mbmorgan

I know a hybrid version of the 330 has been mentioned before. For those interested this was in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL today:

"At the annual Detroit auto show next month, Toyota and GM will announce plans to intoduce hybrid versions of several of their bigger vehicles...

Toyota will disclose plans to launch hybrid versions of its Lexus RX330... and its... Toyota Highlander SUV before the middle of the decade...

These hybrid versions of Toytota's SUVs will derive from Toyota's hybrid Estima minivan."

I'd consider buying a hybrid RX330. Anyone else? At some point the world is going to run out of cheap gasoline!

Matt

Daddy-O

Hopefully, that will be my next ride.

xsfo

Hmm, middle of decade = 2005. So next model year (2004) or MY 2005? Too bad it's not for the introduction. I guess for now we can just screw the environment some more.

http://smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cf...23-000038-0204

The hybrid engine is currently in use in Japan in the Estima minivan. Good god, it's supposed to get up to 40 mpg! Tuned for the RX330 (for power etc) I bet that mileage would come down to around 30 mpg. Still, that's a lot! I'd get one.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...ta-minivan.htm

JAC JZS

Yeah 30mpg is what it will be. Hybrid engines are already in use in the Crown(Jp), Prius and some other models.

330wannabe

I am planning to buy an SUV next fall, but if this is indeed true (hybrid being announced at the auto show) I will wait for a year or so to get one...great gas mileage, and hopefully a CVT like the prius! I just hope breaking my back with the car seat will be worth the wait!

CoachMan

If the promises of 30mpg and fast 0-60 times hold true, the hybrid will be the only way I would buy my RX330. We just bought our RX300 earlier this year so it will be a while until we get another one anyway!

I wonder how much of a premium over a traditional IC engine? Anyone care to venture?

satxrx

As long as the performance aspect doesn't lose significant ground to current numbers and MPG is improved, I'd go for it. I know my wallet would be happier!

JAC JZS

Performance is not going to lose ground, it's actually going to go up, along with mpg.

xsfo

Guessing the premium for a hybrid engine is pretty much just that -- guesswork. However, I'll venture that the added price will be about $2,500 maybe $2,000 with a marketing note of a $2,000 tax deduction for a SULEV vehicle. The tax deduction is only really worth $600 or $700 depending upon your tax bracket.

Toyota/Lexus better throw in some goodies with that hybrid model to sweeten the deal though. Maybe they should make some special options available with hybrid version. One reason to do so is that one type of hybrid vehicle buyer is interested in the advanced technology aspect of a hybrid. They get one because it's the latest technology. This coupled with the luxury target market and they'll have a compelling SUV for early adopters. They could offer exclusives for the hybrid aimed at early adopters like night vision, mp3 cd player, or voice operated controls for nav, radio or AC.

Edited to add: Just thought of an additional tech feature, Bluetooth so that in-car speaker system can be connected wirelessly to some cellphone (for handsfree use), PDA, or portable MP3 player (with Bluetooth) etc.

scargo

I hope it's true -- I would love to have a hybrid RX330.

xsfo

I found an article that mentioned the price difference between a gas and hybrid Estima minivan. This should give you an idea of how much more the Lexus hybrid might cost.

http://www.evworld.com/databases/sho...=news270702-01
Unlike pure electric cars, hybrids do not need to be plugged in to be recharged. But they are more expensive than gasoline cars, with the Estima hybrid costing some 500,000 yen ($4,209) more than a gasoline-powered Estima.

JAC JZS

Good Info, hybrids are well worth the premium IMO.