If you’re looking for a used hybrid, your usual features might be plain, practical and comfortable, but they probably won’t be considered emotional or good-looking. If you know what types of hybrids existed in the past, you’ll probably realize that there are a wealth of stylish hybrids that easily fly under people’s radar.
Heck, for less than the price of a brand new 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross, whose starting price of $24,635 isn’t even for a hybrid version, we can recommend a worthwhile luxury hybrid that not only comes with Toyota’s legendary reliability, but also style and performance. Sit back and relax, ladies and gentlemen, as I show you one of my all-time favorite hybrids that has historically flown under most buyers’ radar.
To give you the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article comes from Toyota and Lexus, and other authoritative sources including Kelley Blue Book.
Luxury and sportiness for less than $24,000
The model I’m talking about is the Lexus GS 450h – a luxury hybrid sports sedan that never quite shook the German luxury hierarchy, but still managed to be one of the most powerful hybrid sports sedans, both then and now.
A 2015 model for the price of a new Toyota SUV
To meet our criteria of being more affordable than Toyota’s cheapest brand new SUV, we narrowed it down to a maximum of a 2015 Lexus GS 450h. Anything more than that, and you can expect a used price almost equivalent to a brand new 2026 Corolla Cross Hybrid (from $24,635). Anyway, according to Kelley Blue Book, a 2015 model year GS 450h has a typical average price of $23,030, so your GS 450h may be priced higher or lower depending on its condition.
Stretch your budget a bit and you can get a 2016 model year, the birth of the mid-cycle facelifted model. This model can be yours for a minimum of €25,000, depending on the condition of course. Is it worth the extra cost? Well, since you’re already around $24,000, what can you spend a thousand more on a good amount of aesthetic and luxury upgrades, right?
Unfortunately, they are difficult to find
Being able to afford the GS 450h is one thing; trying to actually get one is another. Since the GS 450h wasn’t as popular as the GS 350, which itself was outsold by the ES in the mid-2010s, there aren’t many of them on the used car market today. So you might as well consider an older generation model. Granted, it won’t be as stylish as the fourth-generation model we’re recommending, but at its heart it’s still a hybrid sports sedan with the same 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid system that the last fourth-generation model had.
What a fourth-generation Lexus GS has to offer
The fourth-generation Lexus GS was sold in the United States since 2012 for the 2013 model year. Alongside another midsize luxury sedan, the ES, these two midsize luxury sedans initially complemented each other, until declining demand for sedans caused only the ES to survive beyond 2020.
The birth of the spindle lattice
The GS was the first production Lexus to wear the Spindle Grille motif. In anticipation of the LF-Gh concept in 2011, the implementation in the GS was toned down from the concept. This was complemented by simple lines, a long hood that hinted at the rear-wheel drive (RWD) layout, and a rear end with wide L-shaped LED taillights.
An F Sport version was also launched, marking the first time an F Sport version was made for the GS. Finally, the GS 450h was one of the first luxury sedans to come with full LED headlights. A mid-cycle facelift for the 2016 model year introduced a more powerful Spindle Grille, new alloy wheels, new light signatures and a sportier rear bumper. This was also the birth of the performance-oriented GS F, and it made the F Sport variant look even more sinister.
One of the best Lexus interiors ever
As for the interior, this generation of the GS had one of the best interiors ever in a Lexus. The material quality and fit and finish were now a cut above their Toyota counterparts. The interior uses a generous helping of leather, wood and aluminum finishes, complemented by solid-feeling buttons and switches.
Part of its appeal was the right balance between analog and digital, like the tasteful analog clock. There were plenty of features, such as a superb Mark Levinson surround sound system, electrically adjustable front seats with heating and cooling, to name a few. Now if only the Lexus Remote Touch infotainment had been done right, because the mousepad-based controller isn’t as intuitive as the rotary dial controls of the German brands. Although this is a mid-size luxury sedan, the ES unfortunately proved more popular because the GS had cramped rear seats.
Luxury with a touch of sportiness
Now on to my favorite part: the driving experience. The GS 450h was noticed and praised for its level of comfort, typical of Lexus, but with a touch of sportiness.
Sportiness the Lexus way
The problem with the GS is that when I got to ride a GS 350 that a college friend’s family purchased, I’m happy to say that my high expectations were met. The GS was my dream car from the moment it came out, and rightly so, because if the BMW 5 Series, especially the E60 and older generations, were primarily intended to be sporty, Lexus engineers approached sportiness as a second priority for the GS. That definitely made the 5 Series the sportier midsize luxury sedan, but if Lexus went that route, they would have alienated its former customers: those who bought a Lexus for comfort.
By doing this, you got a mid-size luxury sedan that nailed the comfort aspect while adding a dose of sportiness. It wasn’t as sturdy as what I’m used to from an E60 or an F10. In fact the GS was smooth, but throw it into a corner and you’d be surprised how much better the GS handled body roll at the time than previous models. This wasn’t your grandpa’s Lexus anymore, but even if he were driving the GS, he’d still be happy with the comfort and refinement it offered.
A powerful yet smooth hybrid that fits together
Finally, the pièce de résistance was the 3.5-liter Lexus Hybrid Drive, which used a second-generation Toyota hybrid system intended for sporty rear-wheel drive (RWD) applications. Look, with a planetary gear type e-CVT it won’t match the finesse and direct feel of the ZF eight-speed automatic fitted to the Germans. While that 3.5-liter V-6 did rev revs when you accelerated hard, the V-6 note is pleasant, and with the paddle shifters you could have a degree of “manual control” if you let it simulate a multi-speed automatic. And with a total system power of 338 hp, you don’t have to bury your foot anyway, because it produced so much power right away.
Finally, this hybrid system is also robust and reliable. It’s also one that desperately needs to appear in more Lexus models by 2025, as most of their hybrids these days are paired with four-cylinder engines. The only V-6 hybrid you can buy from Lexus today is the TX 550h+, a three-row plug-in hybrid crossover SUV with a 3.5-liter V-6. Maybe a plug-in V-6 hybrid would really do wonders for the RX’s refinement, like the previous RX 450h? Oh, what a silky smooth yet powerful mid-size luxury SUV the RX 450h was.
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