2017 Lexus GS 450h Review

Name: 2017 Lexus GS 450h Review
Brand: Lexus
Price: 23886 USD

Price Estimate: $23,886 - $29,443

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Lexus GS 450h model years

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by Jason Kavanagh

Pros

Excellent fuel economy for a midsize luxury sedan
Comfortable and spacious interior is richly appointed
Still reasonably quick and sporty

Cons

Infotainment interface can frustrate
Substantial cost premium over GS 350
Backseat doesn't fold

What’s new

The 2017 Lexus GS 450h is unchanged aside from the addition of last year's formerly optional collection of driver safety aids (Lexus Safety System+) as standard equipment.

Vehicle overview

There are two major types of hybrids: those that are designed from the ground up exclusively as hybrids and those that are adaptations of conventional cars. Typically, those in the latter group struggle with managing the additional weight of the hybrid components (particularly the large, heavy battery), suffering degradations in ride quality and handling.

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With the GS 450h, Lexus has managed to avoid these common pitfalls. Despite being a hybridized version of a conventional sedan, the GS 450h still rides quite well and handles commendably well. And this isn't some tepid hybrid system either — the GS 450h's elevated fuel economy makes it one of the most fuel-efficient luxury sedans available, and acceleration is still strong. The main downside to this car is the substantial price premium compared to other GS models.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

3.5 / 5

With the 2017 GS 450h, Lexus has enhanced the well-regarded GS sedan's fuel economy without disrupting what makes this luxury sedan appealing in the first place. Buy a GS 450h and you're getting equal helpings of comfort, sophistication and performance.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2014 Lexus GS 450h (3.5L V6; hybrid; CVT automatic).

Scorecard

Overall	3.5 / 5
Driving	3.5
Comfort	4.0
Interior	4.5
Utility	3.0

Driving

3.5

Lexus says the 2017 GS 450h is the quickest GS you can buy, but our tests show it's slightly slower than the standard car. Its handling is intuitive and well balanced, though it lacks the outright grip of F Sport-equipped cars. Still, this is a solid performer with rewarding driving character.

Acceleration

3.0

Acceleration is smooth and uninterrupted with 60 mph arriving in only 6.0 seconds, which is average for a midsize luxury sedan. The GS feels rapid and responsive thanks to abundant torque.

Braking

3.0

Overall braking composure is good, but very savvy drivers will notice that the brake pedal feels a bit inconsistent at low speeds. In our panic-brake test, the GS 450h stopped from 60 mph in 122 feet, which is average for the segment.

Steering

3.0

The Lexus GS 450h goes where you point it for most situations. The steering effort is adjustable, but the feedback is minimal. Overall, the sedan strikes a good balance between everyday usability and available performance in its steering tuning.

Handling

3.0

More capable than it needs to be, the GS 450h will hustle when it's asked but never feels uncomfortable as a result. It offers higher limits than most drivers will explore. Its limits are lower than those of non-hybrid cars in the segment, however.

Drivability

3.5

The GS 450h, because of its abundant torque, is responsive and easy to drive, which is unusual in a CVT-equipped car. It's also very quiet.

Comfort

4.0

A luxury hybrid with sporting intentions isn't a car we'd expect to sacrifice all else in the name of comfort, but the GS 450h does a nice job of splitting the difference. It's amply comfortable when that's what you want.

Seat comfort

3.5

The heated and ventilated front leather seats are a highlight. Comfort is good even after extended driving. Adjustments are abundant but not always intuitive. There's excellent thigh support, though some drivers might find the seat bottoms a bit flat.

Ride comfort

4.5

An active, adaptive variable suspension (part of the optional F Sport package) helps this GS 450h split the difference between sport sedan and proper Lexus. The ride is generally smooth and controlled with little harshness on rough roads in Normal mode. Sport+ mode is stiff.

Noise & vibration

4.5

There's precious little wind noise, even at high speed, just as you'd expect from Lexus. The powertrain is particularly quiet, and electric mode provides near noise-free motoring below about 25 mph.

Interior

4.5

A large, highly functional interior with very good materials and high assembly quality is slightly offset by a unique but awkward infotainment control setup.

Ease of use

3.5

The highlight and downfall of the GS' otherwise-logical interior is the Remote Touch infotainment interface. It's a novel approach, but it's confusing and inconsistent and demands too much attention.

Getting in/getting out

4.0

In traditional Lexus fashion, the GS is built for real people. The doors are wide, the sills are narrow, and the seats are relatively high. It's very easy to get in and out of.

Roominess

4.5

The GS is a big car, and the interior reflects that. Front passengers will enjoy lots of hip-, leg- and headroom as well as shoulder room. The story is the same in the back unless you are very tall.

Visibility

4.5

There's excellent forward visibility thanks to small pillars and minimal blind spots. Front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera take care of the rest. Fantastic high-beam headlights on the open road.

Quality

4.0

Lexus cars are built to a high standard, and the GS 450h is no exception. The interior materials are stunning, and the controls offer precise feel. Body panels are well matched, and gaps are consistent. It's what we expect at this price.

Utility

3.0

The sedan's useful variety of interior storage options is offset by a small trunk and a backseat that doesn't fold down.

Small-item storage

3.5

Has a useful glovebox, two cupholders ahead of the shifter and a medium-sized center console that opens wide. The front door pockets are decent-sized, but they won't hold a water bottle. The rear door pockets are small but will fit a bottle. The rear center armrest has a storage bin and cupholders.

Cargo space

3.0

Because of the hybrid battery pack, the trunk offers just 13.2 cubic feet of space, which isn't much more than what you get from a typical compact sedan. The rear seatbacks don't fold either.

Child safety seat accommodation

3.5

Has two pairs of LATCH anchors at the bottom and three top-tether anchors along the top. Bottom LATCH anchors are tightly recessed between the seat cushions, though. Rear legroom is generous enough for most rear-facing seats to fit, but tall front occupants might still have to scoot up some.

Compare 2017 Lexus GS 450h trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2017 Lexus GS 450h models

The 2017 Lexus GS 450h is available in one well-equipped trim level. Standard features are plentiful, leaving only a handful of options to decide on, chief among them the Mark Levinson premium audio system. Under the hood of the GS 450h is a 3.5-liter V6 mated to a hybridized continuously variable transmission that delivers power to the rear wheels. Bolstered by the battery-fed electric motor, the GS 450h delivers a total output of 338 horsepower, though it's the boost in low-end torque that is most noticeable when, say, driving away from stoplights.

Standard feature highlights include 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, keyless ignition and entry, heated and ventilated power front seats, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, the Remote Touch infotainment interface, a navigation system, voice controls, smartphone app integration, a 12.3-inch display screen and a 12-speaker sound system. A variety of driver safety aids (blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and the Lexus Safety System+ suite of advanced active safety features) are also included.

Notable options include that 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system we recommend plus heated rear seats and the F Sport package, which includes 19-inch wheels, special exterior and interior styling, a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers, enhanced steering (variable gear-ratio and rear-wheel steering) and sport front seats.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$142/mo

$144/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Lexus GS 450h Owner Reviews

4.8

8 reviews

5(75%)

4(25%)

3(0%)

2(0%)

1(0%)

See all 8 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2013 GS450h Update 2Q20

sdgolwn, 01/11/2014

2013 Lexus GS 450h 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Purchased via Lexus' December to Remember event for $15K off sticker, so made purchase much easier. Price for this car is otherwise high for what it is. Black with flaxen seats and lux package for $60K--Because of valuation, was considering 2014 ES300h with Ultra, but this price made the GS450h more palatable. Beautiful car. Good mileage for such a large sedan. Great drive. Traded …

Best New Car I've Ever Owned

Phil W., 05/20/2017

2013 Lexus GS 450h 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

I have a 2013 Lexus GS450h with Luxury Package and Precollision with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and I have to say this is the best car I've ever owned. First of all, I LOVE driving a Hybrid and second, I LOVE the performance on this thing. 340HP and I average just a hair shy of 30MPG. I'm going to take it to Thunder Hill Race Way next month to show off to the Miata and Lotus guys... my …

39 months later and love the car even more

sdgolwn, 10/12/2014

2013 Lexus GS 450h 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Update: 04/2020: I still love and recommend the car. That said, it did suffer its first failure of a passenger door actuator. Having owned several TMC/Lexus products, it is sadly not uncommon. The dealer quoted almost $800, but a local shop did it for $535, using OEM parts. 9/2017 -- Just had 20K service and nothing to report, which is why I love Lexus. 03/17: The car had to have …

Almost 1 year later & still loving it

sdgolwn, 10/19/2014

2013 Lexus GS 450h 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

It will be one year 12/28/14, since buying this car, and I love it. In town averaging 28-29; freeway 34-36--that compares to my Infiniti of 17 city, 23 freeway. The Lexus experience is also so much better than the San Diego Infiniti dealer. I have only 3900 miles at month 10, and one service. SD Lexus has been great. I also experienced zero defects thus far; also, much more than I …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 Lexus GS 450h, so we've included reviews for other years of the GS 450h since its last redesign.

See all 8 reviews of the Lexus GS 450h

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2017 GS 450h Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$63,635
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$142/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	13.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the GS 450h models:

Pre-Collision System: Detects and attempts to avoid front collisions by applying the brakes to assist the driver and reduce the speed of impact.
Lane Departure Alert: Alerts the driver when it detects that the car is deviating close to lane markings.
Intelligent High Beam: Automatically turns the high beams on or off depending on whether it detects oncoming traffic.

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested

2017 Lexus GS 450h Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Vehicle overview

For sale near Cedar Park, TX

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Trim tested

Scorecard

Driving

Acceleration

Braking

Steering

Handling

Drivability

Comfort

Seat comfort

Ride comfort

Noise & vibration

Interior

Ease of use

Getting in/getting out

Roominess

Visibility

Quality

Utility

Small-item storage

Cargo space

Child safety seat accommodation

Which GS 450h does Edmunds recommend?

2017 Lexus GS 450h models

Cost to Drive

Lexus GS 450h Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2013 GS450h Update 2Q20

Best New Car I've Ever Owned

39 months later and love the car even more

Almost 1 year later & still loving it

2017 GS 450h Highlights

Safety

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