When I received the first information regarding the Lexus GS300h I thought it would be one of those underpowered sedans that we often find in the market. During the presentation to the press I was able to clearly verify that I was very wrong.
We already know that this Lexus GS 300h uses the same 2.5 petrol and electric motor as its smaller and lighter D-segment brother, the IS 300h. The operation is exactly the same, and we have various driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+) that alter the response of the engine, gearbox, steering and suspension. These are selected from a rotary dial located on the center console.
When it comes to getting started with the Lexus GS we will miss a detail. The parking brake is not foot, but electric. For the rest, by placing the gear lever in D, we will gently begin to move in deathly silence. If it is very cold or we demand more acceleration, the gasoline engine will start. It is very soft and hardly felt.
If we accelerate forcefully, the sound of the revving engine is felt more, but the interior of the Lexus GS cabin has very good insulation, so being noisy at very specific times is not annoying. The car picks up speed with ease, it is surprising, but both me and other colleagues it even gave us the feeling that it moved better than the IS, when looking at the data sheet it seems impossible and it probably is. It certainly does not have the kick of the GS 450h, but it is more than enough for most people, especially considering the price, 15.000 euros lower. It may give us the feeling that it does not run, but it is extremely progressive and is so well insulated that many times we will really play for points without knowing it.
If we talk more in depth about the change we will see that we have paddles and sequential handling from the lever. The most useful thing is to use it in reductions, when it is most noticeable. When upshifting we didn't notice a staggering like any other fixed-ratio automatic. Starting from a full stop the box thinks about it a bit and then sends all the power to the rear wheels. The Sport and Sport + modes allow us to see a rev counter on the frame.
Although the car moves with agility, it is not a sports car at all. It is not due to size or behavior in the cornering area. The car feels big and heavy and the inertia is noticeable, even with the suspension stiffened thanks to Sport + mode. The seats aren't very supportive, though well, I really think they're too big and I'm too skinny to fill them. It is definitely a large and very comfortable car, which allows you to go fast if necessary. It is not a sports car, I think I do not leave anyone amazed by saying it.
If we talk about consumption, we will do it by taking the data with tweezers. The presentations are very short and the driving styles are very variable, so they are not completely accurate data, but we can say that on a highway road trip, driving slowly but at the maximum legal speed of the road, the figure stood at 6.2 liters. Excellent. On a road trip with a totally carefree, lively and inefficient driving, the figures can mark between 8.5 and 9.5 liters. They are good records, but very far from homologation. The press units had very few kilometers and the outside temperatures were low, both negative factors for consumption.
Definitely, in my opinion, the Lexus GS 300h is the perfect rival for the E-segment sedans from Germany and with an access diesel engine. For refinement, price and equipment is a tough rival to crack. For consumption they will be close to each other, the Lexus may spend a little more in extra-urban areas, but surely in urban routes there will be no one to cough it up. We also have much cheaper maintenance and depending on which cities, more benefits than a diesel. Lexus has completed the GS range in the best possible way, with a very rational hybrid.
Further information: Lexus GS 300h test, design, equipment and price
More information about this model
- Plazas 5
- Power 223 - 477 hp
- Consumer goods ---l/100km
- Assessment 4,2