Lexus LS 600h L
MSRP: $110,000
Estimated MPG: 20 city / 22 highway
Class: Full-size sedan
The Lexus LS 600h L proves without a doubt that there is a market for hybrids priced above the $100,000 mark. This ultra-luxury sedan not only swaddles driver and occupants in one of the most comfortable and opulent passenger cabins ever conceived, but it also delivers reasonable fuel economy and much lower emissions than other comparably-sized cars.
To be sure, the gasoline / electric hybrid system installed in the Lexus LS 600h L is tilted more towards the performance side of the equation rather than focusing on strict fuel economy. An electric motor is teamed up with a 5.0 liter V8 engine in order to produce a total of 438 horsepower, thanks in part to variable-valve timing and direct port fuel injection. A continuously-variable automatic transmission (one which features intriguing special modes to help drivers cope with such things as snowy roads) and all-wheel drive help to make the LS one of the smoothest hybrid rides out there. Fuel mileage is rated at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway – interestingly, almost identical to the Silverado pickup – but those aren’t the only figures that should impress connoisseurs of top-end sedans. The LS 600h L launches to 60 miles per hour in a rocket-like 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 130 miles per hour, enabling it to keep pace with almost every other vehicle in its class.
For the 2010 model year, the LS 600h L received a styling upgrade as well as new options packages. The new edition continues along the same themes. It is hard to overstate the amenities provided by the Lexus in terms of features and technologies. Four zones of individual climate control, reclining rear seats, DVD entertainment screens and even a fridge are on hand to keep passengers happy, while voice-activated navigation helps to make sure that the vehicle always stays on the right track. The LS is also one of the safest hybrids ever built, thanks to a pre-collision detection system that primes all of the sedan’s airbags and seatbelts in order to mitigate the effects of an imminent impact. With far too many options to list, the 600h L is one of the most advanced vehicles ever to have been built, hybrid or not.
