The Detroit Newspapers's view

It’s the car that makes you scratch your head: the 2010 Lexus GS 450h.

The reason it comes across as confusing is because this rear-wheel-drive sedan is one of the most fun Lexus cars to drive. It’s all sport on the highway.

The pickup is phenomenal. It boasts nearly 300 horsepower from its 3.5-liter V-6 and on the open road, it’s library quiet. The steering is crisp. While heavy, the body remains stiff through turns and its adaptive variable suspension holds the car nicely to the road.

Oh, and, it’s a hybrid.

But this is a hybrid for enthusiasts, one that uses electricity for power and not just efficiency. What other mainstream hybrid goes 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds?

Of course, boosting a V-6 to provide V-8 type power is nothing new (the GS 450h has a combined 340 horsepower). It’s the wave of the future as carmakers around the world look to provide power and fuel economy. Already, other carmakers are talking about four-cylinder turbos replacing V-6 engines and others have said three-cylinder engines could replace fours.

Amazing highway ride

The GS 450h shies toward the power side, which takes away from the efficiency, enabling 22 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Great mileage numbers for a V-8, so-so for a six-cylinder engine.

And while this hybrid can drive on electric motors only, it rarely does. Instead, the electric motors seem to act as a boost for the car, pushing it quickly forward and inspiring the driver to push the accelerator a little harder.

The GS 450h was best on the highway. The ride is amazingly quiet and well-mannered. The car feels heavy, in part, because it is, weighing more than 4,000 pounds. That weight detracts from the car’s performance in tight cornering, despite having performance summer tires and an active power stabilizing system to help control body sway.

For the 2010 model year, Lexus upgraded a few pieces of the GS 450h, including the grille, and adding clear tail lamps and new 18-inch wheels. The changes are minor, much like the little additions to the hybrid over the gas-only GS models.

That doesn’t mean this Lexus is not a good looking vehicle. It is. The long hood and curved roof give a strong presence on the road and in a driveway. It turns heads for certain.

Interior signals comfort

But the interior is what helps pull the Lexus hybrid ahead of so many other hybrids.

Wood and leather create a natural and comfortable environment. The black dash looks like a single piece of soft plastic and the gauges sparkle with watch-like precision.

There are few “hybrid” reminders inside the cabin, which I like. I don’t need eco-this and eco-that gadgets and graphics telling how much I’m saving the world. Instead, it’s a driver-focused cockpit with the luxury trappings of a living room. There’s a 330-watt stereo with 14 speakers, Bluetooth connectivity and a 7-inch color VGA screen in the center stack.

What more could a driver want?

There also is a navigation system that is quick and offers very clean graphics, as well as XM satellite radio with NavTraffic and NavWeather to help plan out long hauls in unfamiliar places. Hybrid with performance

The biggest problem the GS 450h faces is perception.

Many American drivers see hybrids only as fuel efficient commuting vehicles. And in the hybrid world, only the Toyota Prius really strikes a high-mileage chord with consumers. Honda Motor Co. introduced a performance-hybrid Accord but it fell flat with customers and was discontinued.

As vehicles move toward electrification — and, eventually, it’s going to happen — we’re bound to see more cars like the GS 450h rather than fewer. Sooner or later, the gearheads around the world are going to start to take advantage of the instant torque electric motors offer. They’re going to create electric vehicles that are quicker, more powerful and more fun than their gasoline counterparts.

The GS 450h plays in that parking lot today. The problem is, though, no one else does. At least not yet.

sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217