Mother Proof's view

To Do: Finish dishes, fold laundry, fuel car, grocery shop, bank deposit, ballet recital, fuel car again, play group; deposit more money so I can FUEL THE CAR AGAIN!

Isn’t summer supposed to be less hectic than the rest of the year? Well, listen up fellow moms, I’ve found a revolutionary way to cut down on our ‘To Do’ lists while helping us manage our budgeted fuel costs. The 2006 Lexus Rx 400h (the world’s first luxury hybrid SUV) can accomplish both of these things.

Now, I’m not recommending that you run out today and spend $50,000 on a car just to save a few bucks on gas, but if you’re in the market for a vehicle in that price range, you might want to stop and take a second glance at this one.

First things first. Hybrid technology 101: A hybrid vehicle combines electric and gas power. The Lexus is a “full hybrid” meaning that it can operate in strictly electric or strictly gas modes, as well as a combination of the two. The electric battery is charged by capturing heat from the brakes and transforming it into electricity, so you don’t need to plug it in.

The benefits are of course, higher gas mileage and lower emissions. According to Lexus’ media relations, the RX 400h gets an estimated 31 mpg city (beating other luxury SUVs by more than 100%) and 27 mpg highway (a 67% increase over its non-hybrid version). A hybrid vehicle is unique in that it gets better gas mileage in city driving. This is because the electric engine is used in its electric-only mode when coasting and traveling at lower speeds, and it’s charged when braking (so the more braking and coasting you do, the more you use the electric engine, which requires no fuel). The gas engine is used when accelerating, so you use more fuel during highway driving when your foot is on the gas pedal most of the time.

Now, I’m not a power freak when it comes to cars. I’m simply interested in finding the quintessential mom-mobile that gets my brood and me from point A to point B safely and effectively. However, other hybrid vehicles I’ve driven thus far have an extreme disadvantage over non-hybrids because they’re lacking in the power department. Most noticeable they stink when trying to get up to highway speed quickly if running late for preschool pickup.

The Lexus RX 400h actually performs better than the gas-only version. It accelerates faster and simply has more power, making it fun to drive. This is the first hybrid I’ve driven that doesn’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything to get the hybrid technology.

Standard equipment on this car includes a navigation system with rear backup camera. Despite a grainy image, the touch-screen navigation proves to be easy to use. On the rare occasion that I get to an appointment super early, the navigation system helps me find the nearest shoe store to kill time browsing the latest flip-flop fashions.

The rear backup camera is essential on this Lexus. Most children are taught to “stop, look, and listen” for cars pulling out of driveways. The undetectable sound of the electric engine when starting the vehicle up makes the “listening” part virtually useless. This combined with its jellybean-on-wheels appearance (causing a slight decrease in visibility out the back windows) makes the back-up camera a must-have safety feature.

Other family friendly features of the RX 400h include standard leather seats, rear seats that slide back and forth (bringing your children closer to you, or creating more leg room when needed to install a rear-facing infant seat), a power rear tailgate (making it easy to load the cargo area), and an easily accessible first aid kit (don’t tell my kids who look for every excuse to use Band-Aids).

On the flip side, the leather seats in my test vehicle are black. My first impression is that they look very sleek and modern. After two weeks of use, I discover that black leather highlights every footprint and cracker crumb that my kids leave behind, making my car look constantly filthy. It also seems to be much hotter in the summer than lighter color options – stick with grey.

The 2006 Lexus Rx 400h is a great way for an SUV family to get in on the hybrid craze. It’ll save you time at the gas pump and help you do your part in cleaning up our air so that our children’s children’s children will thank us.

*For more information on the Lexus RX 400h and its safety features visit Cars.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

LATCH Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Groove-On