The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

These days, logic gets you nowhere.

Imagine being able to afford over $50,000 for a luxury SUV, such as the Lexus RX400. Now imagine paying thousands of dollars more to buy the hybrid version, the RX400h, that saves a few miles per gallon.

It makes little sense.

But for those who want to advertise their environmental consciousness on their sleeve, a hybrid is the only answer.

Still, the common-sense questions wouldn’t cease.

Do you know how few mechanics actually know how to fix a hybrid?

Aren’t you curious about how much it will cost to replace the battery pack that powers the electric motor? No one really says, but published reports vary between $2,000 and $6,000.

If you’re really interested in saving the environment, aren’t you concerned about what will happen to all the batteries in the battery pack after you discard the vehicle?

If you really want to save gas, why wouldn’t you just buy a Corolla with leather seats? It’s less than half the price of this Lexus, nearly as refined and will easily achieve almost double the mileage that this Lexus Rx400h returned.

If fuel economy is the motivating factor behind producing a hybrid, why is this such an exceptional performer, but a mediocre fuel-economy champ?

If you want to save gas, why not make this vehicle lighter than its 4,300 pound curb weight?

If four-wheel-drive is meant to ensure good traction, how come this vehicle lost traction relatively easy? (I suspect it was the low-rolling resistance tires.)

If Lexus is known for superior build quality, why were there rattles from the cargo area?

If you can afford the vehicle’s $52,703 price tag, can’t you afford the gas to fill it?

Of course the vehicle that started my mind down this road, the Lexus RX400h, is the well-heeled cousin of the more-common Toyota Highlander.

Like the Highlander, which uses the same platform, the Lexus has a gas engine that’s aided by a pair of electric motors, one front, one rear. The vehicle runs solely on electric up until 15 mph. This calls for caution in parking lots. Most pedestrians don’t pay attention and as a result, they don’t see or hear you coming.

From about 15 mph to 30 mph, the vehicle runs on a combination of gas and electric. Above that, the vehicle runs on gas. The battery pack that powers the motors never needs to be plugged in. Instead, power captured during braking recharges the battery pack. The whole drivetrain is hooked to a continuously variable transmission, an automatic transmission that constantly varies which gear the car is in. When you come to a complete stop, the whole vehicle shuts off, except for accessories. It restarts instantly when you step on the throttle.

The result is so seamless and refined, you won’t even realize you’re actually saving gas. While the RX400h’s 23 mpg is good mileage for a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it’s not really that great overall.

The RX400h is pretty much the same as the standard RX. This means the vehicle comes equipped with all the mod cons. Mark Levinson audio system, rear-seat DVD player, leather interior, seat heaters and power everything.

Handling is a bit firmer, and the electric steering has little road feel. Sporting manners were never a Lexus RX priority, although the SUV handles easily, with a fair amount of agility.

And of course, it was quiet. Deathly quiet.

Strangely, the car’s climate control system seemed a bit weak. The automatic climate control needed to be cranked to 80 degrees before any significant amount of heat would emanate from the vehicle.

Indeed this vehicle is luxurious.

Logical? Nope.

But most car-buyers say they want to conserve fuel, but won’t make the tiniest little sacrifice to do it. They won’t buy that Corolla with leather seats.

And that’s the real logic behind this hybrid.

lprintz@mcall.com

610-820-6713