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Just saw 'Pulling Power' and thought they were talking some rubbish! They seemed to come to the conclusion that a Lexus 4x4 was green. They said that the car generates power while you drive it, but doesn't give out any emissions. What they didn't mention is that it uses more power than it generates. I haven't seen the specs for this car, but I doubt that it can generate power without using any. I really doubt that a 4x4 will be greener than a non-4x4, if they built a small hybrid I'm sure it will be a lot greener. I suspect that the environmental impact of building it will outweight the benefits anyway.
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A colleague at work has one. She is horrified by the fuel consumption.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I'm about to upload a test of the Lexus RX400h as I've just tested one too. Answrs some of P3t3r's questions. Will insert a link here once I've done it. (Did 31.3mpg overall.)
Link: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=237
HJ
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I'm surprised how relatively light it is at 2000kg with all those engines and batteries - perhaps it's not quite 'full-sized'? Big diesel 4x4s seem to come in at 2400-2700 kg. The towing capacity of 2000kg is X-Trail rather than Landrover territory.
Technically interesting, but looks like conspicuous consumption with an environmental fig leaf to me - if you want 4wd, a higher viewpoint and a bit of ground clearance and suspension travel, as opposed to a heavy duty 4x4, you can spend less than half the money and get better economy - and if you want to show off, an 3.0d X5 is cheaper, has similar performance and (dis)economy, and is considerably cheaper, at least in standard form. It also has a much higher towing capacity, but I guess that's irrelevant to most buyers.
I think I'd need a truly spare (as in I wouldn't miss it) £45k to consider one - but then I'd never spend £45k on a car so Toyota will not be concerned with my opinion!
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But you can't get 0-60 in 7.3 and 31.3mpg from any other big, comfortable SUV.
HJ
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I reckon my landie ain't too far off HJ - 3.9 V8 gives approx 12 mpg but runs on gas at 35p a litre.
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Having invested (the company's money) in a hybrid Civic. I can confirm, the economy isn't what it's cracked up to be in the real world. But we console ourselves by saying it's enviromentally friendly so we've just bought another or another office. Not bad cars but wouldn't have one myself. Oh and it doesn't cost anything to get into London which saved us nearly 300 quid in the last quarter.
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Tax on lpg goes up 35% in September.
HJ
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Hybrids get any efficiency advantage from the electricity generated during braking, which can be up to half of what was used to accelerate the vehicle. If that electricity is used to enhance the performance of the vehicle, then that blows away the economy advantage.
I did overhear a Prius owner telling someone that she got 60 mpg.
A lower spec hybrid system could replace the mechanical drive to the rear wheels on 4x4's with a stand-alone regenerative battery system, with relatively low BHP.
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Just a note to your review HJ - RX400h is NOT approved vehicle for congestion charge discount or excemption by neither TFL or Energy Saving Trust. Applications are currently refused by TFL on grounds of high emissions.
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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The only remotely green car is an old one, the purchase of which has as little impact as possible on the manufacturing of a new one.
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Thanks vun. I'll change it.
HJ
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I had a drive in a RX400h recently and was very impressed by the performance. In mixed driving the computer recorded 32 mpg.
One question which the Lexus guy could n't answer was why are these electric/petrol hybrids - rather than electric/diesel? Would n't these give better econony?
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IanS
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Is it because the majority of them are destined for North America and hence the bias towards petrol?
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I dont understand why 4x4's are picked on at all.
My mums Hyundai Coupe V6 averages only 22mpg and chucks out nearly as much CO2 as a Discovery, so it SHOULD be as much of a target as any 4x4. Its sure no greener.
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