2007 Lexus SC 430 Car Auto Cars Plus Infor
The 2007 SC 430 is a 2-door, 4-passenger luxury convertible, available in one trim only, the Convertible.Upon introduction, the SC 430 is equipped with a standard 4.3-liter, V8, 288-horsepower engine that achieves 18-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.The 2007 SC 430 is a carryover from 2006.
Overview: Your head collides with your seat, and the world around you begins to disappear with frightening ferocity. The car continues to rocket forward, and so long as your foot remains on the gas pedal, you are helpless to stop it. The speedometer rises so fast you can’t begin to focus on where it’s at, and once it finally does level off, you find yourself on the upper end of the 100 miles per hour spectrum. This car makes no compromises, no concessions, and yes, it is a hybrid. And boy, do we love it.
Driving the GS 450h
At first glance, this sedan appears sedate and rather bulky. The swooping lines and well defined curves create a majestic, if somewhat regal, appearance. Once you climb inside, the same qualities can be found within the cabin. The interior is well appointed, and the voice activated GPS unit gets a nice big LCD screen.
The controls are all easy to locate, and there are hints at the vehicles hybrid nature throughout the cabin. Press the button for the vehicle to turn on and the voltmeter lights up, letting you know just how much juice the electric motor is going to give you.
Then, in that brief moment after you’ve pressed the pedal, you can perhaps wonder what this car will feel like once it begins to accelerate. And then it happens: the car launches forward with such force that you may find yourself taken completely off guard. We only wish that there was some way to record our facial expression the moment that we realize that this was no somber sedan- it must have just been terrific.
The GS 450h takes off faster than a Cobalt SS, Mustang GT, and is nearly as fast as the 307 horsepower 350Z. Yes, a 350Z! It becomes clear that this sedan, though not a sports car, was not meant to be on the tame side of things. Hitting triple digit speeds in this Lexus is comfortable, and oddly quiet. Gosh, we can hardly contain ourselves!
Conclusion
This sedan is proof that a hybrid does not have to be a boring, sleep inducing vehicle. Never mind all of the features and technology inside the car, it’s the technology and sheer force underneath the hood that gets us excited. And, despite all of this power (nearly 340 horsepower from a 3.3 liter six cylinder/electric motor combination), the GS 450h is still capable of churning out over 30 miles per gallon. That we really like.
Overview: This SUV is proof that a hybrid doesn’t have to be from a brand known for fuel economy. Lexus, a premium brand by anyone’s standards, has taken a high performance SUV and made it just a little bit greener. Want to give yourself a treat? Take a ride in the 268 horsepower SUV that can sprint from 0-60 in just 7.3 seconds.
Detail: This SUV is a beauty, no doubt at it. Its looks, plus an impressive list of features and electronic gizmos, have made the RX 400h highly sought after. And guess what, it’s a hybrid.
Extremely Popular
Lexus had nearly 10,000 RX 400h SUV’s sold on a pre-order before they were released, and their popularity has only risen since its introduction. There are many reasons for this, and the Lexus moniker is probably one of them. I’m willing to bet that the main reason is a strong 268 horsepower combined output, coupled with over 30 mpg and an impressive list of standard features.
Driving the RX 400h
Mash the throttle and watch the RX 400h scream from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in under 7.5 seconds, putting into the same category of most sport compacts and 200+ horsepower sedans. Though the 400h is definitely not a sports car, the SUV looks and handles better than just about everything else we’ve come across.
Combining the power from a 3.3L V6 and a 161 horsepower electric motor, the total amount of power on tap comes to jut shy of 270. Mated this to an impressive all-wheel-drive system and you get performance that is leaps and bound ahead of most other SUV’s in its class. All of this while maintaining fuel economy that is nearly Honda Civic territory.
The interior cabin is definitely Lexus, and neither the driver nor the passengers will ever be left wanting for amenities and luxury. Leather adorns the cabin, and the plush seats may even make you wonder why your couch doesn’t feel like that. Typical of most SUV’s, there is a small blind spot near the rear of the car, so be extra careful when shoulder checking.
One area that we would like to see some improvement is in brake pedal feel, but that’s a relatively small gripe to make considering that it doesn’t affect the performance of the RX- the SUV still stops like it’s supposed to.
In Conclusion
With impressive mileage and tons of standard features, the RX 400h is a winner in our books. The SUV accelerates nicely, handles well, and looks pretty darn sharp while doing it.
According to the IRS the hybrid tax credit for Toyota (and Lexus) vehicles is now in the phase out period. This credit applies to hybrid vehicles purchased in 2006 or later. The following 2007 model year vehicles qualify for the hybrid tax credit:
2007 Lexus GS 450h $1,550
2007 Lexus RX 400h 2WD and 4WD $2,2002007 Toyota Prius $3,150
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid $ 2,600
2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2WD and 4WD $2,600
If you wish to take advantage of the credit you will need to purchase soon. The phase out period was initiated on October 1st, 2006 for Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Purchases made before September 30th, 2006 were eligible for the full credit. Purchases between 10/1/06 through 3/31/07 are eligible for 50% of the full credit. Purchases between 4/1/07 through 9/30/07 are eligible to 25% of the full credit. And finally, purchases on or after 10/1/07 are not eligible for any credit.
If you are thinking about buying a Toyota hybrid then you had better do it soon if you want to take advantage of this special tax credit.
Please refer to the IRS or a Tax Professional for all tax advice.