Im2bz2p345

Hello my fellow hybrid friends,

I had been researching on the 4th Gen 450h model for a good while and I'm very thankful that I was finally able to acquire the car of my dreams (a slightly used 2013 GS450h).

Rather than double posting the exact same topic here, I thought that I'd post it in the general GS 4th generation subforum and simple link all of my fellow hybrid owners: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...erage-guy.html

Please let me know your thoughts either in this topic or the one that I posted a link to. I just wanted to thank everyone that posted in my topics in this specific hybrid forum, where I had questions about specifics on this model. I can't thank you enough for your help & advice - as I eventually reached out to a few of you and discussed things via PM.

I, too, look forward to passing on knowledge and sharing my experience as I get more comfortable with the car.

All the best,

~ Im2bz2p345

PirelliRC

After driving the ES H around town, i now get what you were talking about with the hybrids. I can just imagine how the GS hybrid is, you are one lucky guy, congrats again, good taste

Im2bz2p345

Thank you friend. Good to know that I have another partner to back me up with the inherit push-back against hybrid vehicles on CL, lol.

I actually test drove the ES300h extensively because none of the dealerships around me had the GS450h in stock.. so I know that was the closest type of experience that I could get to make a comparison before purchasing my vehicle.

I loved the ES - it's a fantastic car for everything that it offers, especially for the price. My parents have a fully loaded 2008 Toyota Camry hybrid and it's been rock solid. Easily delivers 37-38 mpg with mixed cty/hwy driving. Although the Camry hybrid is no where near as refined as the ES Hybrid - that is at a different level in luxury and you can tell just by getting behind the wheel of one.

If fuel economy, luxury, and reliability are your three biggest criteria.. the ES Hybrid is quite hard to beat. I'll look forward to your future posts as you get more miles on her.

Take care of it - don't go all crazy in the ES300h like you may do with your other cars and you'll have plenty of years of pleasant, hassle free, smooth, economical driving!

~ Im2bz2p345

chromedome

Not very many active hybrid owners here on CL but it's good to hear from y'all

Has getting a hybrid make you want to do less and less with combustion engines? I'm getting that feeling now. I get a bit jaded when some big horsepower engine gets trotted out, as if people need another 600 hp SUV or station wagon. It's cars like the BMW i8 and Teslas that get me excited now.

VW/Audi are also coming out with plugin hybrids that can go for 30 miles on electric power, combining small turbo engines with a single electric motor mounted on a dual clutch transmission. Check out the Golf and Passat GTE and Audi A3 eTron. There's a lot more than can go wrong compared to Toyota's HSD but the higher efficiency and power output with reasonable pricing make Toyota look stodgy and backward. I don't understand their fuel cell gambit when they should be making plugin ES and GS hybrids and full battery electric vehicles to go against Tesla.

PirelliRC

i plan on driving her til the wheels fall off and donate it to charity for taxes, 275 miles in and im understanding how to drive the hybrid for maximum power and efficiency. Ive noticed that i can accelerate faster and more fluidly by easing into the throttle rather than mashing into like in a petrol engine. It gets moving quick and keeps it pace and i try not to brake too much rather engage the throttle and release it and kinda glide forward with the momentum and at the same time charge the battery pack. I also utilize EV mode quite frequently, when the freeway gets jammed or on surface streets where the traffic is moving at 10-25 mph, im in pure electric and not wasting a drop . So far the average shows 39.2 mpg.

Though the speed of the Tesla and i8 are tremendous, i personally wouldn't buy a pure electric vehicle until they have charging stations inside all gas stations. Simply put I have range anxiety. I know the Tesla is rated at 300 miles but once you use the electric power for the A/C system to other devices your range will drop. Also if you get a bit heavy footed your range can drop to as much as 180 miles. And if there is no charging station around you are pretty much screwed. It would require a small petrol engine as back up to charge the battery and operate the vehicle for me to be buyer.