Gs450H Review

[Turbineguy]

Howdy all,

I spent two weeks with a GS450 hybrid courtesy of Lexus press fleet (and Hurricane Sandy) and was very impressed with the car. The ride was comfortable, the power was impressive and of course the interior was amazingly quiet. The only downside I could find was the high cost of entry. I'd like to hear from GS hybrid owners, and those familiar with the car, about their experiences.

http://www.examiner....s-luxury-hybrid

Regards,

Will

[frino]

I test drove both the ES300h and GS450h yesterday. I currently drive a HS250h for business and an 06 911S for fun.

I was blown away by the straight line acceleration and commendable handling of the GS. I got it up to 100mph with very little drama. Brakes were excellent and I had no issues with the electric steering feel. The interior is gorgeous and the 12 inch display rocks. I didn't drive the car long enough to feel any major differences between normal/sport and sport+ (in stark contrast with my 911 where switching to sport immediately creates a rock hard ride). At 4,100 lbs., she is a very big girl that likes to dance.

The big surprise yesterday was how much I liked the ES. Don't get me wrong, the GS is a tour de force of hybrid engineering in a package that deserves comparison with the $90K Panamera Hybrid. The ES rode a little smoother than the GS and, with the exception of the buzzy engine noises under heavy acceleration (like the HS), was very refined and had plenty of grunt in both city and highway applications. As much as I've liked my HS over the past three years, the ES is in another league in terms of ride and refinement.

In terms of the GS, the question I have is whether the GS is worth $20,000 more than the ES? For this veteran car guy, my gut says it's not, especially given my own personal situation where I already have a fun car.

I am going to decide on the ES versus GS in the next few weeks. I would love to hear from others who have driven both of these great Lexus hybrid vehicles.

Frino

2010 HS 250h

2006 911 S

2010 GX470 (hers)

2010 Audi A4 2.0Q (daughter)

[xhybrdx]

I have driven the GS450h since 2007. It has wonderful, quiet, straight line acceleration. Passing and entering freeways is a breeze with the instant torque available from the electric motor. I drive a GS 350 when I have my cars serviced. I would not consider buying one after having driven the hybrid. The GS 350 lacks the quickness and quietness to which I have become accustomed.

One thing the GS 350 has that the GS 450h does not have is nice styling. For some reason the designers have scrapped the aggressive rear end of the GS/IS/ISF and made the 450h look like a TOYOTA AVALON. It may be part of the GS series but lacks the cool styling. The hybrid badges on the rear doors also look like an after thought and, as-near-as-I-can-tell, there is only one wood grain choice for the interior.

The wood trim choices also look like they came out of a BMW. That's not a compliment.

[frino]

So I picked up my new 2013 GS450h yesterday. White with black trim, premium package.I am so very glad that I went with the GSh instead of the ES. The GSh is an engineering masterpiece. It's very fast, pulls like a freight train and gets 30 plus MPG. The ergonomics are excellent, NVH is perfect, and road feel is very respectable. Brakes are an order of magnitude better than the HS. The standard radio is the best I've ever heard...no need for the Mark Levinson.As you can tell, I am a very happy camper. If you can find a GS450h at your local dealer, take it for a test ride...you won't be disappointed.

[SW03ES]

Congrats! I love my new GS