For no good reason I have been a little wary of hybrid cars and never thought I would enjoy driving one but, since getting behind the wheel of a Lexus 300h IS, I can't imagine why.
The IS has the long, sleek lines of a sporty high-end saloon and is stylish to a fault and the interior is luxurious without being too soft and over fussy and reveals true elegance with grey wood trim in the door and across the dashboard, but has a real dashing edge to it.
The edge comes in the shape of a 2.5 litre engine, giving 178bhp and with 62mph arriving at a tidy 8.3 seconds of sheer delight and total control. It delivers gorgeously smooth, effortless acceleration and, with a flick of the centre console wheel into sport mode, an amazing turn of pace which comes with a ragged edge growl.
There is a semi-automatic mode with steering wheel-mounted flappy paddles, but I never felt the need to access them, such is the availability of power just by touching the accelerator.
Steering is spot on and cornering, even at a pace, is firm and positive and allows the car to keep all wheels firmly on the road and without a hint of roll.
Filled with all the latest technology it is designed to make driving a pleasure and even welcomes you behind the steering wheel by setting you up in your favourite driving position simply by slotting in the seat belt, even before the engine is switched on.
Set-back into the dashboard an upright 7in screen gives you access to rear parking cameras, sat nav, DAB radio, CD player and Bluetooth links to your phone. Rather than a control wheel for navigation, there is a mouse-type handle on the central console, which I found a little fiddly at first, but got to grips with it in no time. It is all linked to a 15-speaker surround sound system.
The leather front seats are 8-way fully adjustable and are heated and fan cooled and, while there is plenty of leg room, the rear space is a little compromised. While comfortable for two adults, three is a bit of a squeeze. It’s not impossible, but a transmission tunnel makes life a little uncomfortable for a central rear passenger and I wouldn’t want to travel for too long perched, as you are, in the middle.
Meanwhile, the rear seats fold down to reveal a huge space which increases the 450-litre boot to cavernous proportions.
All in all a great looking car with lots of style, comfort and performance with surprising economy. I’ll be looking forward to the next time I drive a Lexus 300h IS or similar.

IN DETAIL
Price: £38,495
Engine: 2.5-litre 4cyl Hybrid
Transmission: CVT automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power: 178bhp petrol engine, plus 41bhp electric motor
0-62mph: 8.3 seconds
Top speed: 125mph (limited)
Economy: 60.1 mpg
CO2: 109 g/km