Lexus's New Hybrid: Will the Fast Make You Furious?
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04. 3.06
Not everyone will like this car when it hits the market in May. Some car connoisseurs will lift their noses. Some environmentalists will lift their hackles. Other people will definitely lift their eyebrows in curiosity. Whatever feelings this car raises in you, the Lexus GS 450h is something we haven’t seen before. It is the first luxury hybrid sedan, a rear-wheel drive car that performs on par with any V8 in its class—only it’s a V6. The drive train is a newly redesigned hybrid system that pairs a 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor to produce 339 horsepower. The EPA fuel economy weighs in at a combined 26 mpg (25 city, 28 highway), slightly below Lexus’s initial expectations, and gets an SULEV emissions rating. The 450h will do 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Starting at $54,900, this hybrid will come with all the Lexus bells and whistles like voice activated GPS and rain-sensing windshield wipers. :: Green Car Congress
I'm not seeing the controversy here. Driving enthusiasts have long wanted a hybrid drive train to take advantage of the better low end torque that electric motors deliver. So the pedal-to-the-medal crowd isn't likely to complain. OTOH, it gets slightly better mileage than its competitors. The 06 Cadillac CTS gets a mind numbingly horrendous 16 MPG, and the 06 Acura TL promises 20, but delivers 25. Which bears the next point: EPA mileage testing isn't real world. So why should anyone be upset that hybrid technology is getting further into the mainstream, and delivering cleaner vehicles while satisfying the American appetite for power?
If I were going to complain, it's how the GS line has gotten bloated and fat looking. The GS300 was a beautifully proportioned car and now it's a bugatti wannabe knockoff.
I think it really depends how you look at it.
From a more pragmatic perspective, it's a good car (SULEV, decent fuel economy considering power and weight) for people who would buy a super-powerful luxury car anyway; better have them drive that than a 16 mpg cadillac with crappy emissions.
But from a more objective/idealized (?) perspective, 339hp for a sedan that isn't going to a racetrack is excessive and shouldn't be encouraged.
So yeah, it's better than other comparable cars, but we're not too keen on these other cars to begin with, hence the dilemma.
I own the prior-year GS300. The EPA numbers are 22/30. The car really can get close to 30 on the highway. However, the main way I save fuel is by living close to where I work and shop, and this means the majority of my 5000 miles per year is stop-and-go. I'm lucky to get 20mpg with any gas engine; I could benefit a lot from hybrid technology. At 260hp my car has more than enough power. I wish Toyota would offer a compromise powertrain, e.g. a smaller V6 hybrid with mileage in the mid-30s, but power equivalent to my current vehicle. Better yet a plug-in hybrid that could run all-electric at speeds up to 45 mph for distances of 30 miles or so - my gasoline consumption would drop dramatically.
Doug, that's a great point you make. You should tell Toyota! Toyota needs to hear it from their Lexus customer base. Toyota has been making gestures toward plug-ins recently as well, which is very exciting news, but they need support.