Lexus GS450h SE-L

To be perfectly honest, fashion and I have never really appeared particularly comfortable together - but even I know that, when it comes to trends in motoring, green is the new black. Which is why I have allowed myself to feel vaguely cool driving around in an executive Lexus.

Ordinarily, the firm's GS would struggle to turn heads even if it was painted luminous orange. Yet fitted with an environmentally friendly petrol-electric hybrid powerplant, the new GS450h gets a welcome shot of desirability and credibility, thanks to its strong green aura. As a result, the big Lexus has wasted no time in acquiring some high-profile fans. But do the futuristic mechanicals really live up to their billing? That's what we aim to find out over the next year.

There's no doubt that the technology works, and there are serious cost advantages beyond a promised increase in fuel economy. For company car drivers, the GS450h is one of the most tax-efficient models in its class, while motorists in central London will find their vehicle exempt from the controversial £8-per-day congestion charge.

This makes the Lexus perfect for my daily commute to Auto Express's West End HQ. The electric and petrol motors work in perfect harmony, propelling the 1,930kg car through city jams and out on to the motorway with a minimum of fuss.

Refinement is remarkable, particularly in heavy traffic. The near-silent electric motor allows the Lexus to cruise noiselessly, and means occupants can relax because the big machine is so effortlessly easy and undemanding to drive. But the GS450h is also fast. With nearly 300bhp, the 3.5-litre V6 offers V8 levels of performance, and surges away from traffic lights.

So far so good... although the Lexus is far from perfect. For starters, we have yet to match the manufacturer's claimed combined fuel economy figure of 35.5mpg. The best we have recorded is 31.1mpg, and our average is 27.7mpg - well down on the class's best diesel models. Nor is packaging particularly good. Headroom is poor, and the space taken up by the hybrid drivetrain means the boot has shrunk to a mere 280 litres, making it less practical than your average supermini.

Thank goodness the engine is so good. With its impressive performance, clever technology and enviable refinement, not to mention its tax advantages, the Lexus GS450h is starting to prove why it's cool to go green.

Second opinion

Any executive car should give an utterly cocooning drive, but the GS450h is on a new level. I like to get home from work as fast as possible with a minimum of fuss - and the Lexus is brilliant. Refinement is amazing and the powertrain slick. The sunroof robs a lot of headroom, though.
Sam Hardy, motoring writer