Ever since the Honda Insight set the still-unmatched standard, hybrids have been designed primarily to maximize fuel economy. Lexus has taken a bold new approach — build hybrids that sacrifice nothing in performance and luxury to their flagship models – and has succeeded.

The key to understanding the GS is this: despite what Lexus’ marketing department tells you, the GS 450h Hybrid is a Grand Touring car at heart, not a sports car. It wants to spend all day swooping through long, stately curves at speeds far exceeding the legal limit, and it does so with grace and aplomb. Asking it to carve twisty, narrow canyon roads is like cutting carrots with a wood saw: it works better than you’d think, but it’s the wrong tool for the job.