The all-new Lexus IS 300h will offer customers cost of ownership advantages unmatched by any of its 2.0-litre diesel rivals in the premium saloon market, thanks to the combination of low maintenance and running costs.
The firm is also saying that the tax benefits and incentives secured by its efficient full hybrid powertrain will also underline this position.
Its Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain – featured in an IS saloon for the first time – provides not only a quiet and smooth performance, but exceptional fuel economy and low emissions, too: the Lexus IS 300h SE model will return 65.7mpg and 99g/km CO2.
The Lexus IS 300h’s hybrid system is engineered for durability and requires little maintenance.
The car has no clutch; the starter motor and alternator are integrated into the system, so require no servicing or replacement during the vehicle’s lifetime.
And instead of a timing belt the Lexus IS 300h uses a maintenance-free timing chain.
For owners this means lower servicing bills and savings on replacement parts.
Lexus Hybrid Drive also has an impact on brake and tyre wear: the system’s regenerative braking delivers the initial braking force, which significantly reduces wear on pads and discs.
Lexus says that when compared to rival 2.0-litre diesel automatic models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi the Lexus IS 300h is expected to offer savings on service, maintenance and repair costs alone of up to £443 over three years, reflecting the reduced labour time required.
All of this will obviously help residual values for the Lexus IS 300h and it should do better over three years than its competitors.
Another major way of saving money with the Lexus IS 300h is to lease it – compare how the running costs work out over the first three years of ownership and see how much you could save.
The new Lexus IS 300h range is launched in the UK in July, with prices starting at £29,495 for the SE version.