2007 Lexus GS 450h
Effortless performance and the luxury we’ve come to expect from Lexus make this hybrid quite popular...but pack light.

By Shaun Bailey, Road Test Editor

February 2007


In our July 2005 issue we compared a BMW 550i with a hybrid-powered Lexus GS, the 450h. To our surprise the 450h could almost match strides with the 6-speed-manual-transmission-equipped 550i. Quite impressive for a car that scores EPA fuel economy ratings of 25 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. In the test we noted a fundamental difference in character between the cars. The BMW 550i was a supreme sports sedan; the GS 450h was just a supreme sedan. The Lexus gives up most of its handling prowess in favor of a comfortable and well isolated ride. Not a bad thing, just not what might be expected of such a quick car. As the most powerful hybrid available, and featuring a 2-speed continuously variable transmission, the GS 450h needed to be tested over the long term, even if it’s not the most sporting sedan. We also wanted to see if the fuel mileage over 50,000 miles would be better than the poor result (18.7 mpg) we recorded during our previous hard-driving comparison test (July 2006).

We’ve had the car for just about two months and it’s clearly popular. It’s away from the office more than it’s here. And it’s accruing the equivalent mileage of a roundtrip Los Angeles to New York drive each month. In the process, it’s averaged about 26 mpg. Not bad, and about what we’d expect for the type of highway driving it’s been doing. This car’s forte is local trips in traffic, where the hybrid system can be best put to use. For long drives the car is clearly capable, but there are some obvious limitations. First and foremost is its trunk size. The Lexus can carry four people, but not all their luggage. Half the trunk is occupied by the battery pack, leaving enough space for two good-size cases or a few bags of groceries. There isn’t a pass-through, so no skiing or snowboarding without a rack. In the real world, most times it will be one or two people in the car, thus leaving the rear seats available for cargo. However, we feel that a $60,310 car should have a larger trunk for safer storage of luggage.

The base GS 450h has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $54,900. Standard equipment is quite good, with all the usual luxury-car amenities. Some particularly welcomed features that aren’t typically standard are heated and cooled leather power-assisted seats, keyless entry and starting, driver and front passenger knee airbags, variable power steering ratio, adjustable ride comfort and adaptive front headlights — the type that point where you turn. On top of that, we opted for the $480 tire upgrade of Dunlop SP Sport 5000 run-flats with spare, $1900 voice-activated navigation with Bluetooth connectivity, $1780 Mark Levinson audio system, $486 XM Satellite radio kit and a $69 trunk mat.

Driving the GS 450h isn’t difficult. Most everything is intuitive, even the power button that replaces a conventional key. Our familiarity with the Toyota Prius has helped us understand the car. New drivers will likely have to familiarize themselves with a few details.

The start button is actually a power button and says power “on/off,” not the more conventional “start/stop.” The trunk and gas-flap release, along with the mirror adjustments, rear sunshade and a few other buttons, are well hidden. They reside grouped together on a hidden panel next to the driver’s left knee. It pops out easily enough, but we do it an awful lot and we wonder when the mechanism will wear out. Before backing out of a parking spot, the car must be turned on, excuse me, I mean powered-up. Step on the brake pedal and hit the glowing button on the dash. Nothing happens, but a light in the gauge cluster appears saying “READY.” This means if you put it in Reverse and take your foot off the brake, it will move — even if the engine isn’t running. Typical of hybrids, it takes first-time drivers a little while to get used to. Turning the car off is a little confusing as well. If you pull into a spot and the engine shuts off, you might be fooled into thinking you’ve shut the car down and can hop out. Don’t. The car will drive away under electric power. The driver has to put it in Park and hit the off-button before the system will shut down. Confusing? Not really; it’s just a new technology we have to get used to.

The same applies to the lack of shifting that goes on when driving. The drive system of the hybrid approximates the functionality of a continuously variable transmission. Put the throttle to the floor, and the 3.5-liter 24-valve V-6 with direct injection jumps to an optimum rpm. Then it stays there, while dual permanent magnet electric motors sort out the gear ratios necessary and also assist the 339-peak horsepower to the rear wheels. If the batteries are low on charge, there isn’t much assist, but that’s rarely the case, as the system charges itself while cruising and every time the brake pedal is used. Unlike the hybrid system in the Toyota Prius, the GS 450h adds a 2-speed transmission to the electric motor that aids in acceleration. At roughly 60 mph it shifts from low to high, and helps the electric motor provide more forward thrust.

With all this technology, can the Lexus GS 450h meet our expectations of fuel economy and performance? From our initial impressions we think it might. But you’ll have to keep reading to see what’s in store for the GS 450h over the next 37,371 miles.


2007 Lexus GS 450h Specifics

Total Miles 12,629

Miles Since Last Report n/a

Average MPG To Date 25.8

Best MPG (Avg Of 3) 31.5

Worst MPG (Avg Of 3) 21.3

Maintenance costs to date $144

Repair costs to date $0

Delivered Price $60,310