2010 Lexus HS 250h Ellijay GA

2010 Lexus HS 250h By Brian Alexander, Road Test Editor

DriverSide Overview
Lexus currently offers three hybrid models: the LS 600h , GS 450h and RX 450h . For most manufacturers that would be more than enough, but for Lexus, it’s a problem. Why? Because the LS, GS and RX aren’t dedicated hybrid platforms, they’re vehicles designed around gasoline power that happen to offer a hybrid drivetrain alternative. At Lexus, that’s just not good enough, so the Toyota-owned company set about building their first dedicated hybrid model, the HS 250h. Loosely based around the European-only Toyota Avensis (not to be confused with the bulbous Venza crossover we get here in the States), the HS 250h is meant to slot into the Lexus lineup as the world’s first entry-level luxury hybrid. Don’t think of this as a tarted up Prius , though. This is a hipper car with a Lexus badge, a more powerful drivetrain borrowed from the Camry Hybrid and enough cameras and technology crammed on board to rival a last-generation spy satellite. It doesn’t look as silly or compact as a Prius either and, in fact, is longer than Lexus’ own IS , the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3-Series . That makes for an interior that’s properly spacious as well as space-aged, all while achieving an average 35 mpg combined. High-class Prius fans, your chariot has arrived.








What's to Like
There is a lot of technology in this car, including Lexus’ mouse-like force-feedback Remote Touch controller, a massive navigation screen, a heads-up display and lane-keep assist. A cushy interior with plush, comfortable seats and ample rear leg and headroom thanks to a high roofline and contoured front seats means passengers won’t feel cramped. EV and ECO modes for the hybrid drive system will please hybrid car junkies.

What's Not to Like
While certainly an improvement over existing products, fuel economy of 35 mpg isn’t as high as we’d hoped for, and, in fact, almost matches the BMW 335d on the highway. There may be too much technology crammed into this car to allow Lexus to hit a low price point, which will be key in selling it over lower-priced competitors.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
Anyone who has ever been in a hybrid will feel at home with the HS 250h’s quiet ride. What they might not feel at home with, however, are the driving dynamics. This is not your typical floppy, wet-noodle-for-a-chassis green car. It’s has a taught, controlled feel that’s never jarring but at the same time never floaty and disconnected – truly indicative of its European roots. It cruises quietly at high speeds and often gives you the sensation that you’re traveling slower than you actually are. The brakes aren’t too grabby the way some regenerative systems tend to be. Yet, while it won’t bore you to death it’s not really...

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