Lexusgogo

Hi folks,

I have a 2007 Rx400h and have been driving it for 5 years. The Odometer is at low 150K miles now. The MPG I'm getting has been steady at 22 in local and occasionally bumps to 23-24 for a long trip with highway. Is this something normal that I would expect from a 2007 Rx400h? I read online and it seems that some people are getting higher MPGs.

If this NOT normal, is there something I should fix in order to get a better fuel economy?

Note: most of my driving is in local, with speed at around ~40-55 miles per hour. Definitely lots of stop and gos with traffic lights.

Thanks!

iMSQ

Normal if you have short local trips.

deceptacle

really??? i’m in the market for a sub $10K lexus and was considering the hybrid for increased MPG but 22 being normal is abysmal, the regular RX is basically the same

iMSQ

2nd gen RXs MPG when they were new:
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymo...Lexus_RX.shtml
Where do you see combined 22 for non-hybrid? My combined MPG on 2006 RX400h was 24+ (sometimes up to 27), but it really depends on the speed and direction of the wind, and I drive on cruise at 80 MPH on interstates (80 MPH = around 20 combined MPG).
PS: As I told before, you will not get good MPG on hybrids on short trips because ICE will be ON most of the time to warm up after long or overnight parking.
PPS: If driving habits are the same but MPG goes down then the battery, probably, is starting to die. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...l#post11120000

deceptacle

Not sure what you think you’re responding to, because 22 and 20 are, as I said, “basically the same.” The regular RX is 20, the hybrid is 22. That’s abysmal for a hybrid

Further, you say the MPG is bad for short trips because the engine is on to warm up after overnight? What in the world is that based on? The hybrid system is supposed to help with city commuting and increases fuel economy in city driving by 10MPG. So in stop and go traffic, on short trips, it stands to reason the car would get the best possible gas mileage out of any usage.

Can any poster who has actual understanding of the vehicle respond lol? Anyone driving their hybrid in the suburbs or city still get good results? I’m not commuting, basically never on highways, and just puttering around for the most part

iMSQ

What happens during short city trips:

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

With the aged battery at 16 years / 185k miles… I’m averaging 22mpg. I think it was maybe ~26 during the early life.

I do notice the ICE coming on almost immediately on normal traffic light starts. I do miss the good ole days.

iMSQ

Vincenze

28.8 MPG using UK E5 (5% bioeth). While driving in France on long flatish motorways crept up 30MPG. 121K clock miles and 16 year-old stock hybrid battery.

And I do occasionally push the vehicle very hard – 120 mph and hard acceleration (gentle until norm engine warm). But I do feather the accelerator to get as much hybrid run.

I run the AC virtually all the time (vestige of drying out an RX400H feature....leaks pooling in HB area).

bcolins

I ran premium fuel for a year, then after reading my owner's manual and seeing that it specified minimum 87 octane, I thought it was time to test a few tanks of 87. My MPG with premium 91 octane was a consistant 22-23 MPG. Several months ago, I began using 87 (regular) octane, and I now am getting a fairly consistent 20.6 MPG. I am a car guy, and know what "Pinging" or detonation sounds like and when it occurs (under throttle) and have had zero evidence of pinging, which tells me that this engine is designed with knock sensors that moderate ignition timing if pinging/knocking/detonation is sensed.....so safe to use the owner's manual recommended 87 octane.

Update, November 2022. I have continued to use regular 87 Octane gas. Now that the weather has cooled off, my mpg has been slowly rising and is now fluctuating between 21.9 and 22 mpg. Again, using 87 octane. Additional possible help from upping my tires pressures to 40 psi rear and 38 psi front.

thomas1

ONe thing to note is the RX400h was a improvement of mileage over the RX330 or RX300. They around town got around 16mpg. The Hybrid gives a consistant 20+ miles per gallon. The marketing was mostly performance of a V8 with the mild improvement of about 30% in mpg. It is not a Prius with high mpg. It is powerful and yet a great road car with no difficulties in the mountains. Or course in Commiefornia mileage is worse with our crappy fuel. When I went out of state I noticed an immediate improvement of fuel economy both on my Old RX300 as well as the RX400h. Many have posted really high mpg in the 28 to 30 mpg, but I have always used pen and paper and it is different from the indicated mileage on the display. To me from 16 to 20+ is a substantial improvement on such a heavy SUV.