The New Lexus ES300h: We Test Drive the First Ever Hybrid ES in Oregon Wine Country

With all the money buying a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=hybrid+vehicle">hybrid vehicle</a> could save at the pump, some drivers might be hoping to splurge on something a little more luxurious than a Prius. That's exactly the idea behind the new <a href="http://www.lexus.com/">Lexus</a> ES300h, the first ever hybrid ES, which will be hitting US dealerships in mid-August. We first spotted this best-of-both-worlds ride at the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/inhabitats-top-picks-from-the-2012-ny-auto-show/">New York Auto Show </a>back in April, but were finally able to get behind the wheel ourselves for a test drive this month. Read on to see what we thought about the way the car handled and the fuel economy we were able to maintain even while pushing 80mph on the winding backroads of Oregon wine country.

Before we get into any more details about the car, I should mention that I'm not a car expert - but if you're reading this, you probably aren't, either.

Just because you care about the environment or want to save some cash at the pump doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on style or luxury, and the Lexus ES300h makes a great case for that.

With its signature spindle grille (which Lexus apparently just <a href="http://kaizenfactor.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/lexus-trademarks-the-spindle-grille/">trademarked</a>), a surprisingly spacious interior, and unique 17 inch alloy wheels, it was difficult to tell this vehicle apart from its non-hybrid counterpart, the ES350, in terms of refinement and opulence - which we think is exactly the way it should be.

<a href="http://www.lexus.com/">Lexus</a> provided us with a comprehensive press packet filled with important information about the ES300h like the wheelbase (111.0 in.) and coefficient of drag (0.27), but instead of reiterating those figures to you, I wanted to focus this article on the things you actually care about if you're thinking of buying it - the car's fuel economy, aesthetics and, of course, how it drives.

The ES300h's artistic exterior betrayed nothing of the economic benefits its <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=hybrid+vehicle">hybrid</a> engine affords save for a shiny "h" at the end of its emblem, a subtlety that we think affluent drivers who don't want their eco-friendly cars to look like "eco-friendly cars" will appreciate.

Wrap-around LED taillamps, integrated foglamps and headlamps (w/LED DRLs) complete the exterior package.

The car will be offered in 9 colorways - Matador Red Mica, Starfire Pearl, Silver Lining Metallic, Nebula Gray Pearl, Obsidian, Satin Cashmere Metallic, Fire Agate, Deep Sea Mica and Cerulean Blue Metallic.

The Lexus ES300h in Cerulean Blue Metallic.

The new ES will feature enhanced NuLuxe seating surfaces, but genuine leather will also be available. NuLuxe weighs half as much as leather, and its manufacturing process generates 65% fewer CO2 emissions and no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Sitting on it, we really couldn't tell the difference until someone pointed it out to us.

Interiors will be available in Black, Light Gray, and Parchment.

The Lexus ES300h offers a bamboo as a trim option and you can see here that it's quite rich.

Lexus's booth showcasing the process that goes into crafting the ES300h's signature bamboo steering wheel.

Other details specific to the ES300h include unique blue badging and exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels.

Lexus increased rear seat legroom and knee room for the 2013 model.

rear headroom was increased by 0.8 inches while knee room was increased by 2.8 inches and legroom was lengthened by 4.1 inches.

Typical of Lexus, the interior design of the ES300h is nothing fancy schmancy. Unlike other luxury cars, this doesn't look like the cockpit of a Boeing 747 with crazy spaceship controls. Instead it simplifies the driving experience with a separate display and operation zones to help keep the driver’s eyes on the road. The instrument panel places the main information display directly in the driver’s line of sight, supplemented by a center-mounted 3.5-inch color TFT multiinformation display screen or available navigation and multimedia system.

The second-generation Remote Touch Interface (RTI) allows the user to operate the climate, audio, phone controls, optional navigation system and more. The optional HDD Navigation System includes voice command, an integrated backup camera, an eight-inch screen, and the next generation Lexus Enform® system with App Suite, which provides seamless connectivity with Bing™ search, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable®, Pandora®, Yelp® and Facebook Places through compatible smart phones. The standard Lexus Premium Sound System features eight-speakers with Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL), in-dash CD player, USB/iPod® connectivity, Bluetooth® and an integrated SiriusXM Satellite Radio receiver with a 90-day trial subscription. The available Display Audio package adds a seven-inch screen, HD Radio™ with iTunes® tagging, Bluetooth audio, phone transfer, a vehicle information display and a rear backup camera. An available 15-speaker 835 watt Mark Levinson® audio system features an eight-inch display screen, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, DVD audio/video and a Sirius XM Satellite Radio receiver. Exclusive GreenEdge technology from Mark Levinson doubles the output of the amplifier, while reducing energy consumption by fifty percent.

The screen menus are selected with a controller located on the center console. RTI also reduces eye and hand movement, helping to decrease effort and distraction.

If you love the cushioned ride of a luxury vehicle, the ES300h maximizes that experience with its comfortable, near-silent driving.

Lexus has been criticized in the past for the "floating" feeling of its cars, and we have to say that while in Eco Mode, the ES300h did feel rather cloud-like (which we actually found quite pleasurable). That being said, this car definitely isn't slow.

In fact, it was so easy to drive and responsive that we easily ended up going 80 miles an hour. If you prefer to really "feel the road," then this car is probably not for you, although dropping it into Sport Mode boosted the powertrain, steering responsiveness and fun factor.

As an added perk, when you switch from Eco to Sport, the IP also changes from a hybrid power monitor to a sexy tachometer.

To really save on fuel, you can also put the car into EV mode with the press of a button for short distance, low-speed driving using only the power from the hybrid battery pack.

Personally, we loved the weightless, ultra-smooth sensation of the Eco and EV modes and had only one qualm - it was actually difficult to tell at times if the car was on. In fact, even the seasoned vehicle expert who was riding with us kept asking "Is it on?" To add to this point, Lexus solved the issue of the car being <a href="http://inhabitat.com/audi-leaks-new-e-sound-being-developed-for-e-tron-electric-vehicles/">precariously too quiet</a> for pedestrians to hear by equipping it with speakers that emit a whirring "spaceship" sound that is only audible from outside the car.

So you've heard about how beautiful the car is and how it drives, now for the moment of truth - how many miles does it get?

According to Lexus's press materials, the ES300h is expected to earn <a href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/">EPA fuel economy</a> ratings of approximately <strong>40 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 39 mpg combined</strong>, but how did our test vehicle stack up to those figures?

Believe it or not, we were unable to push the car below 39 mpg, even while blazing over the scenic hills of Newburg at speeds we wouldn't admit to in a court of law. While we weren't able to try driving the car in a more stop-and-go environment, we're certainly impressed with this number and attribute it to Lexus's trademark "pursuit of perfection".

The Lexus ES350h has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine with a new, low friction design that utilizes a sophisticated power management system and high compression ratio (12.5:1) to increase overall efficiency. Equipped with an electric water pump, electric power steering, and an integrated hybrid electric motor/generator, this engine does not require any accessory belts. The beltless design helps improve fuel economy and overall reliability.

The ES300h features a 10 airbags including driver and front passenger knee, front and seat-mounted air bags, as well as rear seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags. An array of standard and optional safety features like Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) help the driver detect vehicles in side blind spots and when backing out of a parking spot. A Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with integrated automatic high beam dimming technology is also available.