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Lexus GS 450h MPG-Real World Numbers

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What is this discussion about? Lexus GS 450h, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Sedan

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#57 of 86 New Owner by tricky73 May 10, 2007 (3:05 pm)
I purchased a GS 450h about 3 weeks ago; I have approximately 400 miles on the odometer. This vehicle replaces a LS 460L which I did not like. It suffered with reliability problems and poor dealer support. So far I am quite pleased with the replacement; it has the safety features of the larger car, plus some. The size is much to my liking and feel quite at home behind the wheel.   We live in a small community in Southern California wherein 95% of the intersections are controlled by either 3, or 4-way stops. As best I can recall, we have only 3 traffic lights in the residential area. Mileage to date appears headed for 20-21mpg, since most trips are within our town. For comparison, the 460 got 12-14, a 430 prior to that got about the same, and an '05 330 would record about 15-16 mpg. Considering that the 450 weighs about the same as the 430 I am pleased to see a 40-50% improvement. I have always alternated between 87 and 91 octane fuel in my other cars and have not experienced any pinging although my hearing is not the greatest...my 79th birthday is coming next week.   Perhaps Lexus people were just telling me what I wanted to hear when shopping to trade the 460, but consensus of several personnel was that the 450 is their favorite model among the current designs for my needs. So far I would tend to agree, since I have owned 3 other recent vintage sedans, and actually look forward to driving the 450 every day, even though the trips are not lengthy.   I hope this will encourage others to pickup on this thread and fill in with more of their actual experiences.
#58 of 86 When to brake hard and when not to by bmwconvert May 11, 2007 (9:12 am)
Some tips which others may have figured out already: At a stop light, press down hard on the brake. If you press lightly, the electric motor will drain battery power trying to push the car forward against the brakes. The computer controlled throttle is smart enough to cut off the forward push of the engine if you apply more pressure on the brake pedal.   I've found that a very light touch on the brake when coasting to a stop light is a great way to generate some extra juice for the batteries. If you coast without the brake then apply pressure harder to stop the car, it doesn't appear that you generate as much energy, because the brake pads kick in.   My MPG's are rising from my winter season lows of 20-21 back into the 22-24 range for the same mixed driving.
#59 of 86 First Problem by tricky73 May 12, 2007 (3:21 pm)
In trying to learn how to create an MP3 CD I must have drained the 12V battery...my fault. Stange things happened...the headlights worked normally but could not get a "Ready" light; dash lights flickered repeatedly. There was also an error message relating to the VGRS (power steering). I called Lexus roadside service and by the time I returned to the car things were back to normal. I probably had the ignition on for 40-45 minutes (on double click) which was too much.   Was really enjoying the CD I created with compressed files...seems to have much the same visual display information that was on the 460 ML re album, artist, etc...great quality! Creating the CD was certainly faster than loading the 460 ML hard drive. I used WMA format rather than MP3 and it worked just fine. Just remember to finalize the disc before ejecting it from your optical drive.   Thanks for the braking tip...this should get it close to the 460 hill holder which I did like as a new feature on that car.
#60 of 86 lifetime mpg by idele Jul 07, 2007 (2:25 am)
I am closing in on 8000 miles. Lifetime mpg is currently 28.1 mpg. Recent tank averages have been above that so it may eventually creep up. Replies to this message: bmwconvert (Jul 09, 2007 9:20 am) idele (Jul 10, 2007 5:09 am) tricky73 (Jul 21, 2007 5:19 am) idele (Sep 10, 2007 6:16 pm) tricky73 (Sep 20, 2007 2:54 pm) idele (Sep 20, 2007 5:09 pm) and 3 more...
#61 of 86 Re: lifetime mpg [idele] by bmwconvert Jul 09, 2007 (9:20 am)
Replying to: idele (Jul 07, 2007 2:25 am) That's impressive. I'd be interested in hearing about where you drive, driving style, mix, etc. My 2007 450h now has about 15,000 miles on it. I live in the NY metro area and drive a mix of 70/30 around town to highway (little driving in NYC itself though). The number that appears most often for me is 23.8 mpg in the spring, summer and fall, and about 2 mpg lower during the winter. I tend to drive fast, but not aggressively on the accelerator, and go out of my way to recapture battery charge. My best ever 200+ mile recording was 30.3 mpg, on a roundtrip from my home to the Catskill mountains and back. It was mostly highway driving at 65-75 mph. I haven't been able to replicate the higher averages that others on this board have been posting. Not sure what else I can do regarding efficiency, and I don't think there's anything wrong with my vehicle. I'm reasonably happy with the results. In short, love the hybrid powertrain and range between OK to liking the car itself. Replies to this message: idele (Jul 10, 2007 5:09 am) tricky73 (Jul 21, 2007 5:19 am)
#62 of 86 Re: lifetime mpg [bmwconvert] by idele Jul 10, 2007 (5:09 am)
Replying to: bmwconvert (Jul 09, 2007 9:20 am) I do more highway driving and usually take a faster if somewhat longer route if reasonable. I also try to get to about 60mph quickly to get the reduction to cruising gear but not at the price of accelerating uphill. Once it's set it stays until just below 40mph. Weather counts and cold weather mileage is lower as you've noted. Even if you don't change your driving style the gas mileage is still significantly better given the performance. The GS450h uses the GS structure so the battery pack is fitted in the trunk space. The Prius designed ab initio as a hybrid uses space better, I hope that Lexus designs a GS class hybrid directly. However advances in the battery packs are ongoing and I expect the 2009 models will be better. Replies to this message: tricky73 (Jul 21, 2007 5:19 am)
#63 of 86 Re: lifetime mpg [idele] by tricky73 Jul 21, 2007 (5:19 am)
Replying to: idele (Jul 10, 2007 5:09 am) I have just passed the 1000 mile mark and find my mpg is approximately 50% better than the previous LS 4XX models for the same driving route. Also note the 450 weighs about 200-300# more than the LS 430 and the heft is almost identical to the 460L I dumped. Even compared with an '05 ES 330 the hybrid does 30% better. To date I have used 87 octane fuel exclusively with no obvious penalty; I do not demand advertised performance characteristics.   I think my experience is reliable since my driving route and habits do not change over the years.
#64 of 86 my mileage by dulnev Jul 24, 2007 (9:34 am)
I now have over 6,000 miles on the car. The first few months after I bought it were winter months, and I was getting about 23 mpg driving it very hard (about 60% highway/40% suburban). Now I'm getting 25-26.5 mpg in the same mix.
#65 of 86 GS450h holds up well in 1 year Euro fleet test by larsb Jul 26, 2007 (5:29 am)
After 12 months, this car review shows 26.6 MPG (US)   The good news is that it’s met the challenge admirably. Although we originally criticised the car for its cramped boot, I have since found that with careful packing it can take the prams, changing bags and spare clothes that quickly become part and parcel of every journey out with a small child.   And just to prove that you can do your bit for the environment with a large vehicle such as this, the Lexus’ fuel economy has improved, too. The car regularly returns 32mpg – a real step up from the original 28mpg we recorded when it was new.   The time I have spent on my long daily trip into central London has also given me the opportunity to really get to know some of the GS’s hi-tech toys – and the long standard kit tally means there are plenty of them. The reversing camera is brilliant, as is the Bluetooth phone system, although I have to admit to rarely using the voice-activated control for devices such as the stereo or satellite navigation.
#66 of 86 12V Battery by tricky73 Aug 04, 2007 (8:51 pm)
Anybody else have experience with "short life" from the 12V battery? I apparently left the power switch in the IG-ON position yesterday while I went shopping. Returned in about 40 minutes and tried opening the windows and S/R using the remote...nothing happened. Opened the car and was able to open the roof but the windows would not open and could not get the "Ready" light. Called Lexus Link and they advised some things which did not work and arranged to send a tow truck to help out. Tried it again after 20-30 minutes and it fired up normally. A similar thing happened just after I got the car when I played the radio for 30-45 minutes. It seems mine does not have much staying power...anybody else experience anything like this? How does a battery rejuvinate itself after resting a bit?

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