Lexus GS 450h 2012 vs 2016 different feeling of power

[Hpoint]

Hey guys,

I have had 2012 450h in luxury trim for about a year, very pleased with the car I bought facelift model from 2016 also luxury trim, but when I drove the new one from the last owner back home and reparked cars I was shocked,that my old one is actually super strong compared to this new one. Different engine sound too. Basically the difference is in more immediate throttle response, but also feeling of more HP from the old one, in Sport and Sport+ the old one when pressed very quickly full throttle, it goes first to around 5000-6000rpm and then it pulls, new one is more gradual and it doest this only when already being in around 2000-3000 rpm, feels like it is trying to be effective. I would say it feels at least 70hp more in the old one. It just pushes me so strong into seat where the new one is more gradual but even that doesnt feel same at the peak. 2012 has 6speed 2018 has 8speed, I also noticed that 2016 is better in fuel economy. I'm wondering, I have bought this 2016 in Switzerland, could it be somehow reprogrammed specifically for this country so it gives better fuel economy but also worse performance? I was also thinking if there isn't some different air filter in this new one which causes the sound to be much more quite too and also response to be difference but to me it seems like software is differently programmed. 

What do you think guys?

[hazelnut]

Have you driven another sample from the same year? It would help isolate the 'issue'  to either the design or specific car.

[Shahpor]

14 hours ago, Hpoint said:

2012 has 6speed 2018 has 8speed

GS450h's have E-CVT gearboxes, so not sure where you got this from?

[johnatg]

Was the 2012 a Gen3 GS450h? The 2016 is Gen4. There were quite a few spec changes.

The 6 speed vs 8 speed thing is  a bit of a red herring. They are artificial ratios, not real gearbox ratios. As Shapoor said, these cars have E-CVT gearboxes, with constantly variable gear ratios. It has, in effect, an infinite number of gear ratios. Electric motors are used to control the speed of the planetary gears.

The 6/8 speed thing is an artificial set of ratios to give the feeling of 'changing gear'. It is achieved by using said electric motors . You can change between the ratios with the paddles - temporarily. But within a few seconds the gearbox controller takes over and reverts to the ratio the computer thinks best. Handy for overtaking though.

E-CVT gearbox controllers monitor the driver's behaviour. It may be that the chap you bought the car from drove it gently. If you hoon around for a few hundred miles/kilometers it might well start to feel different!

[royoftherovers]

3 hours ago, johnatg said:

Was the 2012 a Gen3 GS450h? The 2016 is Gen4. There were quite a few spec changes.

The 6 speed vs 8 speed thing is  a bit of a red herring. They are artificial ratios, not real gearbox ratios. As Shapoor said, these cars have E-CVT gearboxes, with constantly variable gear ratios. It has, in effect, an infinite number of gear ratios. Electric motors are used to control the speed of the planetary gears.

The 6/8 speed thing is an artificial set of ratios to give the feeling of 'changing gear'. It is achieved by using said electric motors . You can change between the ratios with the paddles - temporarily. But within a few seconds the gearbox controller takes over and reverts to the ratio the computer thinks best. Handy for overtaking though.

E-CVT gearbox controllers monitor the driver's behaviour. It may be that the chap you bought the car from drove it gently. If you hoon around for a few hundred miles/kilometers it might well start to feel different!

Gen 3 to 2012, Gen 4 from 2012.🤣🤣

[Hpoint]

Of course I meant virtual gears not real ones, what I was wondering if it doesnt have some different programing since there is 6 vs 8 so I was refering maybe they did also some other adjustment. The car is just not behaving with the same character. I haven't driven another facelift model but I will try to ask friend of mine which has F Sport 2018 to test it, good idea.

Regarding generation, both are 4 gen. 🙂

[John Walker]

Are you sure the 2016 is a 450h and not the 300h? Had a 2012 gs450h Premier and at that time i went to test drive a 2017 facelift F Sport at Lexus, both had similar fuel consumption on the dash and both felt as powerful. Apart from improving the steering, tuning a bit the suspension and adding more options as standard the 2016 model didn’t have any improvements. 
 

My next car was a 2016 GS300h which i loved, not as fast but better in every aspect compared with my previous 2012. 
 

Also I haven’t seen any GS450h newer than 2016 in Luxury trim, they either came with Premier or F Sport package. 

[superatticman]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:48 PM, John Walker said:

Are you sure the 2016 is a 450h and not the 300h? Had a 2012 gs450h Premier and at that time i went to test drive a 2017 facelift F Sport at Lexus, both had similar fuel consumption on the dash and both felt as powerful. Apart from improving the steering, tuning a bit the suspension and adding more options as standard the 2016 model didn’t have any improvements. 
 

 

This has happened before!

An incorrectly badged Toyota Soarer 3.0L was sold as a 2.5TT

Only became apparent when the new owner quickly took it to a specialist re the lack of performance. Within a second of opening the bonnet the 'problem' became apparent!

 

 

 

[Hpoint]

Guys don't be funny 😄 I have now two 450h and I can tell difference between 300h and 450h 😄 btw I found a video where it was mentioned that from 2016 they are a bit tamed and that is exactly what I feel, gas consumption is also better, I got used to it. 

[Hpoint]

Ok about the trim, here it is called Excellence but it is pretty much the same thing, more or less as luxury trim.