2007 Lexus GS 450h – Sport-Luxury-Hybrid-Sedan

**Tideland Prius** · 01-20-2007, 07:44 PM

With the arrival of the 2007 Lexus GS 450h, hybrid gasoline/electric powered vehicles have taken the big evolutionary step from nerdy science projects, designed solely to save us from our fossil-fuelled excesses, into the realm of high-performance luxury class automobiles.

Nobody is going to save the planet by driving a GS 450h, but they can at least claim the dent they’re making in its increasingly thinly stretched ecological fabric won’t be quite as noticeable as that made by other cars in this size and performance category.

Toyota and its luxury division Lexus have hoisted the hybrid banner high over the past few years, taking as pragmatic an approach as possible given some inherent system packaging problems, to create vehicles that are in the main quite practical every-day driving propositions, at a not-too excessive price premium.

Full Article

V8Cobrakid · 01-20-2007, 10:09 PM

Interesting. A rather weak article in my opinion.

**Tideland Prius** · 01-20-2007, 10:57 PM

That and there's a couple of errors in there.

hill · 01-21-2007, 07:15 PM

Having the Lexus Hybrid 400h, I post on the LexusClub / chat group occasionally. Erie. Virtually no one thinks about blowing the epa out of the water, or finding it weird that a $50K car doesn't even have smart ignition (spring loaded key? ahhh, 1930's technology?), etc. We DO need a large AWD vehicle, but I just don't get the whole hybrid / mongo horsepower mentality. Sure, I need to tow a trailer on occasion, but do I have to be able to beat everyone to the top of the mountain pass?

**Tideland Prius** · 01-21-2007, 11:54 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Jan 21 2007, 04:15 PM) [snapback]378806[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Having the Lexus Hybrid 400h, I post on the LexusClub / chat group occasionally. Erie. Virtually no one thinks about blowing the epa out of the water, or finding it weird that a $50K car doesn't even have smart ignition (spring loaded key? ahhh, 1930's technology?), etc. We DO need a large AWD vehicle, but I just don't get the whole hybrid / mongo horsepower mentality. Sure, I need to tow a trailer on occasion, but do I have to be able to beat everyone to the top of the mountain pass?

[/b]

I don't know. Maybe they're just not used to the push button start yet.

If you look at the ES and IS forum, there's a very high % of people that love the SmartAccess system. Oddly, the LS folks just brush it aside like it's old technology such as ABS or power seats.

Also, there isn't a cheaper Lexus hybrid than the RX that has SmartAccess. The GS450h is more expensive.

01-20-2007, 07:44 PM	#1
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,771 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	With the arrival of the 2007 Lexus GS 450h, hybrid gasoline/electric powered vehicles have taken the big evolutionary step from nerdy science projects, designed solely to save us from our fossil-fuelled excesses, into the realm of high-performance luxury class automobiles. Nobody is going to save the planet by driving a GS 450h, but they can at least claim the dent they’re making in its increasingly thinly stretched ecological fabric won’t be quite as noticeable as that made by other cars in this size and performance category. Toyota and its luxury division Lexus have hoisted the hybrid banner high over the past few years, taking as pragmatic an approach as possible given some inherent system packaging problems, to create vehicles that are in the main quite practical every-day driving propositions, at a not-too excessive price premium. Full Article __________________ 2005 Tideland Pearl Premium Package as of 25th Oct 2004 VVT-i Emblem, Sport Pedals, OEM All-Weather Mats, Cargo Mat, EV Mod, JDM Prius Interior Footwell Lighting, DICE iPod Integration Kit, LED licence plate lights, Phillips Vision Plus 2008 smart fortwo passion coupé as of 28th Apr 2008 Foglights, dash pods, leather seats, OEM rubber mats, BRABUS alum. handbrake, LED licence plate lights & dome lamp

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01-20-2007, 10:09 PM	#2
V8Cobrakid some guy... Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,530 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	Interesting. A rather weak article in my opinion.

01-20-2007, 10:57 PM	#3
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,771 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	That and there's a couple of errors in there.

01-21-2007, 07:15 PM	#4
hill High Fiber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South OC So Cal & the Flathead Valley MT Posts: 2,394 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 2	Having the Lexus Hybrid 400h, I post on the LexusClub / chat group occasionally. Erie. Virtually no one thinks about blowing the epa out of the water, or finding it weird that a $50K car doesn't even have smart ignition (spring loaded key? ahhh, 1930's technology?), etc. We DO need a large AWD vehicle, but I just don't get the whole hybrid / mongo horsepower mentality. Sure, I need to tow a trailer on occasion, but do I have to be able to beat everyone to the top of the mountain pass?