The Lexus LS hybrid was much anticipated on the market, unfortunately it seems overall to be a disappointment. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about new hybrid offerings. With gas prices rising as rapidly as they are, fuel economy and miles per gallon are major concerns of the American Automobile consumer. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to strike a balance between the efficiency and environmental friendliness of a hybrid car, and the large powerful cars that up until recent years Americans have loved to buy.
The Lexus flagships of luxury sedans are always spacious, incredibly comfortable, and stylish. And the LS 600h is no exception. The long list of features and comfort items that the LS 600h comes with seems like it will never end, offering everything from radar-guided cruise control, self-parking, and a highly detailed but very intuitive to control console. Where the 600h falls flat isn’t in luxury, but in performance. Its competition tends to put powerful V12 engines in their sedans, and Lexus placed the most powerful V8 engine available on the market, and combined it with a Hybrid synergy drive, hoping to give the same performance as the V12, but at much better gas mileage.
Unfortunately, the addition of hybrid components adds a fairly considerable weight to the Lexus’s already hefty build. The increased weight of the engine and corresponding energy it takes to get the car moving, means that despite the increase in horsepower, the acceleration and performance is only about on par with the LS 460. And even though the fuel economy is 4 miles per gallon better in city driving, its gas mileage on the highway where you try to get the bulk up to high speed is actually /worse/. A lovely idea, and a beautiful car, but ultimately a disappointment in the hybrid market.
