hs250h

In Monday's video, we got to check out the 2010 Lexus HS250h, which is a fine representative of the current hybrid vehicles that this luxury brand has to offer. A few weeks back, Lexus presented a new car to add to its hybrid legacy at the 2010 New York Auto Show--the CT200h--and this video has got the scoop on the next generation of Lexus hybrids.

In this clip, Consumer Reports reviews the production-ready version of the CT200h that was initially unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show and will only be sold as a hybrid vehicle much like the … Read more

In quite a few TV commercials lately, Lexus has been touting its hybrid-car muscle. So I figured why not take Lexus up on its boasts and see what their current hybrid line is about? With that thought, I present today's video that takes a look at the 2010 Lexus HS250h.

The Lexus HS250h is the company's entry-level luxury hybrid sedan, and it is also its first dedicated foray into the production of hybrid vehicles. At the 35-second mark in the video, we see in plain print what some of the specs are for comparison with other hybrids. The … Read more

Lexus has released this teaser image for its LF-Ch (L-Finesse Compact hybrid) concept, which is set to make its world premier at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show.

This five-door hatchback concept will make use of "Lexus Hybrid Drive." If the recently released HS 250h is any indicator, we can expect a conservative 2.4-liter gas/electric hybrid outputting about 180-200 horsepower. As much as I'd like to dream that Lexus would drop the 340 horsepower RWD hybrid power train of the GS 450h under the hood of the concept and create a sort of high-powered hybrid Hachi-Roku … Read more

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When we were introduced to Lexus' new hybrid, we were assured that the HS250h was more than just a Toyota Prius with a premium price tag. Having spent time with the "world's first dedicated hybrid luxury vehicle," we can safely say that in many ways, it is a very different animal.

Most obviously, the HS has a standard-issue sedan profile instead of the Prius' efficiency blob shape. The HS also has a bigger engine (2.4-liters) and a more refined suspension. Better interior materials and a higher grade of available cabin tech and safety tech combine to … Read more

Along with its new HS hybrid vehicle, Lexus has also recently unveiled a new suite of connected cabin technology called Enform.

Enform makes use of onboard cellular equipment and the XM Radio connection to beam points of interest, traffic, weather, stocks, and even a Lexus lifestyle podcast into the vehicle and presents the data in a way that is easy for the driver to digest while behind the wheel.

For example, the XM NavWeather system offers three-day forecasts, which we've seen before, but also provides map overlays of weather alerts, allowing drivers to easily route around inclement conditions.

Check out our walk-through of Lexus' Enform technology suite.… Read more

• Lexus HS 250h first impressions

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When we first saw Lexus' new luxury hybrid, it was being revealed at the 2009 Detroit auto show. Recently we were given an opportunity to preview the new Lexus HS 250h, a vehicle that the automaker is calling the world's first luxury dedicated hybrid. It also calls the HS an economy luxury car, which to us seems like a bit of an oxymoron.

As I approached the vehicle, my first thought was, "Oh my, they've Lexusified and hybridized a Corolla! This is going to be a disaster." I couldn't have been more wrong.

True, the HS 250h looks like your run-of-the-mill, boring Toyota/Lexus econobox, but under the rather plain skin is a rather exceptional vehicle, particularly when it comes to cabin tech.

The HS 250h's dash is an ergonomic dream. Its floating center console lifts the climate and audio controls up to where they can be accessed without reaching. The flip-up navigation screen is moved up to the top of the dash, where it can be viewed in our periphery without taking our eyes off of the road.

At the bottom of the console, Lexus' new remote-touch controller falls naturally into the drivers' hand. A sort of joystick/trackball hybrid, the remote-touch controller uses a control stick that is moved with your fingertip to select options from the HS' icon-based interface. Movements are 1:1 with where the pointer is on the screen, so there's never any issue with losing the cursor. Haptic-force feedback notifies you through touch when an option has been selected, which assists in navigation without you having to take eyes off of the road for too long.… Read more