Lexus hybrid derivative offers plush ride, but is no sipper
LOCAL LAUNCH
Hybrid cars are about as popular as spinachflavoured ice cream in SA, where diesel still rules supreme as the fuel-sipping choice for motorists wanting to save money on travel costs.
The backlash against diesels overseas in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal hasn’t trickled down to SA where diesel sales are still very strong. Nevertheless, Lexus is pushing the hybrid agenda with petrol-electric versions of its ES sedan and NX and RX sports utility vehicles in the local line-up.
Now Toyota’s premium cousin has introduced a hybrid derivative of the six-year old Lexus IS sedan, which is due for replacement in 2020.
Wearing the trademark blue badge denoting a Lexus hybrid, it’s called the IS 300h and combines a 2.5l petrol four-cylinder engine with a 105kW electric motor, directing drive to the rear wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The petrol engine runs on an Atkinson cycle which is said to use less fuel than the more commonly-used Otto cycle and, in concert with an electric motor which takes on some of the power duties, the car’s selling point is that it reputedly runs on the smell of a fuel rag. Its claimed fuel consumption is just 5l/100km on a combined urban/freeway cycle. I didn’t get anywhere close to that kind of thriftiness at the car’s media launch drive in Joburg last week however, with the trip computer showing 10.2l/100km. That’ sa lot thirstier than a similarlypowered diesel vehicle.
The driving route was admittedly all in stop-start urban traffic, but it’s still hard to imagine being able to cut that fuel consumption by half, down to what the factory claims.
The short drive revealed the IS 300h to be adequately powered, with the petrol engine packing outputs of 133kW and 221Nm, while there’s a maximum 164kW on call with the petrol and electric units working in cahoots. Lexus quotes a decent 0-100 km/h sprint of 8.5sec, with a 200km/h governed top speed.
As with all Lexus self-charging hybrids, the IS 300h can be driven in petrol-electric, or pure electric modes at slower traffic speeds. During regenerative braking, the electric motor serves as a high-output generator, recovering kinetic energy as electricity to charge the hybrid system battery.
It’s a very refined drive, with almost imperceptible shifts between the petrol and electric modes. Along with an EV mode that can run the car for short distances on electric power alone, there are Eco and Power settings to vary the drive delivery from lazy to more alive. None of these modes fix the unpleasant slipping-clutch effect of the CVT, but the driver can use the steering wheel gear paddles for a manual shift feel.
The best thing about the car is its cushy ride quality. It’s a class act in the calm and unflustered way it glides over ripples and speed humps.
The plush ride is despite the vehicle being fitted with stiffened-sidewall runflat tyres to compensate for there being no spare wheel; the boot is the same size as a regular IS but its underfloor is occupied by the rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries that feed the electric motor.
The refreshed three-derivative IS line-up now comprises the IS 300 EX with a 2l turbo motor, the IS 350 F Sport wielding a 3.5l V6, and the new IS 300h SE.
A spec upgrade sees the 200h and F Sport gaining the Lexus Safety System+ which introduces driving safety aids such as a blind spot monitor. IS 300 EX R715,400 IS 300h SE R753,800 IS 350 F Sport R806,400
All Lexus models carry a seven-year/105,000km warranty and maintenance plan, and hybrid models have an eightyear battery warranty.