2014 Lexus GS 450h Hybrid Review and Road Test
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- The GS used to be the only hybrid game in town, but times have changed and nearly everyone has joined the party. BMW has their turbocharged ActiveHybrid 5, Mercedes just launched the E400 Hybrid, Infiniti has re-badged their M Hybrid the Q70 Hybrid, Acura is finally selling the all-wheel-drive RLX Hybrid and Audi has announced the A6 hybrid will come to America "soon." This means that the S80 T6 and Genesis are no longer on my list because we have head-to-head competition now.
Lexus used to be known for restrained styling but the current generation GS marked a change for the Japanese luxury brand. In addition to taking on more aggressive front end styling, the GS was the first Lexus to wear the new "spindle" grille. The schnozz that seemed so controversial three years ago seems downright demure today, especially since this form has been adapted to the enormous (and some say questionable) LX 470. Perhaps because the GS was the first to wear the corporate grille, the styling seems slightly awkward from the front 3/4 shot (seen at the top) but looks better in person. Unlike the IS, which gets some sheetmetal swooshes on the side, the GS's profile and rump are luxury car restrained. Overall I think the Infiniti Q70 hybrid, despite being a little long in the tooth, still wins the beauty contest. The Lexus and BMW are a bit too sedate for my tastes, and the RLX and A6 suffer from decidedly front-wheel-drive proportions when compared to the rest and the Mercedes lands smack in the middle.
While the GS 350 recently got an update in the form of a new Aisin 8-speed automatic, the GS 450h continues with just a minor software update. This means under the hood you will find the same direct-injection 3.5L Atkinson-cycle V6 engine and RWD hybrid transmission that launched in 2011. Combined with a 1.9 kWh NiMH battery pack in the trunk the system is good for 338 combined horsepower, 286 of which come from the gasoline engine. This is essentially the same engine found in the Highlander and RX hybrids, but the transmission is more similar to what Lexus uses in the LS 600hL. The unit combines the two motor/generator units with a 2-speed planetary gearset to improve efficiency at high speeds (as in on the Autobahn) but without the AWD system standard in the LS 600hL. The 2014 software update improves "sportiness" in sport mode and now imitates an 8-speed automatic instead of a 6-speed. While 338 horsepower compares well with the 6-cylinder competition, the GS 450h has the unenviable task of trying to be both the most efficient GS and the performance version as well. For reasons nobody knows, the more efficient GS 300h which uses a 2.5L four-cylinder engine is not sold in America.
By design, the Lexus hybrid system is very different from the competition. The two motor/generator units and the electrical circuitry combine with a single planetary gearsest to "act" as a continuously variable transmission. This setup allows the drivetrain to act as a serial hybrid (kind of), parallel hybrid, electric generator, or a pure EV at low speeds. In contrast Mercedes, BMW and Infiniti combine a traditional transmission with a single electric motor that replaces the torque converter. Transitions between electric and gasoline drive modes in these systems aren't as smooth as the Lexus system because of the clutch packs involved in reconnecting the engine. Meanwhile Acura combines a dual-clutch robotic manual transmission with a twin-motor pack in the rear for the only AWD hybrid luxury sedan in this category.
Of course the primary reason for buying a hybrid is to save on gas. Right? Maybe. With a 29 MPG City, 34 MPG Highway and 31 MPG combined rating there's no doubt that the GS 450h is a fuel sipping 338 horsepower luxury sedan. However at more than $10,000 more expensive than a similarly equipped GS 350 it would take you more than 20 years to "save money." We did average an excellent 31.5 MPG over 800 miles with the GS hybrid, a notable improvement over the Infiniti hybrid and the short time I spent in the RLX hybrid. Although we haven't extensively tested the BMW and Mercedes hybrids yet, brief spins in both indicate they will slot in under the GS. There's one more problem for the GS: Mercedes' new E250 diesel. No, it's not a speed daemon, but at 34 mpg combined it not only makes up for the higher cost of diesel with the higher fuel economy, it starts around $9,000 less than a GS 450h as well.
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Me, in 2020 hearing that people complained that this spindle grille was so huge 😂😂😂😅
Me in 2023 not minding the 2020 grille any more 😂😂😂😂😂
Bmw m3 is terrible now
It feels like all the great car designers retired because every car manufacturer is putting out uglier and uglier cars as time keeps going by😂.
The Picture in Picture display during the Test Drive is VASTLY Superior to forcing us to look at a Man's face like all the other Reviewers do ! That is Great thinking on your part Alex ! Thank you !
Looking at this in 2020 right out of college has me wanting a fully loaded loaded GS 450H
did you get it?
Getting myself one, can't wait to drive it
That's exactly what I did in 2019, bought the 450H president line. And I am still driving it. Absolutely the best car I've ever had.
You're the only one who tested the gs and sat in the rear middle seat. Gotta give you a like for testing that.
i find the bamboo panel very beautiful. it is also more environmentally friendly than wood or plastic.
This is the best video review of this car I have seen, and I have watched quite a few so far. I'm considering getting the GS300h hybrid here in London, UK as it has more than enough power for our roads and is economical not just with fuel economy but we get charged very little road tax on hybrids and also on low CO2 cars. I'm also looking at the hybrid S-class, but someone says the engines don't sound very nice, they aren't powerful enough and also Mercedes seems to nickel and dime customers. Thank you for sharing.
By nickel-and-diming, he means, five hundred and $1,000 a whack repairs.
If Alex didn't like THIS grille he was in for a rude awakening 2 years later.
Right ! This Grille is very classy.... The 2016 Grille looks Terrible !
@@makoshark69x96 I always liked this Grill but the new one took time to grow on me.
Quality Car, among the smoothest and quietest in its class.
Great video, very detail appreciate your information, considering purchasing the GS 450H
i own this car, it is one of the best hybrids on the market. Great review, and it is very accurate.. ( on another note, I had a ES300h before this car and the brakes feel the same, not sure what you meant in your video.)
Which one did you prefer?
Cant wait! I love that u r waiting for perfection for your driving shots
I don't know if I would call it perfection per se. More abject failure in setting up a decent shot by myself.
as a part time kidnapper I appreciate the inclusion of the trunk comfort score
It’s so hard to find this one in the U.S.
Alexey ikr! Cant find one! Im looking for one at the end of the year.
Just buy a gas model it still gets good fuel economy and you won’t have to service nor replace an expensive battery plus it’ll be lighter and nimbler.. if you don’t care about performance just get the ES Hybrid there are so many of those out there
Some technologies demand that you pay a price. Twin turbos stress an engine. You won't be saying it runs the same after 250,000 miles as it did new, like you will with this car if it has twin turbos. that's why Toyota does what it does I sold all the luxury cars over 40 years. When I worked for Cadillac we assumed they designed it to take care of the initial lease owner during warranty and send you running back to service immediately after to keep the money flowing in. Same with the German cars. Acura is not a bad car but it's definitely, no Lexus. To me the RLX has a hideous dashboard, I wouldn't want to be looking at that for very long. Oh the stories I could tell from the inside of German dealerships would drive their customers insane. Even Porsche and Audi, brand new, some things kept hush-hush such as oil pump failures and whole engines being replaced after their maiden voyage. My conscience drove me to give a full disclosure such as telling those interested in a used German car, (which is where the real money was for a salesperson), I would tell them if you can't afford a new one under factory warranty you certainly can't afford a used one. Every used German car sold, I included an aftermarket extended warranty. Our used cars were all put through the service department where they recondition them and tried to give us a good car to sell. A week after I had sold a Passat just out of factory warranty, I saw my customer looking very sad at our service department so I didn't ignore him, I asked him what was wrong, he said there were five new problems that surfaced suddenly, all non-related so he would have to pay 5 deductibles at once. I remembered new German cars going out on test drives that had to be towed back in, no sale! I remember employees in service and parts shaking their heads laughing at how the parts that cost hundreds of dollars to customers obviously cost pennies or a couple bucks to manufacture. So with West Coast gas prices, yet wanting a car that in proper hands, 93 octane , ac off, ect. can do zero to sixty in 5.2 seconds and sometimes get 40 miles per gallon, I drive a Riviera red GS450h with chrome wheels. I found it in Dallas and drove it back to Seattle. So very satisfied, I never cared for high-maintenance women or cars, I think this is going to be a long relationship. PS Once I told our head mechanic at a Jaguar dealership I was thinking of getting one and he asked me if I had a guest house for him.
0-60 5,6sec not 6
excellent car.
That was a great review.
Great review! Very informative! You have a new fan!
Alex. you mentioned a snow button what does that do? does it mean that this car can drive normal in snow?
The snow button in most cars causes the transmission to start in 2nd, in hybrids like this it just dulls the throttle to help reduce wheel spin.
thanks you Alex for making clear what the snow button does.
I find it very annoying that this car does not gave physical radio controls. I must rely on mouse like control.
There are two knobs. That controls the volume & radio stations.
RLX SH seems to offer the most for the money in this segment.
Seats aren’t very comfortable
Beautiful car. I got hit by one 6months ago on my motorcycle... It was very serious...
Hopefully that doesn’t deter you from buying one.
In the UK this car without hybrid is compared with bmw 5 series and Merc E class
Hello! I am a big fan of your videos. I am trying to find your opinion on something. What car do you think is offering the softest ride for someoane like me who suffers from a bad back: GS 450h or RX 450h? (I can only afford 2014-201). Thank you!
cristian dragan lexus es is better. Very soft and comfortable.
Where's the footage of you on the racetrack? Bonus video?:)
I sadly wasn't allowed to put cameras on the car (track safety rules).
Hi Alex, can you please give some insight on suspension stiffness difference between Acura RLX and Lexus GS?
Ideally, I would want soft suspension like Avalon or Impala.
They are fairly equal. If you want something softer you could look at the Lexus LS, Kia Cadenza, Buick LaCrosse.
can you describe the driving conditions on your week long test drive?
What specifically are you looking for? The usual daily route is: mountain highway from 1,100ft to 2,200ft over a pass, then down to sea level. City traffic for 10 miles followed by 10 miles of stop-and-go traffic followed by 20 miles of high speed mountain highway (75 MPH) where the terrain is best described as "rolling hills." Then 2 miles of city traffic. The return trip is a mirror image. This typically ends up matching the EPA combined score for most cars.
Any plans of giving the new wrx a spin? Real curious about the cvt
I hope so, but Subaru hasn't responded to my initial requests...
@@AAutoBuyersGuide lol they know no one who knows about cars will like it vs. a manual ;)
Why doesn't Toyota/Lexus have a 3.0l high powered diesel with like 260-300 hp and 580 - 680 NM of torque?
I'd buy a Lexus with such an engine without a second thought.
That might be hard to get approved for environmental regulations.
@@fmartin59 very true
Toyota never really made a diesel suitable for passenger cars
@@bvedant in Europe they made lots. We love our diesels.
This car has pre-collision system (PCS). I have not been able to get a straight answer...does the PCS autonomously stop the car in the event of a collision? Or, does it slow the car to lessen the collision speed?
Tony V PCS is usually a seat belt tensioner
Some owner said PCS will break for you.
+Alex on autos My question is which Japanese luxury car would u recommend Lexus GS, Acura RLX & Infiniti Q 70 all fully loaded to get my moneys worth.....??? Quality,Reliability, Luxury?
Oddly enough I like the Q70 despite being the oldest in the bunch.
11:05 I could use that extra space...
+Alex on autos... Thank you Alex I have to agree with u that the Infiniti Q70 & 70L r beautiful car in & out was my first....! But I would of liked to get a Acura RLX, but no exhaust pipes. That was a deal breaker pretty much...!!
And this is supposed to be our crown 😑😑😑😞
Not really the Crown is its own thing and would compete more with the LS.
@@MitsuUltra dude the LS shares the same N platform lmfao... feature-wise the LS is absolutely closer to the Crown
@@MitsuUltra I think it's you who needs to fact-check that simple piece of info.... NOOOB HURRRRR 🤣🤦🏽♂️
@@MitsuUltra also really hashtags? what is this 2012?
@@bvedant dude this convo is over. Move on...
Compare hybrid cars with hybrid cars, not hybrid cars with turbo cars. The direct competitor of BMW 3 series is Lexus IS, but you frequently compared BMW 3 series with Lexus GS.
3 series to GS is even a worse comparison...
Alex is a cool dude, and he knows what he is talking about. I guess he was either drunk or had a bad day to get most of his facts wrong this time.
I would gladly pick the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid over this car any day.
The RLX was a flop.
@@bvedant Nope. Owners love it. The new TLX type S is taking its place. There was no point of having anothe full size sedan.
@@nevessl998 that doesn’t change the fact that it was a flop. I hear multiple complaints about the seat comfort for something much north of $50k.
Pretty much every luxury car in this category was a flop after 2014. Luxury sedan sales were going down and folks were switching to SUVs and trucks instead.
Is this car really slower than the Infinity and BMW 0-60 MPH?
No
why the hell are they comparing and hybrid to turbo performance cars? That absolutely makes no sense.
Because Lexus likes to compare them. The claim is that the GS 450h is a hybrid system designed to enhance performance first, fuel economy second.
Oh ok
he was saying demure in 2014 hahaha
This GS looks bland in comparison to the other cars in their lineup. I know the next GS will definitely be something to talk about.
The gs already looks dated. :(
Gee, why would you pay for this car when thers Hyundai Genesis with 5 Litre V8 @ 420 horsepowers for almost same price... lol ;)
3DFX compare both car mpg/specs dude.. not ever car has to do the same shit this lexus gs 450h saves gas way better while still having lots of horse power to enjoy some aspect of "sporty" not to mention Lexus are reliable asf!
Vi Riot agreed. Typical car ignorant. Comparing korean cars to a lexus is disrespectful to lexus.
These are always in high demand and short supply 😌
Maybe is time Alex do 3-5 car reviews to see how they held on over the years. The GS450H is a legend in its own right and an underdog that did not disappoint
Yes, the front end with spindle grille should be like this. The bigger grille is still better than the Audi's grille but this is a better more refined and elegant design.
😅
Ps still waiting on driving shots
I know, I have been unhappy with what I've come up with so far so I haven't used any of them. It's still a work in progress.
Don't understand why Lexus not turbo charge the GS450H. Beauty and the beast in one??!!