The Lexus RX400h provides a powerful and smooth ride. When I first drove my Lexus RX 400h off the lot, I noticed quite a few things.

First, the car’s cabin was extremely quiet. This is impart, due to the extra insulation around the Lexus RX 400h cabin and the double rubber seals that surround each door. This was a godsend because I was used to my old car’s noisy ride.

Secondly, the suspension was superb. I felt totally abstracted away from the bumps and dips of the streets and highways. The steering column is very responsive and feels sturdy (even to this day).

Thirdly, the brakes felt different than what I was used to. I noticed that there was a small latency when stepping on the brake and the braking wasn’t as smooth at very low speeds (like the kind you’d do backing up). This can be attributed to the electric braking system (as opposed to a hydraulic braking system). Braking during highway and faster street driving was a lot smoother and I didn’t notice the latency as much. I was still able to accomplish smooth braking without much jerkiness in those situations.

Fourthly, the seats were very comfortable. The driver’s seat has 10-way adjustment control! This allowed me to dial in the perfect contour for my rump. I also chose the heated seat model for the heck of it. This was a feature I didn’t expect to use often but I found it quite useful on those colder LA days (we do have cold days). It’s quite a feeling having a nice warm seat with the moon roof open. I prefer to keep the windows partially down for fresh air, while using the heated seats to keep me warm on those cold days. Lexus claims that the RX 400h back seats have a little less room due to the hybrid battery locations under the rear seats. A tall friend of mine (6′ 2′’) found plenty of leg room in the back seat. The back seats even recline!

Lastly, most people want to know about the type of power I command while driving the Lexus RX 400h. Acceleration from a stop is initiated by the electric motors. If you keep it less than 30 mph, the engine will stay off and the electric motors will propel the car. If you need to quickly accelerate, the engine will turn on and you’ll hear the 6 cylinder engine. I have been able to speed ahead of many cars from a stop. If you quickly accelerate for an extended period of time you’ll notice a small latency before the electric motors assist the engine for that crunch of horsepower. It is quite an experience to feel the sudden rush and power. The latency was something I had to get used. The electric-to-gas switch is near seamless but not quite perfect. My girlfriend has a Honda Insight and it’s very noticeable when the gas engine switches on (not to mention a different kind of hybrid system). The Lexus RX400h is a lot smoother than the Honda Insight (as one would expect $$$).