  | |||||||
| Home | Register | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track)This is a discussion on Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) within the Lexus forums, part of the Japanese Cars category; Its quiet, comfortable and powerful character make long drives effortless. By Jonathan Elfalan • Photo by Jeff Allen October 2007 ... |
 |
| | LinkBack | Thread Tools |
10-01-2007, 01:17 PM
| #1 |
| Global Moderator   Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 11,274
Thanks: 7,458
Thanked 4,920 Times in 2,733 Posts
  | Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) Its quiet, comfortable and powerful character make long drives effortless. By Jonathan Elfalan • Photo by Jeff Allen October 2007  Surprisingly, there are still many people who struggle to grasp the concept of a performance hybrid. They see the word "hybrid" followed by the less-than-stellar EPA estimated fuel mileage, and are completely befuddled because "aren't hybrids supposed to get 50 mpg minimum?" If only they could spend a day behind the wheel of our long-term GS 450h, they would appreciate the amount of performance Lexus squeezes out of 25.6 mpg. The interior of our Lexus, as light-colored as it is, has held up well considering the amount of use. Regardless, we felt the need to pamper it with a detailing, inside and out. We've recently undergone our 30K service and are now nipping at a total mileage of 35K. We tiptoed through our first set of Bridgestones with utmost efficiency, as the dealer who completed our latest service swears he has never seen a set last as long as ours — now that's bewildering! "The GS 450h is driving pleasure. Its quiet, comfortable and powerful character make long drives effortless, and I often found myself looking forward to passing trucks on a two-lane road just so I had an excuse to stand on it a bit. I am not so fond of the luggage space nor the drop-down door housing buttons such as the gas-flap release. It's easy to bang your knee against it should you forget to put it up." — Cheryl Cooper Production Editor "This car is rad! All the features kept me overwhelmed, from the seat that keeps your rear end on ice to the deafening sound system. I found the navigation screen a bit hard to read in direct sunlight due to glare, and the function layout is a little confusing for first-timers (so many buttons!) This car really takes off when you punch it, which is cool for a hybrid, but an indicated 19 mpg? I get that much in my Silverado." — Ryan Dudek Cycle World Off-Road Editor ROADandTRACK.com -- Long Term Road Tests - 2007 Lexus GS 450h (10/2007) |
|            |
| The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Bruce For This Useful Post: |
| Sponsored Links |
|
10-01-2007, 02:36 PM
| #2 |
| The Photo Phanatic  Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Munich, Germany Garage: '08 BMW 118i
Posts: 12,993
Thanks: 10,456
Thanked 9,155 Times in 3,292 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) It's definitely a great car, though for some reason I can't picture these words together: PERFORMANCE + LEXUS GS I mean the customers who buy these cars don't strike me as really seeking a performance machine. Here in Europe, whenever I see a Lexus GS, which isn't often, I see an old geezer behind the wheel - even behind the hybrid (Lexus markets them as fuel efficient cars here though). Lexus is great at marketing, so I guess people think this is a performance hybrid after all. If Lexus really wants a car that get's superb fuel economy over long distances, they need to combine a diesel engine with a hybrid motor. Best of both worlds. 
__________________ CWPhotography |
|
| |
|
10-01-2007, 03:20 PM
| #3 | |
| Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 11,274
Thanks: 7,458
Thanked 4,920 Times in 2,733 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) Quote:
 Last edited by Bruce; 10-01-2007 at 04:18 PM. | |
|
| |
|
10-01-2007, 06:25 PM
| #4 |
| Contributor  Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Aurora IL USA Garage: 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK430 Cabriolet
Posts: 15,642
Thanks: 5,226
Thanked 9,534 Times in 4,030 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) I drove this car at the Taste of Lexus. Power is tremendous and seamless. I've always liked the GS' interior, it is the exterior I can't stand. M
__________________ Merc1 Allstars: SLS, SL63, S65, SLK55, CL63, SL65 BS, E63, R8 5.2, S5, LP560, LP670, M3, Mulsne, BK, DBS, GT500, Gran S, 911, X6M, Z4, Veyron GS, XFR, XKR, ZR1, CC, GTI, CTSV, 458, 599. |
|
| |
|
10-01-2007, 06:35 PM
| #5 | |
| Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 11,274
Thanks: 7,458
Thanked 4,920 Times in 2,733 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) Quote:
 Overall, I'll take the 2nd generation anyday; which by the way, is one of my absolute favourite Lexus'.. | |
|
| |
|
10-01-2007, 08:31 PM
| #6 | |
| Contributor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Aurora IL USA Garage: 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK430 Cabriolet
Posts: 15,642
Thanks: 5,226
Thanked 9,534 Times in 4,030 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) Quote:
M
__________________ Merc1 Allstars: SLS, SL63, S65, SLK55, CL63, SL65 BS, E63, R8 5.2, S5, LP560, LP670, M3, Mulsne, BK, DBS, GT500, Gran S, 911, X6M, Z4, Veyron GS, XFR, XKR, ZR1, CC, GTI, CTSV, 458, 599. | |
|
| |
|
10-01-2007, 09:42 PM
| #7 | |
| Global Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 11,274
Thanks: 7,458
Thanked 4,920 Times in 2,733 Posts
| Re: Lexus GS450h Long Term Test (Road & Track) Quote:
| |
|
| |
|
| Bookmarks |
| Tags |
| gs450h, lexus, long, road, term, test, track |
| Thread Tools | |
| |
