2013 Lexus LS Hybrid Total Car Score Analysis

The 2013 Lexus LS Hybrid doesn't have enough ratings to earn a Valid Total Car Score.  
 
Lexus has redesigned the entire LS fleet for 2013, bringing the new spindle grille to the forefront of each. The LS 600h L remains the flagship of the line, bigger and more luxurious than its LS siblings.  
 
And we do mean bigger literally: the “L” at the end of the car’s name calls out its extended wheelbase and stretched overall length, which effectively puts 5 extra inches between the front and rear seatbacks. Order the Executive Seating Package and those lucky enough to enjoy all that extra room in back can also take advantage of a rear-seat entertainment system, rear air conditioning, and a massaging chair with ottoman.  
 
There’s another important letter in this car’s name, the “h” indicating hybrid. Underhood is a powerful 5.0-liter gas V8 mated with a pair of electric motor/generators and a continuously variable transmission. Power is distributed to all four wheels, and a Torsen central limited-slip differential minds the torque distribution to the four corners.  
 
This is a hybrid drivetrain that prioritizes spirited driving over fuel economy, as the car’s 5.5-second 0-60 time is far more impressive than its 23 highway mpg. Then again, if you’re in the market for a hybrid sedan that costs in the low six figures, those priorities are lined up as they should be.

2013 Lexus LS Hybrid Model Line-Up

The 2013 Lexus LS 600h L is a four-door gas/electric hybrid sedan that will seat up to five passengers.  
 
It is powered by a gasoline-fired 5.0-liter V8 engine (that on its own makes 389 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque) working in conjunction with two electric motor/generators (making 221 hp) that are fed by a nickel metal hydride battery pack. The hybrid’s motive power is sent through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to a fulltime all-wheel-drive system.  
 
The LS 600h L comes in a single trim level with standard equipment that includes 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a tilt/telescope heated steering wheel, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, rear air conditioning, powered rear and door sunshades, a hard drive navigation system with Lexus’ Enform infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, a backup camera, powered moonroof, and a 450-watt Mark Levinson AM/FM/DVD/MP3/HD radio/satellite radio Reference Surround Sound System with 19 speakers.  
 
Option packages available for the LS 600h L include an Executive Package, which bundles items like a four-zone climate control, power seat with massage, rear audio controls and a rear-seat DVD system; an Advanced Pre-Collision System with driver attention monitor, lane-keep assist, speed radar cruise control and collision avoidance assist; and a Pre-Collision system with radar cruise control. Buyers can also upgrade the audio system to a Mark Levinson Reference Surround System that essentially brings a home theater's 7.1 sound system into the Lexus. 
 
The EPA has not released its fuel economy data on the 2013 Lexus LS 600h L, but the automaker estimates it will achieve 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined.

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