Lexus GS 450h 2009 Review

Read our Lexus 450h introduction here

May 6, 2009
The GS was an important step in Lexus's drive to establish its own styling language. Since then the IS, ISF and LS have reinforced the L-finesse theme. But has it been successful so-far...

Hmmm, not sure... As evidence, I offer my Discovery-driving brother, who calls the GS, the "gold-plated Aurion".

I'm not sure it's going to win me any fans at Lexus HQ, but he's got a point. There's still a familial resemblance between the two... The Aurion and the GS -- that is, not me and my brother...
MikeS

May 5, 2009
Second fill -- and this time the average economy is 8.3L/100km... Better...

In fact, I'm impressed, because this tank's been almost exclusively commuting. And my commute is not much fun with three level crossings and two tram-induced bottlenecks that only Melbournites will understand.

Then on the way home, it's a fight with tight-wads who clog surface streets to escape the CityLink tolls just to get onto the tollway -- and those level crossings again.

The only break from pattern in this tank was a trip to Bendigo for a family wedding.

The adaptive cruise was drafted into use to help escape the clutches of Victoria's speed cameras. On the highway the system works well, but in arterial road traffic it's not quite as smart as the latest we've used from Audi and Benz. It also seems less consistent in detecting very slow or stationary traffic in semi-urban road environments.
Mike S

May3, 2009
Yes, it's limited in size thanks to the hybrid battery, but the main hiccup with the GS's boot is not the floor space, but rather the actual opening shape.

In true Lexus tradition I managed to fit three good sized golfbags in the boot. And shut it... Not bad... But a plastic wheelie box of motorcycle gear (which fitted easily into the Sinclair clan's Civic) would not fit -- no matter how hard I tried.

And before you wags suggest otherwise, that was after I removed the golf clubs! Simply the boot opening did not have a dimension large enough to allow the box onboard -- no matter which way I twisted it.

This opening handicap afflicts all GS models -- not just the 450h. With its abbreviated rear bootlid, the effective opening in relative terms is tiny... A 5 Series or E-Class would allow your to load two of these boxes at once and swallow four in total.

Next time you look at a Citroen C6 and wonder why the rear window is concave, consider the above. Citroen does this primarily to delivere a short rear bootlid look on profile, but a 'proper' sized boot opening in practice.
MikeS

April 30, 2009
First fill 56.32 litres.
Cars are always empty when I get into them. Especially after Mr Britten's used one to traipse back and forward between Melbourne and his Daylesford pile.
Our first full fill of the GS gnereated an economy figure of 9.8L/100km. Not bad, but we're aiming for 8s. One of the reasons may be the fact that a significant propotion of the miles during this tank were highway miles.
MikeS

April 26, 2009
The Editor-in-Chief had a go at the GS from day one... Not flash enough, he said... Actually to me it seems quite sumptuous enough -- but then again I have just stepped out of a base Fiesta...

I was surprised that when it came to carrying a load of four adults (and a baby in rear seat) it all seemed pretty tight inside, however... The middle rear seat (like most cars) is a bit of a joke -- no padding and a sit up and beg position.

The boot was likewise tight, most space taken up by battery pack. Height and width of the actual boot are okay but the depth is lacking.

The battery size is also a contributor in its inability to run for long at low speeds on electric motor alone (carpark shenanigans aside). It quickly runs out of puff in traffic, where I suspect a Prius would run a lot longer.

But I was impressed by the seamless transition of battery to petrol power. And of course that Lexus silence.

During a weekend of use economy averaged out around 9.0L/100 -- with a fair mix of peak hour and freeway running.

I also found its Japanese origins showed up in the range of driver seat adjustment -- fore and aft ok but squab tilt was token only, as was squab depth. Certainly not Germanic in its adjustability...
TimB

April 24, 2009
MikeS
An embarrassment of riches in the carpark meant my time in GS has only really just started. After a day or two in the car my Twitter entry (yesterday) stated: "In a Lexus hybrid this week. I'm no huge fan of green for green sake but stop-start technology makes driving in traffic almost guilt-free..."

And I stand by that remark. The one thing that stepping from a hybrid (be it a Civic, Prius or the GS) to a 'conventional' car highlights is the amount of time you spend idling, going nowhere.

Unless it's dead cold, the GS flashes into life at the push of a button, without so much as a peep out of the engine. At the end of a day at Carsales HQ, I can jump in the GS push the 'go' button, drive up three levels of our underground carpark and merge into traffic without so much as consuming a gram of unleaded.

The converse is true each morning. With the office inhabitants bleary eyed and heading for the nearest coffee shop via the carpark I can appreciate why some authorities are suggesting hybrids have 'noise generators' fitted... More than one has already blundered out in front of the almost silent but moving GS.
MikeS

April 16, 2009
First impressions count. 'Our' deep blue GS450h certainly looks the part with its chrome accented alloys and liquorice strap rubber. The paint looks inches deep and the chrome equally so.

But step inside and the magic spell is broken. Compared to its European opposition, the GS 450h's cabin lacks a certain je ne sais quoi... There's no glaring errors and build quality is impressive -- it's a Lexus after all -- but the expanse of anonymous plastic across the dash doesn't say luxury to me. Nor does the matt plastic centre-stack.

At this pricetag, I'm a touch disappointed. Why wouldn't Lexus spice things up with a leather dashtop and some piano black... It's a $125K car after all!

That said, the standard equipment list of the GS is impressive. Sunroof, radar cruise, high-end audio... The heated and cooled seats are a favourite already, but I'd forgotten how much I dislike the fact only limited navigation and phone functions are available once you're on the move...

But we're driving this car to get an impression of whether a big hybrid is a good thing. And the very initial impressions are encouraging.

There's something way cool about being able to walk up to the car, open the door (without fumbling for a key or fob), hit one button and drive away -- without so much as a engine start-up.

Though we're already learning the tell-tale signs and timbre, the first indication the engine has started-up is via the power-flow meter on the dash.
MikeS

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi