Luxury and hybrid are not usually synonymous - but that just illustrates the infancy of the hybrid segment.
What was once a segment made up of tiny, compact gocart- like vehicles has evolved into every category of autos, trucks and crossovers. The new 2010 Lexus HS 250h, based on Camry Hybrid's four-cylinder engine/twin-electric motor hybrid power train, takes a bow as a premium compact (or a luxury hybrid) with all the expected grand fuel efficiency as well as an impressive array of luxury accoutrements.
Should you accept the fact that the HS 250h is a true luxury sedan (after all, it is a Lexus), then you must be impressed that it is also the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle on the market. That is good enough to turn some heads in any showroom. Ah, yes, turning heads - the Achilles heel of this Lexus. While Toyota has been accused of being exterior-design challenged, Lexus rightfully manages to dodge that bullet most of the time - but not this time.
The five-passenger front-wheel-drive HS 250h, with a base price tag beginning at $34,200 (my tester was more than $44,000), exhibits a conservative and safe exterior style that feels much more hybrid than anything to do with luxury. It is not ugly, but it also is not inspiring; it safely lands somewhere in the middle and lets the interior shoulder the burden of defining this sedan as a real luxury car.
Inside the cabin of the HS 250h you will find wonderful attention to detail and a sophistication defined by outstanding materials and high-tech wizardry.
I have driven many hybrids, and the continuously variable transmissions they are equipped with can pollute the cabin with unwanted noise, a reminder of how hard all the components are working to deliver its combined 35 mpg fuel economy rating. This is the case with the HS 250h's cousins the Prius and Camry hybrids; thankfully, it is not the case with the HS 250h. I found the cabin to be amazingly quiet. At highway speeds, where wind noise and CVT whirring can often seep through the light insulation in the door panels and floor, the HS is a dream.
The Premium HS 250h model's leather seats and trim ooze sophistication. Softtouch materials are prevalent all over the interior and they serve to make the environment cozy and inviting. Visibility was outstanding and with power-adjusted seats and steering wheel, drivers should be able to find the perfect position.
Visible from all angles, the electroluminescent instrument cluster is one of the more memorable designs I've seen this year. Controls and switches seem to be perfectly placed for every function.
Speaking of function, the hub for everything going on, or everything the HS is capable of, is an extension of the center console that extends out from a mouselike touch controller (below) to facilitate all of the functions available on the screen. The screen takes a special bow in the HS as it extends and recedes with a whisper from the top of the dashboard. After a week I still got a kick out of this feature.
In the case of the HS 250h, getting a kick will cost you dearly: $44,967, to be exact. Of course, this is the Premium trim Lexus hybrid, so the impressive whole far exceeds the sum of standard safety equipment and convenience features.
The HS 250h's 16-valve DOHC 2.4-liter I-4 delivers 147 horsepower. This is, again, not what you'd typically tout as a selling point in the luxury market; these are usually cars reserved for those who live life with 300-400 horsepower under the hood and when they want to get up and move, they do not expect to have to gain momentum in an 8.7-second 0-60 mph dash. Truth is, the HS offers a total system power of 187 horsepower, and that's better than most any compact out there, hybrid or not.
At the end of the day, hybrid technology is still expensive. And when you put it into the luxurious skin of a Lexus you get an amazing package that surrounds you in posh interior charm while delivering 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and a price tag slightly north of $40,000 on average.
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