The Discontinued Lexus Hybrid That Gave BMW And Mercedes A Run For Their Cash

When in search of a luxurious hybrid, your selection was just about going to be a Lexus. Positive, the Germans, significantly BMW, are providing a broad vary of plug-in hybrids in the US, however for those who don’t wish to be bothered by charging or any of these issues, then Lexus is your solely selection for a standard hybrid luxurious sedan.

Not less than till just lately, Lexus wasn’t a model you’d go to for those who had been in search of a sporty driving expertise. Positive, they’ll make one just like the LFA, IS F, and RC F, however for probably the most half, choices from BMW or Mercedes usually have sportier dealing with than Lexus. The issue is, their regular hybrids on the time had been removed from as compelling as what Lexus makes.

However do you know that Lexus made a sporty hybrid that almost went toe-to-toe with the driving dynamics of the Germans? Sadly, that had been discontinued just some years in the past, however when it was nonetheless on sale, it was truly one among my dream automobiles. Let me inform you the story of the Lexus hybrid luxurious sports activities sedan that might, however was overshadowed by the extra pedestrian ES.

So as to provide the latest and correct info doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from varied producer web sites and different authoritative sources, together with Lexus and Edmunds.

Hope You Bear in mind The Lexus GS

The Lexus hybrid sports activities sedan I’m referring to is the GS 450h. When it was nonetheless on sale earlier than its 2018 discontinuation, the GS had all the proper components to be a BMW 5 Sequence or Mercedes E-Class competitor with regards to driving dynamics.

RWD Electrified Goodness

Using on a rear-wheel drive (RWD) platform that was shared with the Japan-only Toyota Crown on the time, the GS continued its status of being the sportier and barely extra premium sibling of the Lexus ES. The GS 450h lasted for 2 generations, starting in 2006 for the third-generation GS and in 2011 for the fourth-generation mannequin.

Each generations of the GS 450h got here in a typical taste—a 3.5-liter V-6 and an electrical motor that sends its energy to the rear wheels through a planetary gear e-CVT. The engine, which is named the 2GR-FXE, is a really dependable motor that gives nice energy and smoothness. It’s a spinoff of the 2GR-FSE that had each direct and port injection, however tailored with the Atkinson cycle for hybrid use. The result’s an environment friendly but highly effective series-parallel system versus the parallel hybrid techniques that the Germans had been doing on the time. Although marketed as hybrids, what the Germans did was merely 48-volt delicate hybrids at finest, which is why the gasoline effectivity advantages of the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 and Mercedes E-Class Hybrid had been very minimal.

Right here’s Why It Was Discontinued

Sadly, although the Lexus GS was extra premium and sportier than the ES, Lexus pulled the plug on the GS Hybrid for the North American market in 2018, whereas the GS lineup generally ceased manufacturing in 2020. Based mostly on the timing, you could possibly blame the COVID-19 pandemic, however in actuality, GS gross sales main as much as these years had been already declining. The COVID-19 pandemic merely diminished its gross sales to a degree the place producing such a small quantity of the GS doesn’t make financial sense anymore.

Additionally, you’re most likely conscious that the world merely loves SUVs and crossovers an excessive amount of. Having two midsize luxurious sedans in your lineup in a world the place sedan gross sales are in a sluggish decline spreads the shopping for demographic too thinly throughout these two fashions. With the ES far outselling the GS, mixed with the truth that the ES is sharing the ever present TNGA-Okay platform with a variety of Toyota and Lexus fashions, economics had been in favor of the extra humble front-wheel drive (FWD) luxurious sedan. Lastly, the ES is the extra sensible automobile, solely attributable to its extra spacious rear seats versus the GS. Anybody who has sat at the back of the Lexus GS, together with myself, will certainly agree that it has one of many smallest rear seat areas in any midsize sedan, no due to its giant and obtrusive driveshaft tunnel.

Let’s Discuss About The Elegant S190 Technology

As talked about, the Lexus GS 450h lasted for 2 generations, which started with the third-generation GS that obtained the S190 era code. To know how the GS 450h developed, we’ve got to take a look at the primary mannequin that got here with this variant.

The Flagbearer Of L-Finesse

The third-generation S190 Lexus GS was the primary mannequin to put on the model’s L-Finesse styling. The GS got here with a curvaceous fastback-like silhouette that was coupled with elegant traces and sporty proportions. The GS additionally had a definite entrance fascia, through which the xenon HID headlights characteristic a quad-lens design that helped it stand out on the street. Additionally, with the GS 450h, being the head of the GS vary, it obtained a nicer grille sample and extra elegant wheels.

Likewise, the inside of this era of the GS seems very luxurious and well-trimmed. This was an period when Lexus liked utilizing a ton of wooden trims for its inside, and now in 2025, it’s one thing that I want would make a comeback. Likewise, the leather-based used was supple and plush, but hard-wearing and stood the take a look at of time. Due to it being not too flashy by way of tech, the GS as we speak seems analog but fashionable sufficient that it’s a car that can stay timeless even within the years to come back.

How A lot It Prices In the present day

Should you’re eager on buying a GS 450h for your self, the S190 era ended manufacturing in 2010. Based on Edmunds, the typical resale of a GS 450h ranges from $2,465 to $5,846, relying on the situation and the place you obtain the car. Older mannequin years of the GS 450h will understandably have decrease resale values, and due to this fact shall be extra inexpensive as properly. The facelift for the S190 GS 450h was launched in 2007, so simply be aware of that for those who’re aiming for a GS with its improved design and inside tech.

The Sporty L10 Technology

However arguably the head of the GS occurred in 2011-2020 when the fourth era L10 mannequin was launched. That is lastly the GS that Lexus engineers and builders had envisioned for its sporty RWD hybrid.

Akio Toyoda’s Sporty Flagbearer

Bear in mind when Akio Toyoda got here into the image in 2009 and eventually led the corporate? Whereas the event of the GS started in 2007, the L10 GS was supposed by Akio Toyoda to be the car that may deliver again ardour to the Lexus model. Led by the LFA’s beginning, the GS is the primary Lexus to make the most of the developed L-Finesse design language. That is characterised by Lexus’ first use of the now-familiar Spindle Grille, and that is complemented by sharp character traces and the introduction of a number of L-shaped lighting parts. That is additionally the primary GS to obtain the F Sport therapy. A facelift was launched for the 2016 mannequin 12 months, and this solely made a really sporty Lexus even sportier.

That very same ardour for sportiness was inherited inside. Personally, that is what I believe is the perfect period of the GS, as its design was each sporty and but very luxurious. The horizontal sprint design is an entire rewrite of what we’re already acquainted with Lexus interiors. Sadly, this was additionally the beginning of the complicated Lexus Distant Contact infotainment, however aside from that, the cabin tech wasn’t overwhelming, and that is lastly the period when Lexus interiors had buttons and switches that weren’t merely reskins of what we see in mass-market Toyotas. Lastly, the GS 450h can be had in both F Sport or the Luxurious trim. The previous has a sporty theme dominated by aluminum silver trims, whereas the latter permits you to configure the inside with beautiful bamboo inside trims.

How A lot It Prices And How It Drives

The GS 450h ended manufacturing for the US in 2018 attributable to dwindling gross sales. The GS 350, nonetheless, remained on sale till its international discontinuation in 2020. Based on Edmunds, a 2018 GS 450h has a mean resale worth of $24,534 to $33,889, relying on the situation and the place you obtain it from. The GS 450h on this L10 era first got here out in 2013, and Edmunds says you may get one for $4,715 to $9,117. These costs are barely larger than the Lexus ES at comparable mannequin years, partly attributable to its sportier orientation, however principally attributable to being rarer. It’s additionally helped by the truth that these automobiles are extraordinarily dependable.

Now, when the L10 Lexus GS got here out, it instantly grew to become one among my dream automobiles. I favored it much more than what the Germans had been placing out on the time. Lastly, after I received to drive a GS 350 that the household of a faculty pal purchased, my excessive expectations had been met. Okay, so the F10 5 Sequence nonetheless had a slight dealing with edge, however the truth of the matter is, the GS was lastly competing head-to-head from a dynamics perspective with a BMW. On the identical time, this wasn’t on the expense of Lexus’ core values of consolation and, in fact, bulletproof reliability. That’s maybe one of many causes my faculty pal doesn’t wish to let go of his, and why GS used costs generally are very resilient. Are individuals now realizing how nice a sports activities sedan the GS truly is? Let’s hope that’s a robust case for Lexus to proceed making RWD sports activities sedans within the coming years.