History: When Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota Motor Corporation, introduced the LX 450 sport utility vehicle in 1996, they were the first luxury carmaker to throw their hat into the ever-widening SUV ring. Basically, the LX 450 was simply a dressed-up Toyota Land Cruiser. The RX 300, however, is a vehicle in its own right. It is one of a new kind of SUV known as a hybrid. This type of vehicle has the attributes of a car (in this case, a luxury car), plus the utility of truck. Unlike the truck-based vehicles that launched the SUV craze, most hybrids are based on car platforms or on platforms developed specifically for the vehicle. The RX 300, assembled on a unibody platform, is one of the first hybrids entering the luxury sport utility marketplace, but look for this category to grow rapidly. The RX 300 joins the Lexus line-up in the 1999 model year.

Vehicle Type: four-door luxury sport utility vehicle

Base Price: $31,550 (front-drive 4x2); $32,950 (full-time 4x4)

Engine: 3.0-liter V6, 220 horsepower

Transmission: four-speed automatic transmission

Fuel Economy: 19 mpg city/22 mpg highway

Safety Features: driver and front passenger air bags; front seat-mounted side-impact air bags; force-limiting pretensioners on driver and front passenger seat belts; disc brakes w/ABS; daytime running lights

Major Options: The RX 300 offers premium and leather packages plus other niceties, like a moonroof, which can raise the price to about $36,860.

Buyer Demos: luxury SUV shoppers looking for car-like qualities in a truck-like vehicle; 45% female