MPG Road Trip Challenge: 2014 Lexus ES300h Hybrid

We put the 2014 Lexus ES300h Hybrid luxury sedan to a MPG Road Trip Challenge in the mountains to see if it meets or beats the EPA 40 mpg rating over 200 miles of city, freeway and mountain driving.
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[@johnst1001a]

I have a 2014 Lexus 300h. We have 30,000 miles on it now. Here are some details. I use regular gasoline, 10% ethanol. When on mostly highway trips, we easily average 40 mpg. In two recent trips, one from Cincinnati to Atlanta, the other Cincinnati to Memphis we got 44.5, and 44,8 respectively. When I am driving around town, my normal mpg is 36 to 38, depending on whether there is a little highway driving mixed in. Several things, 1, the mpg does go down about 3 mpg in the winter, so I might average 34 around town, and 40 on the highway. The mpg also starts to drop noticeably when you go above 75. I usually drive right at the speed limit, and virtually all my travel is with the speed limit of 55-70. As for acceleration, yes, it is slower to accelerate, but quite frankly it doesn't bother me. I have no trouble getting on to the highway, or passing. Would I win a 1/4 mile race, no, but quite frankly don't have a need to try. I love the car otherwise, very nice interior, excellent sound system, navigation system etc. As for price, I checked the price on the 2015. They hybrid is $2600 more than the non-hybrid. When I bought the car, there was an incentive on the hybrids, so the difference was $1600. The payout mileage is around 60-70,000 miles, depending on gas prices. For comparison in mpg, I had a 2009 Avalon before this car, used that car as a trade in. The cars are very similar in all respects, size, weight, and space. The trunk was bigger in the Avalon as it was not a hybrid. The mpg for the Avalon was about 23 around town, and 30 on the highway. It recommended premium gas, but I found no difference between premium and regular, so I generally bought regular. No pinging. Finally, I asked two dealers about the life of the batteries. Both said they have never changed a battery for any hybrid, If you trust that, that's good. Keep in mind though Toyota warranties the battery for 100,000 miles. I have two friends that both have the Prius, one has 129,000, the other 160,000, both have said they have not noted any mpg drop as the battery is now older. So, would I buy the hybrid again, absolutely, no matter what the price of gasoline. To me, I simply like burning less gas, and am willing to pay the extra for the hybrid.

[@wasteofkind]

I just bought a 2014 300h. I have struggled to keep the mpg over 30. Maybe it's because I'm new to driving a hybrid. Not sure. Love the car. But I'd love it a lot more at the promised 40 mpg.

[@johnthaller9501]

Not sure what the problem is, are you in a very hilly area? I do get a lot less in my area where there are hills all over, maybe 34. Also, summer is far better than winter for mpg, which is true for non-hybrids as well. I am still getting around 40 mpg average.

[@jerryhawkins8705]

I have a 2013 ES300h with 105,000 miles gets 38 to 40 mpg on highway trips. What a great car Just sol my 2013 Prius V with 209,000 miles original batteries Toyota Hybrids Rock.

[@al2854]

John Thaller thank you for your detailed review!

[@davidpereira9238]

@@wasteofkind you can make small adjustments to your driving to improve it, don't even need to go slow. Look for Prius/hybrid driving tips. I also drive mostly in Eco, as in the city Normal is more responsive than needed, and still has enough grunt for the road, just need to stretch the foot a bit more.

[@KRHEE]

The ES 300h is the greatest daily driver car I’ve ever driven… I’ve driven the IS300 in the past and the ES is no comparison when it comes to highway driving… almost 200k miles on my 2013 ES300h…… no issues - it’s almost kinda scary

[@danielbob4310]

Issues will start when your hybrid battery dies. I am going through the pain on my 2014 Es300h

[@KRHEE]

@@danielbob4310 I got a new battery at 150k miles

[@AC-bx4lu]

@@danielbob4310 im considering purchasing a es300h. how much does it cost you to replace your hybrid battery and after how many miles did it require replacing ?

[@danielbob4310]

@@AC-bx4lu I decided not to replace battery because I was tired of driving the same car for some years. I traded the car in and got another one. Used batteries do sell from $1800 to $2500. It’s not that difficult to replace for you can do it yourself. I took my batteries apart twice, replaced bad cells, balanced them all by myself

[@timrippee9100]

I’m considering a 2013 for a daily driver. So you’d still recommend it today? No hybrid issues to speak of 11 years later?

[@nicholaspetre1]

I am buying Lexus ES right now. Extremely useful video. Thank you so much for making it guys!!!

[@ccroy2001]

How fun I went to school in Phoenix and miss all those towns, Wickenburg, Wickiup, Kingman. Beautiful car I liked the wood trim.

[@tvanb]

Why is your voice so calming?

[@talonsx494]

Torrey B he should do a ASMR car review....Id watch...

[@zerohuntr]

He doesn't know.

[@purdueboilers5680]

Great review. Wife made me get larger car for safety after semi truck rammed and crushed my Prius. I got used Lexus ES. This looks like it might be good compromise for me. I like that you drove it responsibly. Though I never had my 2001 Prius at 75 mph. I averaged 50 mpg over my ownership.

[@tknight7]

WOW what an awesome video. Well detailed. Good job.

[@grod805]

I'm from California. I love the Arizona scenery

[@ereal3187]

My family has owned five these cars from the very first one that was built they are bulletproof. I will never buy a note another car by any company, other than Toyota and a truck sauce or bullet proof.🌪❤️❤️❤️❤️💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@lanjian45]

Gas companies will hate this video

[@NeilLund]

Hey Sam, what was the thing that made you not give this car the final half star for a full 5 star rating?

[@DRNU20]

great video!

[@dexterm1285]

Impressive for a big vehicle

[@leifsEVO]

I have a 2017 and struggle to get anywhere near 40. In perpetual eco mode and being made fun of for my slow driving. Why?

[@BanBiofuels]

Sam, What kind of gasoline do you use for your tests? Does it have ethanol in it? In my state we are forced to use 10% ethanol and we all get lousy gas mileage because ethanol contains water and 33% less energy per gallon. Even Prius owners complain that they are getting far less efficiency than the window sticker promises. As biofuel farming has skyrocketed the cost of food all over the world, it hardly seems worth it just to make biofuel manufacturers rich. Christopher

[@TestDrivenTV]

In this instance it was 87 octane. It most likely had 10% ethanol as most of our local mix in AZ has it.

[@johnthaller9501]

Virtually all gasoline across the nation is 10% ethanol. No, ethanol does not contain water as H2O. The chemical formula for ethanol is C2H4OH. The combustion results in CO2 and H2O. Guess what, so does gasoline, which is a combination of carbon and hydrogen, the byproduct being CO2 and H20. That is why you get the visible water vapor in the winter months, always have, even before ethanol was used. As for heat value, yes, ethanol has less than gasoline. That is why you get a bit less mpg, but by only about 3-4%. And no, ethanol has not increased food prices all over the world. Corn prices have been in the mid $3/bushel for many years. What has occurred is there are 30 million more acres now being used to grow crops than there used to be, putting many people to work.

[@Pube83]

John Thaller What a shill response.

[@TampaTec]

Great video 👍 how many miles can you drive on full tank to gas light pulling over to refill? My 2008 es350 range is 350m 21mpg and most electric cars avg is 300 miles.

[@al2854]

Tampatec I get with my Lexus es300h full tank 520 miles. 14 gallons full tank

[@peppinoesposito5465]

good review. However, an ES is NOT a full size luxury car. Can we stop projecting? The ES is based on a front drive mid size economy platform. Just say it.

[@tuxievous420]

Not sure why it didn't get the full fiver but okay

[@mohammedalsabari8685]

I have accord 2014 hybrid it coast me 7k and I can easily drive up to 1080 km woho so fuking amazing

[@MH-fb5kr]

Top quality all the way…

[@Ara198826]

more MPG Road Trip please