Singapore - The topic of petrol-electric hybrid cars can seem cold, calculative and distant, since a lot of one's experience with such vehicles is quantitative, as numbers and technical jargon coalesce into a huge mass of gobbledygook.

Lexus is also quick to point out that its hybrid vehicles aren't just about their tree-hugging credentials either, but also a certain degree of dynamic driving performance.

For that matter, the technology found in most brands tends to help them achieve a certain level of eco-friendly parity with one another, so what then, makes all the difference between these various 'solutions'?

Well, we'd have to say, the people.

Lexus' concept of 'omotenashi' can appear to be amorphous and intangible, but it is this very notion of attentive 'anticipatory hospitality' that provides the appropriate 'software' to go with the hybrid hardware.

After all, cars are just that, cars, and we see no dichotomy in appreciating both the machines, as well as the 'men' who represent the brand; like Yin and Yang, the cold of the hybrids are perfectly balanced against the warmth of the humans.

This doesn't mean the bearers of the Lexus standard need to be subservient and servile either, since their anticipation pre-empts the needs of the car owner so the problem never even arises, as opposed to the service norm these days of knee-jerk reactions to adverse situations.

We're given free rein of the entire complement of Lexus' fleet of hybrid vehicles, as we blaze a trail through the North-South Highway towards Kuala Lumpur.

Rather than sniffing out the most convoluted series of B-roads, we took the most direct route that the average owner will likely take; after all, we believe that B-roads are better left for a performance car story, since by and large, these hybrids will be used as commuters, notwithstanding their dynamic potential.

Lexus' IS, ES, GS, CT, LS and RX hybrids are all represented, as we swop from one to the next on the long journey up North.

Despite their petrol-electric configuration, the range on some of the cars easily rivalled that of the popular European Euro5/Euro6 turbodiesels, although in the case of the hybrids, there isn't the issue of staying clear of the low-grade diesel found at Malaysian gas stations.

By the time we exit the Singapore Lexus dealer's premises, we hit peak hour traffic along the AYE towards the Second Link where the cars slow down to a little over walking pace on some stretches.

In such conditions, the hybrids cut into full EV mode, as long as speeds don't exceed 40+km/h, so this works well even when you're circling a busy carpark looking for lots or crawling in line waiting at immigration.

As is the norm for most drives up North, there's the familiar stop at Yong Peng for a round of Anthony Fishball - 18 Jalan Bayan (Taman Sembrong Barat), Yong Peng, Johor - before we swop cars again for the 190+km trip to our lunch stop at Aunty Aini's Garden for some nasi padang, fusion-style - Batu 16, Jalan Sepang, 71800, Nilai.

What was impressive was the CT200h's ability to cruise at pretty impressive highway speeds... Also, the cabins of all the Lexus hybrids felt properly 'premium', or in other words, never felt like a Toyota, so it's easy to appreciate where the money is going, even for 'entry-level' models like the CT and ES.

For the post-meal workout, we proceeded the 30+km to Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative centre, where the cars were staged and shot around the area's more salient features, which included a group picture right smack in the middle of the Boulevard Putrajaya, as well as along the suspension bridge.

The nature of Kuala Lumpur's traffic requires immediate spurts of propulsive force to properly exploit the gaps in fast moving streams of moving vehicles.

Another immediately tangible advantage of the Lexus hybrids is their ability to deliver immediate response when called upon, thanks to the explosive fusion of electric motor and internal combustion engine.

We quickly make it to the Hotel Intercontinental nee Hotel Nikko - 165 Jalan Ampang - with a dinner engagement at Cantaloupe, which is a minute's walk away from the hotel' let's put it this way, the trip up the lift to the 23rd floor was longer than the time it took to walk over!

Of course, no trip to Kuala Lumpur is complete without a visit to Restoran Oversea - 84-88 Jalan Imbi - for pork, pork and erm, more pork.

The restaurant is a veritable institution among Singaporeans and it can pack up really quickly, so making a booking for one's charsiew is recommended during peak meal times!

We fight our way out of the city centre and make a beeline for Bukit Tinggi to let loose some of the frustration from dealing with KL's nefarious city traffic.

The winding roads are uphill are well-maintained and afford good visibility, so it's possible to really give the hybrids a good caning. The nature of the hybrid's power delivery means the power comes in smoothly and quickly to punch you out from corner to corner.

As with many good things, the fun soon stops and we prepare to make the journey back down South into Singapore. Patches of severe rain storms along the North-South Highway really tax the wipers and we're thankful for the hybrids' heated seats, just as we are for the air-con seats during the parts of the highway exposed to the searing afternoon sun.

As the peak hour traffic around the Sungei Besi toll booth is starting to build, the Hybrids are again able to alternate between full EV and mixed modes to help maximise fuel efficiency.

Plug-in hybrid models aren't widely available just yet and the few that are are priced around the S$600k mark which entrenches them deep within luxury territory.

Ultimately Lexus' gambit of pushing the agenda of hybrid petrol-electric vehicles in the premium segment (for the CT, IS, ES, GS and RX) could continue to gather momentum, since they adroitly straddle the fine line between city driving and cross-country excursions for the whole family.

PHOTOS Lexus/Abel Tan