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| JD Power customer satisfaction poll '08 - Introduction Why ask a few friends if they're happy with their cars when you can ask 16,000 motorists? Tap into the JD Power and Associates/What Car? Customer Satisfaction Survey and you'll find out how 16,301 owners have got on with theirs. All told, the motorists in our study have covered 272 million miles, so they've got a lot of experience to share. Test Drive: 2008 Lexus RX 400h - Spa Car Vehicle Tested: 2008 Lexus RX 400h 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) Pros: Plush and quiet ride, strong performance, fine build quality, excellent fuel-efficiency. Cons: No third-row seat, no auxiliary audio jack, squishy brake pedal feel, can get pricey fast. For some folks, spas are a necessity. Regular visits to these purveyors of posh pampering keep the upper crust relaxed and ready to resume their moving and shaking lifestyles. Here, people de-stress by way of warm stone massages, serene surroundings and new-age music. For those looking for an equally soothing and environmentally responsible luxury crossover SUV, there is the 2008 Lexus RX 400h. A hybrid SUV that provides strong performance along with conscience- (and wallet-) easing fuel economy, the RX 400h also treats its driver and passengers to as quiet and unruffled a way of getting around as possible. The Lexus RX 400h debuted for 2006, and though it hasn't changed much, we felt it was a good time to revisit this old friend given the fact that gas prices are nearly double what they were back then and it remains the only hybrid choice among midsize luxury SUVs (although there's now a Cadillac Escalade hybrid for those wanting something a bit bigger). Happily, the current RX 400h is handling midlife in fine fashion (Toyota and Lexus models are typically redesigned every five or six years). The styling still looks contemporary, the cabin remains handsome and impeccably finished, and with a sprinting ability that can challenge sporty cars, this hybrid is still firing on all cylinders (and batteries) when it comes to pleasing its target market's desire for gusto without guilt. Whether it's navigating the asphalt jungle or running effortlessly through scenic countryside to that out-of-the-way haven, the 2008 Lexus RX 400h is comfortably competent. Of course, all this luxury and leading-edge fuel-efficiency costs a pretty penny — about $50 grand in the case of our loaded test car. But if you go easy on the options and realize that you're getting the luxury of a touring sedan, the functionality of an SUV and the fuel economy of an economy car, maybe that's not too dear for such a well-rounded vehicle. MARIUS VATAVU VATAVU MARIUS | ||
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