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2008 Lexus RX 400h Safety Review

July 6, 2008

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Five stars, front impact protection and side impact protection; not tested, rollover protection
NHTSA

Good," frontal offset impact; "poor," rear impact; not tested, side impact
IIHS

The bulky rear-roof pillars and narrowish tailgate window impede vision astern
ConsumerGuide

With a full complement of safety features, the 2008 Lexus RX 400h leaves little to be desired by way of occupant protection.

According to TheCarConnection.com's research, the Lexus 2008 RX 400h gets top honors for those crash tests that it was subjected to by the government. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it five stars for front and side impact protection; the RX 400h was not tested for rollover resistance, however. Similarly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2008 Lexus its best rating of "good" for frontal offset impact, but did not test the vehicle for side impact protection; Lexus RXs in general scored a "poor" rating on rear impact crash protection. It should be noted that the IIHS did not test the hybrid model but rather a gasoline-powered 2004 Lexus RX 330.

Car and Driver, in its review of the Lexus 2008 RX models, notes, "RX safety features are identical across the board, and there are no optional features." Those features on the Lexus RX 400h, according to Car and Driver, include: ABS and stability control, two-stage front airbags with crash severity and passenger weight sensors, front-seat-mounted side airbags, a driver's knee airbag, curtain airbags (for both rows) with rollover sensors, automatic seatbelt locking retractors, and collision-activated fuel cutoff.

In contrast, Cars.com claims an optional feature with safety benefits on Lexus's 2008 RX is the "Adaptive Front-lighting System...[that] can swivel in accord with the front wheels to better [illuminate] curves in the road." They note it is available as a stand-alone option on the 2008 Lexus RX 400h. Kelley Blue Book writes, "Topping the safety equipment is a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system that links the traction and stability control and ABS with [the airbags]."

Visibility is good to the front and not so good to the rear on the Lexus RX 400h. The Detroit News writes, "the higher driving position allowed me to look over cars in front...without feeling as if I was in a big SUV." Kelley Blue Book thinks the 2008 Lexus RX 400h's "smartly raked windshield and large glass area help improve driver sightlines." The Lexus 2008 RX's thick rear pillars leave large blind spots in the rearward view, feels ConsumerGuide, which writes that the "bulky rear-roof pillars and narrowish tailgate window impede vision astern."

Conclusion

The 2008 Lexus RX 400h's standard safety equipment helps it earn the highest ratings in government crash tests.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:Five stars, front impact protection and side impact protection; not tested, rollover protectionNHTSAGood," frontal offset impact; "poor," rear impact; not tested, side impactIIHSThe bulky rear-roof pillars and narrowish tailgate window impede vision asternConsumerGuide With a full complement of safety features, the 2008 Lexus RX 400h leaves little to be desired by way of occupant protection. According to TheCarConnection.com's research, the Lexus 2008 RX 400h gets top honors for those crash tests that it was subjected to by the government. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it five stars for front and side impact protection; the RX 400h was not tested for rollover resistance, however. Similarly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2008 Lexus its best rating of "good" for frontal offset impact, but did not test the vehicle for side impact protection; Lexus RXs in general scored a "poor" rating on rear impact crash protection. It should be noted that the IIHS did not test the hybrid model but rather a gasoline-powered 2004 Lexus RX 330. Car and Driver, in its review of the Lexus 2008 RX models, notes, "RX safety features are identical across the board, and there are no optional features." Those features on the Lexus RX 400h, according to Car and Driver, include: ABS and stability control, two-stage front airbags with crash severity and passenger weight sensors, front-seat-mounted side airbags, a driver's knee airbag, curtain airbags (for both rows) with rollover sensors, automatic seatbelt locking retractors, and collision-activated fuel cutoff. In contrast, Cars.com claims an optional feature with safety benefits on Lexus's 2008 RX is the "Adaptive Front-lighting System...[that] can swivel in accord with the front wheels to better [illuminate] curves in the road." They note it is available as a stand-alone option on the 2008 Lexus RX 400h. Kelley Blue Book writes, "Topping the safety equipment is a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system that links the traction and stability control and ABS with [the airbags]." Visibility is good to the front and not so good to the rear on the Lexus RX 400h. The Detroit News writes, "the higher driving position allowed me to look over cars in front...without feeling as if I was in a big SUV." Kelley Blue Book thinks the 2008 Lexus RX 400h's "smartly raked windshield and large glass area help improve driver sightlines." The Lexus 2008 RX's thick rear pillars leave large blind spots in the rearward view, feels ConsumerGuide, which writes that the "bulky rear-roof pillars and narrowish tailgate window impede vision astern." ConclusionThe 2008 Lexus RX 400h's standard safety equipment helps it earn the highest ratings in government crash tests.  2008 LEXUS RX 400h STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "Few onlookers will be able to distinguish it from last year's RX 400h" ForbesAutos: "Classy looks" Kelley Blue Book: "well-defined character lines" MyRide.com: "dated exterior design" Introduced in 2004 by Lexus , 2008 RX 400h ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Highlander Hybrid is closely related mechanically to the 2008 Lexus RX 400h; it has a boxier body style that makes its interior a bit roomier, though it's not as plush, as comfortable, or as quiet as the RX. There are now several other hybrid sport-utility models to choose from. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid and its mechanically identical sibling, the Ford Escape Hybrid, also have a full-hybrid system and get impressive fuel economy of up to 34 mpg city, 30 mpg highway. That's significantly better than the RX 400h and Highlander, but they're notably smaller; they also lack the luxury comforts and high-tech features of the RX 400h. The Saturn Vue Hybrid is a "mild" hybrid, meaning that the electric motor system only assists the engine to help improve fuel economy, but it gets 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway. If some measure of towing or off-roading is in order, you might also consider the M-Class diesel, which has tremendous torque and overall performance that matches the V-6 version of the M-Class, but with a rating of 24 mpg highway.

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See the Lexus RX 400h in Other Years:

2008 | 2007 | 2006

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