Should You Buy a LEXUS RX400h? (Test Drive & Review)

[@adrianflower3230]

"Service the CVT to prolong its miserable life!" 😂🤣👍 Gold Dust! thanks, Matt

[@HighPeakAutos]

Adrian Flower Haha cheers

[@priscilladonnelly301]

What's the cvt

[@adrianflower3230]

@@priscilladonnelly301 it's continuously variable transmission. An unusual type of automatic gearbox that matt and I dislike 😃

[@lavazza.vinzenzo]

@@priscilladonnelly301 la boite de vitesse a variation

[@arthuresclamada1805]

@@adrianflower3230 that's not your typical belt driven cvt common among nissans, this is an e-cvt and consists of gears only (like a differential or transfer case) this will last the life of the car, only fluid changes needed for this type of transmission (or power split device is the correct name)

[@MP-Fin]

You are now my new favourite KZbinr. There are two reasons: you review cars anybody could afford. Second reason is how you present yourself and your videos: no shouting, no excessive loud music, no jump cut fast editing, it's all calm and informative. The occasional jokes make it better. So my comment to you is: don't change a thing! Cheers from Finland mate.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks for watching. I appreciate it

[@olabergvall3154]

I too like the little jokes. My favourite is from I can't remember which video exactly, but comparing luxobarges anyway. "...or you could go for a Porsche Panamera - if your eyes don't work" Still laughing as I recall it now

[@stanelder9995]

Olde English calm, with a side of sarcasm - perfect!

[@CarsofGlasgow]

I agree

[@Andek74]

I have the same impression. Cool, English style, with a bit of typical sarcasm, but without exaggeration or acting, very informative. Pleasant to watch every time.

[@anjanghosh385]

I have owned a RX400h, still do, for over ten years now. I have never had any issues. I’ve driven to Europe a few times in it, done pretty heavy mileage (nearly 200k miles on the clock) and I agree with the nice things you’ve said about it. However, you couldn’t have been farther from the truth when you stated that ‘it’s shit in snow’ because, my experience has been that it copes amazingly in snow. I have driven through some really bad conditions past other vehicles on the roadside which were unable to cope, this Lexus 400h has always performed superbly. The automatic 4x4 drive is quite impressive. Also, I have achieved just over 45mpg inner city mileage (A406 North London 8:30am), although I did drive like an angel to minimise fuel consumption and seldom drive like that.

[@connashio1]

Any car can be bad in snow with the wrong (summer) tyres. I'm sure one of these RXs would cope fine with good winter or all season tyres

[@singleplayerman]

My mother has this car. It has gone 270000km and never had any serious issues. Very reliable car

[@HighPeakAutos]

Leo Roos I can believe it

[@patrickvolvos4010]

Hi does the battery work well?

[@deborahsilva2031]

Nice car

[@singleplayerman]

@@patrickvolvos4010 hi sorry for the late response, yes the battery works well, had it changed once

[@crazyworld2570]

@AsKaNeL tAnKeR How much to replace the battery?

[@christopherwhitehead8946]

We had one of these RX 400h. a) it NEVER ran silently. It was continuously topping up the battery, or putting it another way, the battery was giving the petrol engine a bit of extra help. Yes, it probably was more efficient than a simple V6 petrol. However, it never, ever ran silently like a Prius or Aurus hybrid taxi. We changed it for a Range Rover Vogue 4.4 diesel. The RR was quicker and more economical. b) On the other hand, the Lexus was impeccably reliable, and the Range Rover was a bucket of shite.

[@petehreid1]

Christopher Whitehead good luck on reliability

[@christopherwhitehead8946]

petehreid1 You obviously didn’t “read more”! I concur exactly. The Range River was terrible. Got rid of it after many many failures. Would have been catastrophically expensive if it were not under warranty.

[@bvedant]

I assume you're a Brit. Even in the British market they're expensive to service?

[@christopherwhitehead8946]

Barath Vedant Yes, we live in NW England. 4 hours away by car from London, for you guys around the world. Range Rovers very expensive to service . So we sold ours before it’s warranty ran out.

[@Darkcruzer23]

wow a car wasnt silent, thats a big issue!

[@adrianwhitehead1950]

The gearbox is what Lexus called an eCVT and bears no resemblance to a belt driven CVT, so no worries about catastrophic failures similar to those encountered in Nissan and Audi units. The “CVT” only refers to the feel of the drive, in the same way as the Lexus IS300h or Prius; they use the same tech to blend the power between the petrol engine and electric motors.

[@dgurevich1]

Do you know if it still needs service? My local lexus dealer said it doesn't but I find it hard to believe.

[@tobhawk]

@@dgurevich1 oil changes every 50k-100k km

[@miroslavananiev4066]

According to all forums change oil and filters of gearbox at every 200k km will have mine done in 4k km fingers crossed!

[@kudynski]

Thank you for that!

[@Dave-The-McKiwi]

I have had a 2007 RX400h for the past 7 years. Purchased for £12K with 64,000 miles on it. Now in Nov 2021, it has 140,000 miles. Love the car, works well, plenty of grunt and comfortable. Recommend you get a SEL as it has a Mark Levinson sound system, which sounds great. Always serviced by Lexus and few things have gone wrong. Hybrid battery passes it battery health check, never been an issue. Saw a American KZbin video on a 250,000 mile RX and still going strong on original Hybrid battery! Latest trip computer show last 3000 miles covered at an average of 30.6 MPG. Family of 5, all tall, 3 x 6+ footers and car accommodates easily. Love the flat floor in the rear. Cannot recommend enough. Only problem is - it still works, so no need for a newer car ;-)

[@colechapman6976]

For a very old car it looks surprisingly well-kept. Zero warning lights is also a nice change from German or Range Rovers that always seem to have something going wrong. It's very middle class, but not everyone is trying to be the Duke of Westminster. Some just need a daily that has soft suspension that transports their family safely and comfortable. This really is the perfect car, albeit it does not have the charm or luxury of a Range Rover

[@chat2stephen]

12 years on and I still own my RX400h. She's a 2008 model (Made in Japan) with a nicer interior eg. Higher definition infotainment display, wood trimmed interior, DVD player, 6 disc stacker etc... Cost me nothing besides tyres and regular oil change and I have had zero issues so she is extremely reliable. Changed my brakes at 120K Kms and there is still heaps of meat left which shows the regen braking is doing a wonderful job. she's a keeper.

[@hasanmarwat]

One of the best honest reviewer ...I used to watch Matt Watson but now binge watching every video on your channel. I have exactly the same car, even the colour & Reg, and this has been the best car I've owned so far. Luxurious, smooth & reliable, have travelled all over Europe in it and enjoyed every bit of it. It's fully loaded and the only option missing is adaptive cruise control, which wasn't introduced in 2006 :).

[@jvitalis9483]

I had one 08 plate and we where happy with it for over 10 years No problem with it at all We've change the belt and pump on 95000 miles and then it drove smooth as new Good second hand car for less money i would say

[@opless]

I completely agree!

[@rtankard]

Rear brakes can be a problem on these. The electric regeneration does most of the rear wheel braking, so the rear mechanical brakes don't get a lot of use. This means they can get seized and need a rebuild, which can be expensive. If you have one, make sure you are heavy on the brakes now and again so the rear actually engage and it keeps them moving, and being used, rather than letting them fester for 90k miles without having them checked or serviced. Buying used, check the rear discs for rust to see if they are working or not. UK Lexus servicing can be expensive and some people don't have it done correctly.

[@rtankard]

@Akira S Yes, it has a front electric motor, but a smaller 66bhp, 130Nm torque electric motor directly drives the rear diff, giving four-wheel-drive capability when required. There is no front-to-rear prop-shaft, so the petrol engine never drives the rear wheels. The front brakes do the majority of the braking, so there is only infrequent load on the rear, hence they only rarely require any mechanical braking. We don't have the Highlander here in the UK, so I couldn't comment on that.

[@brokenworld1]

As the other guys said, regen works on font too. Mine had original rear brakes at 90K! The calipers were mostly seized because of the lack of service that would normally happen when changing pads and disks etc.

[@LondonSteveLee]

Every month or so - find room in a supermarket car park or whatnot and reverse fast hitting the brakes hard a few times - that will get the rear calipers moving and clean the rear discs up a bit.

[@Vismajor01]

I had the same issue in my P2. Cost me 500 to replace the stucked rear brakes.

[@greatmoose17]

When you put the car in neutral it’s only hydraulic brakes. So put the brakes on good in neutral now and then and you’ll be fine.

[@SidewaysStew]

Hi bud... going off your review i bought one of these 400h from a dealer friend of mine.. 113k miles full history.. gave 2.5k for it... Verdict.. thanks to your honest review on this model of car i can honestly say its the best two and a half grand ive ever spent.. Cheers mate ❤

[@vofcr91]

dirt cheap by the sound of it ! still driving it ? i'm about to pull the trigger on one in coming days...

[@Ghost345621]

@@vofcr91let me know if you went with one. I’m in the same boat!

[@vofcr91]

@@Ghost345621 hi bud, yeah, i bought one in July 2024, 2009 RX400h with 133k, not sure how much i have now on the clock but i commute 33miles daily, 5 days a week so about 1.5k miles done so far and it had been faultless. Smooth ride and plenty of power. Only thing that is bit of a pain nowadays - bluetooth module back then only allowed you to make calls not play music. I'm going to change gearbox oil, spark plugs and valve sub-assy early October and then look for some derusting and underseal treatment.

[@vofcr91]

forgot to mention - paid 3k

[@Ghost345621]

@@vofcr91 perfect mate, thanks for the detailed reply!

[@apexmarbella]

One of the main reasons I subscribed to this channel back in the day is because you referred to the tape player as a 'Kit Kat holder', that was a funny video mate. Don't forget your roots! 😄

[@HighPeakAutos]

APEX Marbella Property Spain Haha yes I almost forgot about that 😂

[@FuzzyD007]

I have this car and can verify everything you have mentioned in your video! I love driving it. Great family car, super comfortable and just a brilliant motorway cruiser. You forgot to mention the radio system, which frankly still surprises me how amazing it sounds...and the bass is just on point! I am used to driving much faster cars but, oddly, I find driving the Lexus very calming...and yes, it has turned me into a "Sunday lunchtime" driver!!...not a bad thing really as it saves on fuel. My only gripe is I have the same interior and have to ensure that it's constantly cleaned...we have two dogs, so this is a little challenging. I would certainly but the newer models when the time comes. (Btw, the RX400h comes with Bluetooth, but sadly this only works with mobile phone calls and not music audio). My full-service cost is around £180 every year). Thanks for making the video.

[@HighPeakAutos]

They’re very good cars. Thanks for watching

[@Toyota4Life]

This cars are a hidden gem. They were ahead of their time when they came out and still look modern today

[@HighPeakAutos]

I agree

[@dgurevich1]

I got a 2009 RX450h with 250000 km. I drive 150k a day in it, and it's the best car I could ever dream of owning. The battery is original, and I got money saved up for eventually replacing it, right now I can get 1.5 km out of it. I manage to get 7 liters per 100km consistently, but that is because I do 90 kph in right lane all the time.

[@jadoriffic]

I just bought one, and I love it. Super comfortable, decent mileage and ultra reliable. My sister just gave hers away. It had 400k miles and ran great 👍

[@johnb5917]

I bought my rx350 3 years ago and it's been brilliant. Heavy on tyres and brakes though. All the range are decent and have good features. Excellent review. My 350 gets 24mpg on a run and 18mpg round town. It's also £570 to tax. I'll buy another at some point but will be hybrid.

[@opless]

I recommend getting a decent brand of tyres (Goodyear) rather than the rubbish indie garages will try to flog you. You'll see much less wear!

[@rageshravi2230]

One of the coolest car review makers on the KZbin, no dramas, no extra Hollywood-Bollywood emotions just godamn reasonable cars, the ones regular guys can buy! Keep it going mate!

[@seangilroy9900]

Hits the nail on the head with this review, having-owned x5 and discovery , they both broke my heart and the bank !! This is so reliable and yet still economical -ish , comfortable and has power when pushed!

[@rogerhowell9987]

Thanks for that Matt, I had a 350h a few years ago and drove back from holiday in the Isle of Sky to Poole in Dorset 600+ miles in a day, and got out with no aches and pains! So always been a fan of the Lexus. Looking to replace my 270 cdi ML, and have a short list FFRR, Range Rover Sport like the dash layout of the Cayenne (ex pilot button freak!) maybe I’ll add the Lexi to my list!

[@verdej2057]

I bought a 2006 rx after this video and everything you said is absolutely spot on!

[@mlh4711]

interesting review, cheers. My wife runs a petrol rx300 and to be fair there have been zero issues with it in 18 months. It doesn't go far or get hammered but occasionally it is asked to fly north for a 9 hour non-stop blast to see her family and it never misses a beat. It's comfortable too. It isn't a speed demon but it wasn't bought for that reason anyway..........all in all a good all-rounder.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

ML H They are a great car you’ll never have a problem with it, I run a is300h with the same running gear as your car,

[@LHRSBN]

I used to have a really wonderful, reliable, dependable, black 2011 Lexus RX450h in Central London. Truly a fine car. Only 1 problem I could see though: the engine Start/Stop button was placed next to the radio’s On/Off button and looked similar. When waiting at a traffic light and I wanted to turn the radio off, I would sometimes hit the engine off button by mistake! I was honked from behind many times while I put the gear into Park and pressed the engine Start button again.

[@MilesV8]

Great that you reviewed the RX400h. I actually really like them. I know several people who have either the 400h or the 450h and they all sing its praises. When the time comes to replace my Santa Fe then I'll get the RX450h rather than the RX400h.

[@jamesparry151]

I walk past one of these everyday. I wouldn't say they're the best looking car on the road, but from the badge on the front, you know exactly what you're getting. I'd have one of these over the ML or equivalent BMW.

[@blazzz13]

Well said. I also think this RX has aged well compared to the same gen Beemer or Merc.

[@jamesparry151]

Agreed. The others do look rather dated - that's if you see any, as I'm sure most are of them rotting away in scrap yards.

[@barrierodliffe4155]

You do know what you are getting, a Toyota for the price of a Mercedes.

[@tramlad2]

Like all Lexus they are all well built, not keen on the shiny interior gubbins, not a bad big bus for going camping etc, just keep service up to date , another honest review.

[@5ebra1]

Keep the reviews coming. Love the honesty and your knowledge.

[@NigelRudyard]

I do love this car. I like the reliability of Toyotas. 28 MPG isn't bad for a big old SUV. Great review as ever, Matt.

[@patricksslkpatricksslk2624]

Do you own one ?

[@fhurley8447]

These go for dirt cheap and I’ve been so tempted to just have it as a reliable, cheap and spacious cruiser but I’m not an ageing florist :/

[@arthuresclamada1805]

they are so cheap because starting on 2006- they have recalled this cars for failing inverters (this could stall and cause accidents) replacement for the hybrid battery pack is also costly (it has more cells than a camry hybrid or prius) Replacement for failing inverters is not cheap either.

[@DaDdy79462]

Excellent review 👍 answered everything I always wanted to know, please do the 450h next please 🙏

[@HighPeakAutos]

Shiraz M Thanks! I’ll do an RX450h next time I get hold of one

[@lukewokeywoos]

Looking forward to that video i have subscribed now

[@lavazza.vinzenzo]

@@HighPeakAutos oubli

[@mountainconstructions]

Simply the best Auto channel on KZbin The truth told with out all the BS

[@HighPeakAutos]

Hugh Jazz Thanks!

[@kmuinde]

They are popular in my home country Kenya with women, imports used from Japan mostly called harrier

[@wrcoe]

Excellent video. Thank you. My 2007 RX 400h runs wonderfully after 110,000 miles and regular servicing.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Great to hear!

[@paulsz6194]

At 6:02 : “ yeah.... I’m doin the speed limit there” 🤣🤣 LoL, didn’t want to admit he pushed it over 60mph!

[@MrPlannery]

Good review. I bought one of these after my lovely e38 BMW exploded. I agree about it turning you into an old man as I'm constantly watching the MPG and trying to get the battery to drive the car. it's not going to win any prizes in the looks department but I thoroughly enjoyed driving it and it's a very good all round vehicle

[@HighPeakAutos]

They're good dependable vehicles but a tad dull

[@karelesterhuizen7117]

My dad had the 350, what a car. Long story, saw the car 2500 miles away on the net, started the deal, my dad asked me to fly up, I did and drove it down, the car on the long road is awesome. He drove it for 4 years and cried when he sold it. As a tow car also great with a camper.

[@paulparoma]

I think that dash design is one of the best ideas Toyota has had so far. The buttons look nice and classy, with dark lettering against aluminum/silver finish. This is much better than black buttons with white lettering on them.

[@kestertroy]

I took ownership of a 2008 RX400h that has done 200k+ kms very recently. It has been working reliably and I couldnt've asked for more, and couldn't fault it thus far. Your interior certainly look pristine and I think you're very lucky to be able to find such unit that has been well taken care of. I don't hear a single rattling noise in your video either, which is nice👍 . The only strange thing is that I was told to service mine every 10k km, but you mentioned every 10k miles.

[@whitemoor66]

Have always thought these big hybrids were a decent buy. Neighbour had a non hybrid V6 one of these which drank petrol at a horrible rate, plus it had air suspension and burst one corner bag, which cost a fortune to replace. I believe the hybrid has steel suspension, so more reliable and better fuel consumption! Plus they seem good value for money now. Another great review of something most of us can probably afford to buy a used example of 👍.

[@simoping]

Just sold ours after 4 years of service.... on the positive side refined, nice ride, reliable (only had to replace the bushes on the rear roll bar and attend to the rear brakes) BUT !!!!!!..... thieves have a taste for the catalytic converter... 1 min 10 secs (I have that on my home CCTV) for the tosser who sawed it off the exhaust.. and this happened twice.... so we sold the car. I live near London so may be a London thing... two catalytic converters though... still painful thinking about it

[@HighPeakAutos]

SiJRa It’s increasingly common. I hate it. I’ve had a couple stolen from work recently where they’ve climbed over the fence in the middle of the night. It’s disgusting

[@chrissscottt]

I average around 12.5 km per litre which translates to around 35mpg in my daily commute (mainly city with some highway) in my 2006 400h. I've had the car for five years and literally nothing has ever gone wrong with it which is remarkable for a 14 year old vehicle with a complicated drive train and battery.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thats impressive

[@Talismantra]

a few cool "hidden" features to discover too - the centre console slides back (for if you have a micro fridge or inverter sitting up front at the bottom 12v outlet, the extra smuggler compartments at the rear, the passenger seat can recline to virtually entirely flat to take a longer load to save mucking around with strapping to the roof bars, or to make a comfy enough bed for a 6'+ bloke on a cheap fishing/camping getaway or transport a person with a leg in a cast and still be seatbelt secured in the back seat, there are free ways to DIY upgrade the maps database (but now, with phones as good as they are, I don't even bother anymore). And if you can find one with the Mark Levinson sound upgrade it's so nice even by modern standards (except the era had no BT for audio, just for calls.)

[@MrRonocMcfoley]

I've just driven one today why does it not work for Audio

[@Talismantra]

@MrRonocMcfoley it doesn't have the BT-Audio feature, only BT-PhoneCalls. I used a tape adapter with 3.5mm cable initially to the phone, but eventually to a cheap BT device, which made the car music experience sadness in the end for that car when my newer phone dropped the 3.5mm jack - so instead of buying a BT audio adapter with a proper HiFi DAC I changed cars

[@zone1hearing]

If I drive like a granny I get 25MPG. When you floor it the engine sounds pretty decent. Mine is a black 2007 SEL with similar miles & the upgraded stereo & half wood wheel so overall £3700 well spent & when you came from a 1.6 A Class auto feels fairly quick & comfy. *The main issue if you live in London (they are ULEZ compliant) is that approx 7 minutes after you buy it your catalytic converter will be stolen which takes approx 50 seconds. If you get another one & don't weld over some fairly serious steel about 5 minutes after you replace it it will get stolen again* The trade off with all that steel around the cat is the smoothness & quietness goes which is normally the acceptable trade off for the so so economy. Front parking sensors would be a bonus but with it having dvds in the headrests, 11 speaker stereo, decent engine full electrics & the mirror directing down as you put it in reverse it's a pretty strong spec for an old car!

[@HighPeakAutos]

zone1hearing I meant to talk about lack of front sensors. It could’ve done with them. There should be a clamp down on cat thieves. It’s an increasingly common problem

[@zone1hearing]

@@HighPeakAutos It's rife in London with Prius Auris & 400H's (having a raised ride height they are quicker to steal). Forget to mention from getting my insurance quote to clicking to buy it it went up £300! (Apparently the thieves started targeting them approx 6 weeks before I bought mine). Also the excess is the same price as the replacement 🐈... I think the weight discourages you from going too quick as you still need to stop & apparently they munch through discs & pads. Reliability, last time I went to Uganda I found every next car was a Toyota Harrier so I thought if they can't break them there there is a clue to their reliability!

[@martin10172]

You can't use the 400h if the hybrid battery pack fails, Its that battery that starts the engine! The 12v battery is only for accessories and to trigger the hybrid relay)

[@tariqricketts197]

Nice vid as always but you didn't mention or demonstrate the front chair converting to a nice lounger bed to properly stretch out at a service station power nap scenario.

[@rebeccaabushena7093]

I’ve been waiting all week for a new review! Keep them coming!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Rebecca Abushena Thanks for watching. I’ve filmed a few recently so there’ll be more to follow

[@didinos]

I own an 2007 Rx400h from new, done about 120.000 miles in it. Economy in the spring in the city can be as good as 8,5 l/100km if you are being careful. The most economical way to drive is a brisk acceleration from start and then coasting with the hybrid system. I know that people don't like cvt gearboxes but unless it is a double-clutch or one of these 8-speed gearboxes in current cars, then the cvt is in my opinion better. again you have to learn how to drive it. All these past years, never an issue with reliability. I have found that it is difficult to find an unauthorised dealer to work on it (at least in Vienna, Austria) so I take it to the official network which costs more. You need around €1000 every 30.000km. The amazing thing with this car is the quality on the interior as well as the comfort in traveling, plus it has all the gadgets anyone should really need (ok ok, no gesture control for the navi but all these kind of gadgets turn out to be a reliability headache). I would suggest to owners adding a GROM Vline unit to the stereo (mine being a later model has a much better screen than the one in the video). It adds CarPlay too making the car feel much more current. All in all if you compare it with similar aged and priced cars, the Rx is in my opinion the winner. Planning to drive it's wheels off and will miss it when it eventually dies!

[@sos10]

8;5 liter per kilometer...?. Per 100 km i suppose.

[@didinos]

@@sos10 yes :) - edited!

[@michaelsadler7332]

You must be psychic.i live in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham are talking about bringing in a ULEZ for which my diesel wouldn't be exempt. I was looking at these on auto trader last night as an alternative to leasing a new car. Thanks for the video.

[@bryanbowling1857]

subbed because you gave me the info that I wanted when I wanted it...and didn't waste a second of my time with irrelevant chatter. You also have a great radio style voice.

[@williamfence566]

difficult to get my head around buying a v6 3 litre plus but driving in a prius manner. Great vid as usual.

[@jflow08]

I have a gas-powered 350. I wanted the hybrid but I kept finding they would have sky-high miles but still wanted top dollar in price. They do hold their value well.

[@greatmoose17]

That’s the deal with hybrids. If you drive them they will last forever. If you don’t drive a hybrid it’s a recipe for disaster. Stay away from older model hybrids that were their Florida car and such. Too much sitting for the battery. You’re much better off with a high mile one. My 400h has 218,000 miles and was driven since day one by previous owners. The dealer who has serviced it also since day one said it will last till 400-500,000 miles because it’s been maintained and driven.

[@RicardasV]

I just got myself an RX300 with 41k miles and I can say it drives like a brand new car. The original protective film was still on the rear seats and overall condition is unbelievalble. I can say that it's a little bit thirsty, but trust me, the level of comfortability, reliability and safety you get is just immaculate. All the bells and whistles are in and all I paid is £4000. Highly recommend!

[@HighPeakAutos]

That’s crazy! That’s a great find. Plenty of life left in that

[@Andek74]

41k miles? Wow, if you dont do a lot of kms per year, you will probably drive it with no major issues until you die :-D

[@RicardasV]

@@Andek74 Well, my Lexus was crashed and now I got RX400h, and I love it!

[@RicardasV]

@@HighPeakAutos Unfortunately I wasnt enjoying for a long time. I was involved in an accident where Porsche got hit my back and my Lexus was writtrn off. Had to buy another one, but still enjoy a lot...

[@emekao.1526]

I get stuck watching your car reviews... I must say and you delivery just makes that odd 12 or 23 mins go a lot smoother. You do a great job mate! keep it up!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks! I appreciate that

[@MyJarrus]

I have driven one of them trough Europe I just loved how quite you can drive trough the cities and towns, even tho it has a big engine on the Autobahn it was hard to drive it over 180kmh so actually this makes the most sense for school runs, no dpf quite and sub what does a busy mum need more lol

[@anjanghosh385]

I have owned an RX 400h for over 10 years and completely agree with the nice things that you said about it. However, your statement that ‘it’s shit in snow’ is incorrect. I can confidently confirm that it is pretty damn amazing in snow. I have driven in some pretty bad conditions, sometimes leaving other cars stranded by the roadside, and this 4x4 automatic has been nothing short of superb. I have also driven this car to Europe a few times with no issues and now the mileage is approaching 200k miles. It’s always been trouble free and I consider myself fortunate to own one.

[@chrislockey7706]

Just beware the cost of replacing the exhaust, very expensive.

[@MrPeach18]

all lexus exhausts are expensive,i had a stainless built for my gs 450h and never looked back.small price to pay tbh

[@mobilegamersunite]

Yeah anything from the dealership is slaughter

[@LondonSteveLee]

@@MrPeach18 Yep - have a stainless system made up - fairly cheap (~£400) and will out last the long lasting car!

[@owenhughes2653]

The thing with owning a Lexus is you've got somehow factor in that thing where you know it's just going to work

[@HighPeakAutos]

owen hughes I know what you mean. It’s a feeling of relief

[@aslakalakurtti3773]

Have been thinking about buying this one but I’ve been eager to find out more about it. What a nice review, it was helpful, thanks!

[@Birmingham_racing]

Mpg is pretty good my brother used to get 30 mpg local and about 40mpg in the gs450h which is a rwd saloon. Well worth it for the price

[@scottgarvie5882]

Shopping. That's my excuse 3 times a day just to get outside. Window down and fresh air. Good to see you're ok. Keep up the good work matt

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks for watching. Take care

[@sameerl7624]

Great review, thanks! Just bought one and your review helped a bunch. Hoping it will serve well for the Canadian winter. So far very pleased, it accelerates very quickly with the gas engine and electric motor. Hoping to keep it for a while for driving day-to-day. Would much prefer a timing chain for maintenance and a non-CVT automatic transmission to enjoy it more like you said. Still a great vehicle!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Good choice. I actually prefer these over the later 450h RX

[@justanotheraviator2357]

It's not a belt cut as far as I know

[@opless]

I have a 2009 model, just over a year - zero problems so far other than the tires, you need to get decent branded tires! The main problem that will catch most people out, is that the lead acid battery is quite weedy, as it only does the 12v system. It doesn't start the car the hybrid electric motor does. However you will need a decent voltage on the 12v system otherwise the ECU doesn't boot up. So newer lithium 'jump start' leads that detect the car cranking over won't work :) I love the car - it's a bus, but a FUN bus.

[@JohnBrown-sn3kh]

in 2007 I had a Lexus GS sport mk2 and a vw Passat diesel, the main dealer parts on the Passat were more expensive and both main dealer garages were on the Edgware Road in London.

[@HighPeakAutos]

John Brown That says a lot! Lexus dealers are very good on the whole

[@alchapman1052]

Good to see you back , strange having a tape deck in 06,but not the end of the world. Stay safe .

[@zone1hearing]

I don't know about the one Matt drove but mine has a 6 disc CD player aswell & Bluetooth for connecting your phone.

[@ronanwhite6785]

The RX in this body style was launched in 2003 with the hybrid coming out in 2005/2006. All models had the cassette player, am/fm radio and in dash 6 disc CD player. The range topping SE-L has extra speakers as part of the Mark Levinson sound package. The sound is still fantastic. Those cars with this feature a speaker on top of the dash centre and Mark Levinson script on the centre console. Fantastic cars, I have a petrol 2004 RX300 and am loathe to change it for anything other than an RX 400h or an RX 450h. I get 25 to 29 mpg from the non-hybrid 3.0 litre V6. The best everyday car I’ve owned and tows trailers and caravan and boats with aplomb!

[@dominico3468]

Finally, a youtuber who is honest about cars

[@saleh865100]

Unfortunately thieves target this model for the catalyst converter on this model. Which is a 2k cost to replace or a claim on the insurance.

[@HighPeakAutos]

saleh ahmed More needs to be done to tackle this. I’ve had a few stolen for various things. One thing to mention, they’re not that expensive to replace. Makes you wonder why the bother stealing them in the first place

[@zone1hearing]

£750 not £2k

[@HighPeakAutos]

zone1hearing I had one stolen off a Jazz and it cost £120 for a new one. Hardly seems worth the effort

[@zone1hearing]

@@HighPeakAutos That's a relief my parents have a Jazz so nowhere near as much as a Toyota

[@darronian4951]

You can buy a device that locks around the catalytic converter, stops it being stolen.

[@pmarc113]

I had rx400h for 9 years . Biggest problem with my was that tires don't last that long maybe because of extra weight of battery.

[@thecarlover7491]

My dad had this for about 8 years, 145000 miles, and went all over England, lake district to Wales to Cornwall and London what a unit it was no issues with hybrid batteries or anything a few things that went wrong was the radiator cracked, started leaking from cracks in frame welds on the rear tailgate but overall brilliant city and travel car plenty of power and decent mpg for today's standards. I never thought you could get attached to a car, but letting it go was sad 😅

[@jamesk1806]

The one I had... I took it into London once and the mpg was excellent in the traffic as in crawling traffic it was EV only.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thats right. They make more sense in heavy traffic

[@Goblintom]

I just bought one, got a good deal, i worry about the batteries though but I at least get them checked as soon as possible. You get lot for a pretty low price.

[@1962lp2h]

I am a big Lexus fan (note to self - buy a Lexus sometime) and I really do want to try EV/Hybrid, just scared about buying a lemon and changing of the Batteries I Guess!! I thought the interior was nice but would prefer black leather, it might be worth me looking out for one - cheers.

[@cleanerhustle9969]

My 2007 Rx400h has 230,xxx miles original battery.. has check engine light for catalytic converter because I bought it used and the previous owner didnt clean the throttle body and it ran too rich and burned the cat converter... but everything else works great.. it’s awd. One of the fans don’t work either so I have to drive and not let it idle too long on a hot summer day or else it’ll overheat but normal driving and long distance no problem. Would take it cross country. Fully loaded too. Bang for your buck. Make sure to buy one that’s been driven daily so the battery pack is healthy. All 4 air shocks are original and are all good. Comfortable ride. Go for it! Mark levinson sound system is awesome.

[@jonathanevans9257]

Great review, totally disagree about using in snow though, I drove it off road in about 300mm of fresh snow, it was brilliant , narrow tyres help unlike the X5 which is truly useless in snow!

[@billygd100]

Had an Rx300 - was excellent in the snow - now running a rx450h

[@Andek74]

I am a Lexus RX400h 2005 owner, after watchung this video and a few more haha I bought it in Sep 2020 with 278.000 kms on the counter, original traction battery and a very complete paperwork of all the repairs and maintenace and the hybrid system check done on the day. It is my daily car and have now done nearly 80.000 kms myself. Apart from the regular maintenance (oil, filters, brake pads, gearbox liquid and the timing belt), I had two actual faults: both rear brake calipers jammed - the left one just after I bought the car and the right one last week. Nothing else, although after my 3 years the hybrid system is now showing signs of getting old. The fuel economy is slightly worse than when I bought it, the consumption was around 10 litres per 100km, now 10,5 litres on average. When the time comes to change the battery, I will have to think if it makes sense to spend another 3000 plus euros to replace it. The car is now worth around 8000/8500 euros here.

[@fircombehallrailwayoogauge1430]

i am not sure you are correct Matt about it being able to be used if the hybrid battery fails. It has no starter motor and relies on the hybrid battery to start the engine. I could be wrong however!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Fircombe Hall Railway OO Gauge you’re right. It still works if it’s on its way out but I’d it’s totally gone it won’t start

[@MrLuba6a]

This video has a subs option which is fantastic for a guy like me ,do not understanding very well English ,specially with slight dialect...thanks for the option and hope you'll do more of these videos in the future 🙏

[@tangledtangles1384]

Good review, and honest, look forward to ur review of the current & previous generation rx450h.

[@jonathanevans9257]

In my previous post I was wrong, my 350 was good in snow with narrow tyres and a snow button, 400h I just bought has wider tyres and no snow button.! This is a very comfortable well speced car Leather is soft everything is high quality If my BMW650 is 8 out of 10 for comfort the Lexus is 10

[@makertube6509]

I get 32-34mpg on this car. No difference around town or motor way. Fast for such a large car. This is a good option if you don't won't troublesome new diesels but still want reasonably economical suv

[@mobilegamersunite]

Right me too. I can also drive it fast and get around 27 mpg driving like an asshole lol

[@johnsherry3826]

I didn't realise you could still drive them if the hybrid battery failed. That makes it very appealing. Good review.

[@nickmorris9311]

That's how mine is!

[@snapdragogon69]

Why do Japanese interiors look like 1980's stereos? It even has a tape player that says Anti theft protection on the flap - in 2006!

[@sjmachrihanish]

I have a 2008 and it has a useful feature that yours probably does which I don’t think you mentioned: sliding rear seat. If the back seat ain’t used it is easily slid forward to expand the boot. My old 2nd gen CRV had this and it’s something I think all cars should have. I get better mileage than the CRV because of the hybrid BUT, and it’s a HUGE but.......I have spent nearly two grand in the last 15 months on catalytic converters that got nicked. Ground clearance means it takes just one scumbag exactly 20 seconds to cut it off. It is the one reason why this excellent car will not be replaced with another RX400h when the time comes.

[@cheungman83]

Even tho it’s only been a week I waited for your upload, it seems forever due to boredom during the pandemic, hope I won’t have to wait another week for the next one lol. Thanks for taking your time out to make video for us 🙏🏽 it’s always a pleasure watching it.

[@samuelgross2904]

My gf has a 2006 rx400h and it's the smoothest driving vehicle I've ever drove .The smoothest transmission I've ever felt , you cant even feel it shift

[@Twoholesofman]

It doesn't shift, it is a CVT

[@markmat8437]

I have a black 06 RX in salt lake city utah where it snows like crazy and it does very well in the snow.

Great review! I've been watching your channel for two weeks and have been looking to replace my car with an RX400h for about a month so that was a lucky coincidence! Thanks a lot for conforting me in my choice ;) Subscribed.

[@stigmoltu-jacobsen]

Thanks for yet another very informative and pleasant review!

[@zzhughesd]

stig moltu-jacobsen nice pleasant and friendly

[@richardmmoulds]

I seem to have fallen down a High Peak Autos rabbit hole after watching the Cazoo Car Crash video. So I'll add a comment to a four year old upload 😬 Serial old Lexus buyer here and one of the many I've enjoyed was an '06 RX400h that I picked up in 2018 and ran for a year or two when I could prise the keys off my wife. Great family bus that was as solid as any Lexus I've owned. Everything worked, nothing broke while I had it, returned great MPG for something that size and weight and was probably one of the most comfortable cars we've had. As you say, you do get a bit obsessive about keeping it running on electric though. And regarding batteries, I've never come across one that's failed. In fact Lexus extended their battery warranty from 10 to 15 years while I owned it. I've never had a car that's gone back into warranty! Only thing I'd add to your list of things to look for is water ingress that ends up at the back end of the boot floor. There was an early bulletin in the US regarding a failed weld on the rear edge of the D pillar if I recall but could equally come from the roof rail feet or the base of the tailgate strut. Regardless, all solved with a blob of black mastic. Now I'm off to look again at the one you're currently selling 😀

[@ancientsymbol]

I have the ‘06 and a few months in we had a torrential downpour in Seattle and that weld failure saw water run down inside the electrical control unit which fried it. Cost me $1,200 to replace. Probably should’ve been a recall rather than a ‘notice’ but we still drive and love the car.

[@KSY55O]

Another great review mate, love the variety of these videos

[@hewyn1]

“Lexus Magnolia.” A marketing executive could have made a fortune with that. It’s always odd to see a car 15-16 years after it came out. I think this has aged a lot better visually than the BMW X5. And then there’s the better quality rubberwear. Scotty Kilmer always mentions the rubberwear... Thanks!

[@wass006]

I think Kilmer chats alot of shit to be honest

[@snapdragogon69]

I hated these when they were new, a woman at work had one, they were in no way ahead of their time looks wise, but conservative design does age better than styled design of X5 or Cayenne.

[@johnmcenroe1760]

Dude, you got to the meat right away. Thanks for that!

[@MattCSLnut]

Good review Matt 👍🏼 I was considering one of these few months ago but spontaneously I ended up with an ‘09 Volvo XC60 D5 AWD instead 🤔Thanks for your on point insight👌🏼

[@dogsandcars202]

I love Lexus!!

[@colinmcdermott1]

Honestly best car I have brought. As the interviewer says, this is NOT A PRIUS! forget your 4.0l/100K fuel economy. You would be lucky to get 9/100k. Honestly, BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. Hands down, very silent car (someone has a broken car below in the comments). Fantastic to park, like I can't state how good and easy it is to park. So many nice features like EVERYTHING I could want. Drives, handles, just fantastic.

[@RL-og3od]

Brilliant real world review. Thanks! Considering a 400h but comparing it to a newer 2015 2.0 VW Passat estate. Can't imagine you have a review of one of these in the works? (odd comparison I know!)

[@patricksslkpatricksslk2624]

Yes I bought one . Best car I ever owned 2008 rx400h 149000 on clock .. I did service the CVT. Really helped sounds quiet in operation. Leaky radiator needs fixing and have a sound from the right suspension that will need some attention 28-30 mpg in town 35 motorway. I suspect the 450h may be even more refined.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Good purchase. I prefer the 400h to the 450h personally

[@satbirkhurana9231]

Watched your review last night, bought one today 2008 model, brilliant car!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Nice one!

[@deirdre108]

I have a 2006 RX 400h and I find that it is a wonderful car. Everyone makes the mistake of thinking that the hybrid uses a CVT but that's not the case. Instead, it uses a "planetary gear" system that will last as long as the engine. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for a good used SUV. As a side note, this generation is the best looking one of all the RX's.

[@midnitesnack3683]

Thank you for the inf am looking for one of them at the model 2009 model