When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi all, I知 a low mileage driver (6-7k miles a year). My dealer has a nori green RX350 for 58 or a white 350h for 62. I love the nori green. Will I regret not going hybrid? My dealer said it would take a decade to make back costs on hybrid and generally non-hybrid has better resale value. Hybrid of course has a few extra gimmicks but nothing life changing. I知 just worried I値l regret the fuel economy. Coming out of a Cayenne. So excited to be past constant German repairs and service.
Hi all, I知 a low mileage driver (6-7k miles a year). My dealer has a nori green RX350 for 58 or a white 350h for 62. I love the nori green. Will I regret not going hybrid? My dealer said it would take a decade to make back costs on hybrid and generally non-hybrid has better resale value. Hybrid of course has a few extra gimmicks but nothing life changing. I知 just worried I値l regret the fuel economy. Coming out of a Cayenne. So excited to be past constant German repairs and service.
It depends what additional equipment you want in your RX. When equipped the same, I believe the hybrid & non-hybrid are basically the same MSRP. Since most dealers are getting a lot more non-hybrids, they will want to sell you what they have in stock. Also, the non-hybrid is premium fuel only, the hybrid can run on regular-this is per the user's manual.
It depends what additional equipment you want in your RX. When equipped the same, I believe the hybrid & non-hybrid are basically the same MSRP. Since most dealers are getting a lot more non-hybrids, they will want to sell you what they have in stock. Also, the non-hybrid is premium fuel only, the hybrid can run on regular-this is per the user's manual.
Very close in same price. The RX 350h premium + with the options i want that I am waiting on is $56,000 and the equivalent 350 is $1,000 less. In my eyes a true no brainer and worth the longer wait. Would never buy a non hybrid. The difference of 36 mpg verus 24 mpg at 12,000 miles and gasoline at $3.00 it would take two years to break even. Hybrid quieter, smoother, never done a brake job on any of our five hybrids we have owned or replaced the 12v battery.
Hi all, I’m a low mileage driver (6-7k miles a year). My dealer has a nori green RX350 for 58 or a white 350h for 62. I love the nori green. Will I regret not going hybrid? My dealer said it would take a decade to make back costs on hybrid and generally non-hybrid has better resale value. Hybrid of course has a few extra gimmicks but nothing life changing. I’m just worried I’ll regret the fuel economy. Coming out of a Cayenne. So excited to be past constant German repairs and service.
Here are my thoughts:
First of all, is the non-hybrid an all wheel drive vehicle? The hybrid (RX350h) are all automatically all wheel drive. You might not need all wheel drive, but you should compare apples to apples.
The EPA miles-per-gallon sticker on the RX350h hybrid is 36MPG combined city/highway. The EPA miles-per-gallon sticker for the non-hybrid, all wheel drive RX350 is 24MPG, but you have to subtract 20% of that for an apples-to-apples because of the 20% higher cost of premium gas required versus regular gas in the hybrid. So call that 20MPG.
If you drive 7000 miles per year, you'll use 194 gallons for the hybrid and 350 for the non-hybrid. That's 156 gallons more each year for the non-hybrid. About $600 per year more at $4 per gallon, perhaps less if gas stays in the $3 to $3.50 range. I agree that the non-hybrid might hold it's value better; at the very least it won't probably won't be worse. Since you're going from a Porsche to a Lexus, I assume you are fairly well off and don't keep vehicles forever. If you keep the vehicle 3-4-5 years, the resale value will very roughly be 50%. So you'll pay $4000 more upfront, but recoup $2000 at the end. So you real net extra cost for the hybrid is $2000. The payback is about 3 years at $600 per year extra gas for the non-hybrid. Probably a wash (or "worsh" or "wush" as they say in Pittsburghese). EDIT: I forgot that you can now get $200 per year on your $4000 in a bank CD. So that makes the non-hybrid about $600 cheaper over 3 years.
You made one comment that resonates: That you'll regret the fuel economy. Which means that even though you can afford Porsches and Lexi, you're a "valueplayer" (cheapskate) like me. Buying gas, especially premium gas, annoys me, even though it's rounding error for my financial situation.
It sounds like for your situation buying the non-hybrid will be a similar cost as the hybrid. But I am loving the fact that I'm driving a vehicle similar in size (but different configuration) to the early 1970s Buicks, Cadillacs and Lincolns that I learned to drive on, and getting FOUR TIMES the MPGS. Even my mother's 1974 Chevy Malibu only got 9MPG around the city. I'm getting 32 in the 2023 RX350h, same city.
Get the hybrid. You won't go terribly wrong getting the non-hybrid, but teasing out from your comments, you'll enjoy driving past most gas pumps.
One other comment: I drove the original Lexus LS400 (I had three of them) in the early 1990s. I then migrated to Mercedes and Audi. About 20 years ago I had the realization that they were a pain in the tailpipe to constantly fix and service. And how Lexus was totally no hassle. So I came back to Lexus and never looked back. Change the oil every once in a while and that's it. Your comment about the headache of Porsche maintenance resonates. As long as you understand that Lexus is not a "sports car" like Porsche, you will love everything about the no-hassle ownership experience.
Get the hybrid and be totally happy. Or save a few bucks and get the non-hybrid and be 92% happy! Sounds like you're ready to pull the trigger. Let us know what you get!
Very close in same price. The RX 350h premium + with the options i want that I am waiting on is $56,000 and the equivalent 350 is $1,000 less. In my eyes a true no brainer and worth the longer wait. Would never buy a non hybrid. The difference of 36 mpg verus 24 mpg at 12,000 miles and gasoline at $3.00 it would take two years to break even. Hybrid quieter, smoother, never done a brake job on any of our five hybrids we have owned or replaced the 12v battery.
It's actually only 20MPG once you adjust for the 20% higher cost of premium gas.
I like the hybrid, too! Only have 140 miles on mine but milage is at 32 mpg and climbing. Not sure if the hybrid will pay for the extra cost but it is fun to drive. Around town and in and out of traffic the traction motor really feels great. I drove the RX350 and it did not seem as agile in acceleration in traffic. On the highway they were about the same.
I am looking forward to years of driving my new RX350h.
If you are on the fence, get the hybrid. Don’t make my mistake. I bought a 2022 Highlander Platinum AWD last March. I was on the fence relative to the hybrid but chose the ICE because of the more robust AWD. I use my other vehicle for most of my snow driving and almost immediately regretted not getting the hybrid. I called the Toyota dealer about getting a Hybrid and was told it would be 15 months. I was able to get on the waiting list for a RX350h and got one in about 3 months. I get an average of 35 mpg in the Lexus compared to 21 mpg in the Highlander.
i will never make up the difference in what I had to pay for the Lexus when I traded in the Highlander in fuel savings, but I did that once and I’ve forgotten about it. I see 35 mpg or so on the screen of the Lexus every day. Given that the ICE and hybrid cost essentially the same, and you must use premium fuel in the ICE, the only reason to get the ICE from my perspective would be if you couldn’t get the hybrid. I was at a point where it was the hybrid or nothing. Good luck in your search.
If you are on the fence, get the hybrid. Don稚 make my mistake. I bought a 2022 Highlander Platinum AWD last March. I was on the fence relative to the hybrid but chose the ICE because of the more robust AWD. I use my other vehicle for most of my snow driving and almost immediately regretted not getting the hybrid. I called the Toyota dealer about getting a Hybrid and was told it would be 15 months. I was able to get on the waiting list for a RX350h and got one in about 3 months. I get an average of 35 mpg in the Lexus compared to 21 mpg in the Highlander.
i will never make up the difference in what I had to pay for the Lexus when I traded in the Highlander in fuel savings, but I did that once and I致e forgotten about it. I see 35 mpg or so on the screen of the Lexus every day. Given that the ICE and hybrid cost essentially the same, and you must use premium fuel in the ICE, the only reason to get the ICE from my perspective would be if you couldn稚 get the hybrid. I was at a point where it was the hybrid or nothing. Good luck in your search.
NC and been in the list for two months and they are telling me three more. What dealer? Waiting on a RX 350 h premium+
NC and been in the list for two months and they are telling me three more. What dealer? Waiting on a RX 350 h premium+
Hendrick Northlake but I got extremely lucky. I called on the day they started taking deposits in November and I was the fourth one in line. Apparently they they didn稚 call back others who had expressed interest, but told them to continue to check back, so I threaded the proverbial needle. Had to give them a $1000 deposit but I was OK with that.
I chose the hybrid. You will get much better MPG plus you will save around 50 cents a gallon since you can use 87 octane where as the plain 350 needs 91. I have also read that turbo engines don't last as long as normally aspirated vehicles. They are the same price so there is no penalty $ getting the hybrid and I got mine at MSRP with no dealer addons, just a $849.00 doc fee. Lastly the performance is fine for me and an electric motor assist is quieter than a turbo spooling up.
A good point to the original poster, made by someone here. It might actually be that the hybrid does cost you a tiny bit more. But the annoyance of the lower MPGS and premium gas will be a weekly thing for you. It's mental gymnastics. Once you buy and pay for the car, you forget that you saved $2000 and get annoyed at each pumping. Only psychological I know. But still a thing.
I like the hybrid, too! Only have 140 miles on mine but milage is at 32 mpg and climbing. Not sure if the hybrid will pay for the extra cost but it is fun to drive. Around town and in and out of traffic the traction motor really feels great. I drove the RX350 and it did not seem as agile in acceleration in traffic. On the highway they were about the same.
I am looking forward to years of driving my new RX350h.
Beautiful car. Congrats! I traded in my 22 RX450h for the 23 RX350h and I love it. I just noticed today that the word "hybrid" is nowhere on the 23. I think it was badged 3 places on the 22. And in big tacky letters.
We picked ours from the dealer allocation early Feb, pickup car like 24 Feb. we love the hybrid, we have 2 others, a 2008 Prius and 2013 Avalon. Both still running strong (Prius has 208000 miles on original batteries). We know it is not a sports car but runs great, not that much noise and lots of room.
03-13-23, 09:41 PM
RX350 Experience vs 350H
