Cu-La2O3-ZrO2/gamma-Al2O3 hybrid catalysts were prepared by four different preparation methods. The catalysts were characterized by N-2 adsorption and desorption, N2O adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction (H-2-TPR), temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), followed by the evaluation for the one-step synthesis of dimethyl ether from syngas. The hybrid catalyst prepared by mixing freshly obtained precursors of both components possessed the highest CO conversion (73%) and DME yield (58%). It was revealed that the superior catalytic performance was not only ascribed to the amount of highly dispersed copper species with smaller particle size, which was benefit for the CO adsorption linearly, but also to the amount of acidic sites with medium strength. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.