2009 Lexus GS 450h
Base MSRP: $57,225
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 22 mpg/25 mpg
The Lexus GS 450h represents a paler shade of green. With a V6 engine and an electric motor, the GS 450h delivers the performance of a V8-powered GS 460 (zero to 60 mph in a bit more than 5 seconds) for about $3,000 more. At 23 mpg EPA combined, the GS 450h returns slightly better overall fuel economy than the V6-powered GS 350, which rates a combined 22 mpg. Until the unveiling of the HS 250h model at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Lexus had resolutely viewed the addition of hybrid technology as more of a performance enhancer than strictly a fuel-efficiency enabler. Slow sales of the GS 450h indicate that the buying public hasn't been entirely onboard with that way of thinking.
2010 Lexus HS 250h
Base MSRP: $35,000 (est.)
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 36 mpg/31 mpg (est.)
The HS 250h is the first hybrid-only model for Toyota's luxury brand and represents something of a shift for the company. Previously Lexus simply added gas-electric capability to an existing model to show off its technical prowess or increase the performance of a model while maintaining good (not great) fuel economy. The HS 250h uses the same basic setup as the Toyota Camry Hybrid, including a 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine, electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which combine to produce 187 horsepower. The HS 250h is a few inches shorter in overall length than a Camry Hybrid, but it's taller by a couple of inches and is styled to look something like an IS sedan. Lexus has not made any specific city or highway fuel economy claims, but says that the HS will achieve 30 percent better fuel economy than the most fuel-efficient Lexus on the market today. So let's say at least 36 mpg in the city. We don't know how shoppers will react to a four-cylinder Lexus in this day and age, but Lexus is loading the HS up with all manner of techno goodies. Like the RX 450h hybrid crossover, the HS comes with an exhaust recirculation system which, because it warms the engine more quickly, should allow the engine to shut off sooner in hybrid operation. Also like the RX, the HS comes with a windshield that filters infrared rays to lessen the need for air-conditioning use. The HS will also be available with an LED head-up display, a "lane-keep" system that will use the steering to keep the car in the middle of the lane, adaptive cruise control and Lexus' OnStar-like Enform Destination Assist. The car will go on sale in late summer.
2009 Lexus LS 600h L
Base MSRP: $106,710
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 20 mpg/22 mpg
As a statement of Lexus' technological prowess, it's hard to fault the LS 600h L — although its alphanumeric name with all those spaces and both upper- and lowercase letters is a bit much. It is the only car in the ultra-luxury class that qualifies as a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) and it carries every conceivable electronic doodad and the highest standard of materials quality that's available from parent company Toyota. Still, it's not quicker than the standard 4.6-liter V8 car. Nor is it as quick as the V12-powered German competitors that Lexus sees as its natural competition. And even in a car as large as the long-wheelbase LS, the hybrid gear steals a big chunk of trunk capacity. The 600h averaged 18.6 mpg in mixed driving during its stay with us. It is the only hybrid vehicle on the market offered with something called Executive Class Seating Package or a Pebble Beach Edition.
2010 Lexus RX 450h
Base MSRP: $43,000 (est.)
EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 28 mpg/27 mpg (FWD); 28 mpg /26 mpg (4WD)
The Lexus RX is a longstanding member in the hybrid club. The first RX 400h went on sale way back in April 2005, and now the 2010 RX 450h is the first major reworking of the model. Although the revised vehicle is larger than the old RX and now uses a 3.5-liter V6 instead of a 3.3-liter V6, the basic formula remains the same. Despite its weight gain compared to the RX 400h, the RX 450h should be just as quick to 60 mph — around 7.2 seconds — and gets slightly better fuel mileage (about 2 mpg) in both front- and all-wheel-drive versions. We're pleased with the model's smoother operation, both its powertrain as it cycles from gas to electric and back and its regenerative braking system. The 2010 model brings with it some useful new features, too. One of our favorites is the new transmission, a CVT that simulates six gear ratios, which produces more natural feel during driving and aids in engine braking. The new RX offers an Eco mode that retards throttle sensitivity and reduces air-conditioner oomph to improve fuel economy at the expense of performance, and there's also an EV mode that allows the RX to run solely on battery power (but only for a couple of minutes and only at speeds up to 8-10 mph). The RX 450h goes on sale this summer.
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