2007 Lexus GS 450h - Review

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Enlarge PhotoAdding to the sleeper image, the noise from the drivetrain, even when putting the boot in, is nothing more than a mechanical whine. Combined with the silky smooth constantly variable transmission, off the line acceleration is nothing short of amazing and reminded me of the feeling of a train pulling away from a station. On acceleration tests, we constantly managed to dip below six seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint, and even accelerating in fourth or fifth gear couldn’t faze the big Lexus. The only disappointment was that you never really get that sense of speed. There’s no bark from the engine or a shove into the backseat.

For all the benefits in performance and fuel economy that Lexus is proclaiming for its hybrid drivetrain, these gains are offset slightly by some compromises that you’ll have to live with. Most noticeably is the row of batteries found in the trunk. Not only do they leave you with less storage space than a Porsche Boxster (all 218L of it), but the car weighs a significant 386lbs more than the GS430. Sure, it’s still very quick in acceleration tests, but there’s no hiding the fact that the GS450h is like an overly large girl in a Wicked Weasel bikini. This extra baggage is especially obvious when going round a sharp corner, something that’s not helped by the high driving position, which gives you the feeling that you’re at the helm of a porky barge. Corners felt slow, however, body roll and tire squeal from the 245mm tires made me realize that I was actually going a lot faster than I thought.

There’s not much feedback transmitted from the steering wheel, and it’s made even worse by the variable gear-ratio steering feature. VGRS works by adjusting the responsiveness of the car’s steering to its speed, similar to BMW’s active steering and just as annoying. Having to overcompensate while cruising in slow traffic or around dense city blocks soon gets very frustrating. It doesn’t help that the leather and rosewood steering wheel lacked tactility and was hard to grip during fast paced turns.

The ventilated front and rear discs with ABS and EBD couldn’t cope with the GS450h’s two-ton mass. Stopping distances are longer than you’d expect in a performance sedan, and the regenerative braking system (for charging the batteries as you brake) gives them a spongy feel.

Stepping into the driver’s seat for the first time, you’re immediately smacked by Lexus’ choice of old world styling. Why does arguably one of the most high-tech cars in the world have such an archaic interior? While, the instrument panel had a high-tech look with its metal faceplates and bluish backlight, the whole thing felt out of place with the rest of the interior. The center console features the same wooden trim as the steering wheel, and looks just as tacky. While the rest of the dash is covered in a dreary charcoal colored plastic trim whose somber tone is reflected throughout the rest of the cabin.

Instead of the familiar tachometer, Lexus has added a kW meter, which allows the GS450h to enter a very select group of cars with the special gauge, including Bugatti’s Veyron. Lexus has limited the number of levels for the suspension setting to just two, Sport or Normal, and the difference between them are marginal at best. Both offerings still provide high levels of comfort, however, there's no happy medium. Sport mode isn’t stiff enough and Normal isn’t comfortable enough.

Where the GS450h really excels is in the way it stimulates the aural senses with its stereo. Unlike many other car manufacturers, Lexus does not compromise on its audio, and for the GS450h, engineers have even added an acoustically tuned windshield. The final result? One of the best factory car sound systems I’ve ever tested. I’ve got no idea who Mark Levinson is, but his 14-speaker sound system will make you want to trade going to the cinema for the backseat and question why your $10K home theatre system is nowhere near as good.

By the end of the test, I had managed to achieve a fuel economy of around 28.5mpg, which is very respectable given the size of the car and my method of driving, but I still wonder how much the extra weight affected these figures. The drivetrain is simply amazing and so technically advanced, that it’s disappointing that the rest of the package isn’t up to scratch. Still, the GS450h remains a car that’s ahead of its time, a true politically correct performance car. It won’t make you want to save the whales with Greenpeace or stop washing your hair to get that ‘one with the earth’ look, but it will leave you with a sense that you’re doing your part to save the environment, even while dragging that M5.

- Viknesh VijayenthiranReview: Lexus GS450h