hybrid Cars

What are Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Car Pros & Cons

How Hybrid Car Works

Hybrid Car History

Future Hybrid Cars

Advantages Of Hybrid Cars

Disadvantages Of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Sports Cars

Hybrid Car FAQs

Hybrid Car Facts