The 2009 Lexus GS450h, an AutoWeek Drivers Log - AutoWeek
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I never liked the GS much. I always thought of it sort of as the runt in the Lexus litter. And the last few GS hybrids I've driven have had squeaks and rattles and been beaten all to hell. This one I liked better. The car drove well. This is a deceptively fast car and the power comes on in a smooth and seamless whoosh. Not to me, but to some green-adopter types it might be. The car is pretty complicated, and I doubt even at that price Toyota makes much money on it, if at all. A standard GS starts at about $13,000 cheaper, and while I didn't need to fill it, the onboard mpg computer said I got about 20 mpg. SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: If this is what it takes to get an EPA combined 23 mpg and sports-sedan levels of thrust, I'll pass. Yes, this hybrid GS does offer strong power, but the shortcomings aren't worth it. What shortcomings. I've complained in the past about the “pulsing” drivetrain feel in hybrids--sort of an on-off-on feeling--but it is more pronounced in this car than in any hybrid I've ever driven. Source: autoweek.com
