Lexus has mostly sold the hybrid versions of its mainstream sedans and crossovers at a steep premium to its gasoline-only models, locking in environmentally conscious buyers or the occasional penny pincher during times of high gasoline prices.
But paying several thousand dollars extra for a battery pack and a couple of electric motors has rarely made economic sense in the years since Lexus rolled out the first luxury hybrid vehicle in the U.S. in 2005 with the RX400h.
So Lexus has quietly changed the math for the 2018 model year, significantly lowering the hybrid premium for its two most popular crossovers and rolling out a sporty new hybrid platform for its LC halo coupe and LS flagship sedan.