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Hot Or Not?

Lexus GS 450h. Kinda cool?

I dont know that I'm quite ready to trade in my car, but I'm looking around. I love my current beast, but it's a 2002, and it gets a theoretical 19 mpg combined. (Real life 16 mpg.) I'm actually experiencing guilt shipping buckets of money to Saudi Arabia, Iran and Venezuela every time I fill it up with 22 gallons of premium.

The above car gets 26 mpg. Plus it does 0-60 in under 6. That's 7 mpg better and about the same acceleration I get now.

Lexus has just this year reached the point where it has any sex appeal. It's no longer grandma's car. And I love the local dealership -- if Four Seasons sold cars they'd be Johnson Lexus of Durham. (Is that plug worth a set of floormats for my wife's car?) But my question is this: is 26 mpg enough to get right with the eco nuts? Will I have done enough? Will I no longer be guilty of subsidizing terrorists? Or to put it in terms my school-brainwashed kids would understand: have I stopped killing the penguins if I get 26 mpg?

“Hot Or Not?”

  1. Blogger Dyre42 Says:

    You have other options. You could wait for the electric Tesla Roadster to come out (and save every cent you make till then) which 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and has a top speed of 130 and a range of 250 per charge ( but costs 90 grand) or you could just buy a motor cycle. The mountains of NC are great fun on a cycle.

  2. Blogger Michael Reynolds Says:

    I saw that thing. Very cute little toy, I'd love to have it. (And Nicole Kidman as my very discreet mistress, since we're fantasizing.) But I have young kids so I need a big back seat.

  3. Blogger Dyre42 Says:

    I am so with you on Nicole Kidman. Back to the original topic Lexus will roll out a hybrid IS series next year. Waiting a little while might be your best bet.