Lexus introduced its first hybrid vehicle in 2005.
That vehicle was the Lexus RX 400h, a gasoline-electric version of the second-generation RX luxury crossover. It went on sale in 2005 and served as the launch vehicle for Lexus’s hybrid lineup, bringing Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology into a premium-brand SUV.
The RX 400h used a 3.3-liter V6 gasoline engine alongside electric motors and a nickel-metal-hydride battery. Its hybrid system could drive the front wheels electrically and add an electric motor at the rear for all-wheel-drive assistance, improving both fuel economy and low-speed response.
Some dates can cause confusion because the closely related Toyota Harrier Hybrid debuted in Japan in March 2005, while the Lexus-badged RX 400h rolled out in export markets, including the United States, later that year. Those are different badges and market histories, but 2005 is the accepted year for Lexus’s first production hybrid. The RX 400h was also notable as the first production premium hybrid vehicle.