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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Lexus RX 450h Prices Paid and Buying Experience
551 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 4:18 PM
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For the life of me I cannot fathom why anyone in their right mind is willing to pay, all-in incl. tax and license, over $50,000 for this vehicle. I love my current RX 300, but isn't it obvious that Lexus has been unable to achieve significant mileage improvements in the 400h, and now has to resort to hyping enhanced performance (acceleration, etc.) and luxury? The fact is that really improved mileage performance in hybrids is only achieved in the lighter weight hybrids, such as the Prius and the Honda hybrids. I looked long and hard at the 400h, but will be damned if I will pay over $50,000 for just a very, very small increase in MPG performance - there is simply no realistic payback. I hate to leave Toyota/Lexus, but a reasonable, lighter weight AWD SUV, with significant MPG increases, is the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, which I can purchase here in my Northern California county for $1,000 over the dealer's invoice - a fully loaded vehicle with all of the top options with a total purchase price, including tax and license, of about $35,000. Not quite as luxurious as the Lexus 400h, but at least $16-17,000 less costly!
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Replying to: andy3 (Oct 19, 2005 9:54 am) Oh man, are you in for a ride with the responses to this post. You dare to post detailed, logical information! Are you from the planet Vulcan, by chance?  Seriously, I would hold off on the Escape Hybrid. The technology is not mature at Ford. I would wait for the 2007 model. They did not copy Toyota technology, they independently developed their own stuff. |
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Replying to: stevedebi (Oct 19, 2005 1:41 pm) To stevedebi: It is my understanding that Ford was developing its own hybrid system and came so close to infringing on Toyotas patents that it was cheaper and faster for them to license toyota technology on the Escape. Ford is working on their own but the Escape hybrid system is a toyota product.
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Replying to: andy3 (Oct 19, 2005 9:54 am) This is a "green" alternative to a Cayenne (albeit with a bit less handlng prowess) and not to be confused with a Ford Escape. |
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Replying to: katzjamr (Oct 19, 2005 4:45 pm) I'd heard the opposite. Do you have any link to such information? It is a subject I'd really like to figure out definitively.
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Replying to: stevedebi (Oct 19, 2005 1:41 pm)
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Replying to: sportsnut (Oct 22, 2005 9:28 pm)
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Replying to: ctsang (Oct 17, 2005 8:53 am) So the Prius got recalled. Should Lexus be worried about the 400h? |
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Replying to: scullipit (Oct 24, 2005 12:12 am) |
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This will be my last rant re this topic. Having given all of the current hybrids a good hard look, my conclusions are: they are over-priced for what you get, except for the Toyota Prius - which is, along with the Honda hybrid, the only hybrids that really get you significant improvements in MPG and thus a realistic payback. The Lexus RX 400h is overpriced, with no real significant improvement in MPG; the Toyota Highlander the same; and the Ford Escape hybrid overpriced for the very significant fall-off in overall quality you get from this vehicle. The current US fad is to go hybrid, which I call the "feel good" vehicle purchase as the buyer thinks he/she is doing something spectacular for the environment, etc. I'll keep my 2002 Lexus RX 300 until something comes along that is a quality SUV with significantly improved MPG.
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