Toyota Lexus GS450h Review

Toyota Lexus GS450h Review

By Jenny McLane

The 2007 Lexus GS 450h is the world's first hybrid luxury sedan and the first full hybrid vehicle with a front engine and rear wheel drive.

'Once again, we've applied our formula of no compromise engineering - this time to a luxury sport sedan which proves to us that hybrid power trains can work superbly in virtually any application,' said Lexus Vice President of Marketing Mark Templin. ‘ Lexus says the GS 450h will have gas mileage similar to the average 2-liter, 4-cylinder compact sedan.

The Lexus GS 450h is a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. A SULEV-rated vehicle is 90% cleaner than the average new car.

The GS 450h will have a 3.5-liter V6 engine combined with a high-output electric motor--all driving the rear wheels--to pack horsepower at the level of a V8 engine. It's built on the GS 430 platform and offers similar standard equipment and options, including a sunroof and perforated leather seats.

Hybrid technology, driving dynamics, motoring comfort and generous space inside redefines the new Lexus GS450h. Featuring more powerful and fuel efficient engines, innovative assistance systems, a wide range of safety features, as well as a superior standard of equipment, the new Toyota Lexus of today need no less than superior BMW replacement parts when the need arises.

The GS 450h is a large, rear-drive sedan, powered by a 3.5-litre, dual overhead cam V6 pumping out 207kW of power and 417Nm of torque. Chief designer of the Lexus LS430, Makoto Ooshima, told American industry journal automotive News the car's design was inspired by the Japanese bullet train as the car was tested in the same wind tunnel. (An average family sedan is 0.32.)

The 2005 Toyota Lexus GS 450h has powered door-closing system, which pulls the doors tight against the seals. Voice recognition technology responds to about 300 commands for the navigation, audio and air-conditioning, while Bluetooth technology permits cable-free use of mobile phones and the like. A tyre pressure monitoring system is low-tech in comparison.

The latest version of the 32-valve V8 engine uses less fuel and produces less noxious emissions. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Shift Logic Control that responds to road grade and acceleration/deceleration activity. A Sequential Shift feature also allows the driver to control gearshifts manually, if desired.

"This car's role is to elevate Lexus to a truly world-class level,” said Jim Press, the head of Toyota Motor Sales USA and it means air-cooled seats, automatic rain-sensitive windscreen wipers and parking sensors, Mark Levinson audio/navigation system with handy rear camera, voice command and Bluetooth wireless connections; air suspension; rear door sunshades; rear seat adjuster with power/slide and memory and massage; and parking assist.

If the system determines that a collision is imminent, it retracts the driver and front passenger seatbelts. PCS also prepares the Brake Assist system, which, after the driver applies the brakes, automatically applies increased braking force to help reduce collision speed.

Notable is a Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) that features variable-force front airbags. Front and rear side curtain airbags provide protection in certain types of severe side impacts. The GS450h also features knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, four-channel, four-sensor anti-lock brake system (ABS) and the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) that helps control side skids.

It has in its stock highest quality Toyota body parts that will retain the Toyota's driving dynamics bundled-in technology and its design.