Discovery

Hybrids/Alternative, SUVs

So the designation started at 300 when the RX first came out, to 330 when it got a bigger engine, and now we’re upto 400, as in the Lexus RX 400h— with “h” meaning “hybrid.” The fact that a luxury carmaker is offering a SUV hybrid isvery encouraging, and we can hope that other manufacturers will follow suit. The propulsion system is being calledHybrid Synergy Drive, and Lexus claims that the performance will be not unlike that of a V8 with the stellar economy ofa compact car. Perhaps the V8-ness is the rationale behind the “400″ in the name, but if the vehicle will merelyperform like a V8, and not actually contain one, shouldn’t the moniker be changed to 400ish?

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