An electronic suspension automatically firms itself in hard driving and softens in leisurely cruising making the GS satisfying to drive and ride in.

Toyota

A car that gets 25 miles to the gallon isn’t likely to impress anyone nowadays — not when a Toyota Prius is good for up to 48 mpg by government estimate.

But it’s notable when a 25-mpg car is a 4,100-pound luxury model with room for five and 340 horsepower under its hood, enough to accelerate it from zero to 60 mph in about five seconds and blow the “I’d Rather Be Cycling” stickers off a Prius.

The car? The hybrid version of the Lexus mid-pack GS sedan, called the GS 450h. It debuted at dealerships as an ’07 model and got some mostly aesthetic exterior and interior updates for ’08. My tester’s driving computer indicated I got better than the federal estimates: averaging between 26 mpg and 28 mpg.

If you’ve never seen a 450h on the road, it’s understandable; only 3,786 have been sold.

No surprise there, considering the base price: $56,565 with freight. Although the hybrid has more standard equipment, that base price still is $11,250 above that of a GS with a nonhybridized version of the h’s V6 engine. It’s a more down-to-earth $45,315, with freight.

Is the hybrid worth the extra money? Comparing powertrains is tricky because, while the hybrid engine/electric motor combination delivers 37 horsepower more than the conventional V6’s 303 hp., Toyota doesn’t provide an estimate of the motor/engine’s combined torque. For the record, the conventional V6 delivers 274 pound-feet at 3,600 rpms.

Comparing fuel economy is easier; the hybrid gets 3 mpg more in local driving than the conventional V6: 22 vs. 19. The conventional car, though, does better on the highway: 27 mpg vs .the hybrid’s 25 mpg, probably because the hybrid weighs more.

Lexus argues the hybrid GS should be compared with the V8 GS model, but all three GS models are so close in zero-to-60-mph and quarter-mile performance that, as a practical matter, who cares which is fastest?

For the record, the V8 model lists for $54,550, with freight, or $2,015 less than the hybrid version. The V8 gets 5 mpg less in the city than the h and one less on the highway — or 17 mpg city, 24 highway. The V8 engine delivers a nearly identical 342 hp. — along with 339 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm., versus who knows how much torque in the hybrid. And if you often travel with lots of luggage, you’ll want to know that the hybrid’s trunk is much smaller than that of a conventional GS — 7.5 cubic feet vs. 12.7 — because the hybrid batteries occupy some of that real estate.

All three GS models need premium gasoline.

As in other hybrids, the GS 450h’s gas engine shuts off at stoplights to conserve fuel. The vehicle can creep slowly in heavy traffic on an electric motor alone. The system is virtually seamless, as is the continuously variable automatic transmission.

The hybrid GS’ electric power steering, however, offers virtually no feedback to the driver, but an electronic suspension that automatically firms itself in hard driving and softens in leisurely cruising makes the GS satisfying to drive and ride in. An Active Power Stabilizer system is available that exerts opposing forces on stabilizer bars to counteract body sway.

Lexus quality and reliability since the brand’s inception in 1989 have been consistently at or near the top of the heap in J.D. Power and Associates consumer surveys and shouldn’t be a concern, but neither should they be a reason to choose a Lexus. Competitors, including Cadillac and Buick, have been gaining on and even passing Lexus in those surveys. Consumer Reports calls the GS “average,” not better than average.2008 Lexus GS 450h

Engine/motors: 3.5-liter V6/two 650-volt DC/total 340 horsepower

Fuel: premium

Transmission: continuously variable automatic, rear-wheel drive.

Safety: dual front, side curtain and seat-mounted air bags front and rear; 4-wheel disc brakes w/antilock, brake assist and stability control; fog and daytime running lamps; tire pressure monitoring.

Place of assembly: Japan

Trunk: 7.5 cubic feet

EPA fuel estimates: 22 mpg, city; 25 highway

Price as driven: $61,250

Distributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service