Matt Stone: BMW, Lexus, Lincoln, Cadillac, Audi, Infinity and others, all have compact Sport Sedans. But none of them to date have offered a Hybrid power trend. Well, that all changes for 2010. Lexus is first in the book and their entry is called the HS 250H.
It resembles the brands on IS ended about two inches longer than a C-class, fits dimensionally mid way between the IS and larger ES. But the HS 250H employs an entirely chassis and body work. The gasoline engine, electric motor and hybrid drive system, an electronic controller hardware are architecturally similar to those found in the Toyota Prius.
Although - most, everything is larger and more powerful for this application. Well the detailing says Lexus, the overall design shape, still says Toyota. Unique is the HS's programmable engine management system. The car starts in normal mode which is designed to deliver linear throttle response at every day balance between performance and economy.
Three buttons on the instrument panel allow a choice between power, economy and EV modes. Power is obvious, calibrated for the best performance and hint, -- maximum acceleration is obtained by shifting the transmission quadrant in to the B sector, which is designed to deliver an extra dose of regenerated braking, but also dials up the most accelerative punch.
Economy mode softens the throttle response and take off with the intent to educate drivers to be smoother away from the line, but most fuel is wasted. Selecting EV commands the HS into electric only mode, designed for engine free running in places like enclosed parking lot or during a slow traffic crawl.
If you hunger for technology, the HS 250H will feed your boiler. Besides all tech required to manage and maximize its hybridness, you can order rear and front parking assist cameras, a heads up instrumentation display, Mark Levinson infotainment packages including dvd, audio, voice recognition and an outstanding
Navigation package(nav) with a large high resolution screen, bundled with that nav is a suite of services called N form.
Beside the usual map functions, you can receive subscription based XM weather reports, sports and stock updates and live destination assist. It's all managed by a mouse like controller called Remote Touch, mounted with an easy reach on the center stack. This system is so easy to use, it makes other central controller designs, look silly.
For Power, the HS 250H uses a hybrid synergy drive system that is much similar to that used in the Prius, but everything is larger. Because this is a larger car and more performance it is expecting. The base 4 cylinder engine puts out 147 hp. Add the electric motor, that's good for another forty, so you get a total of 187 hp. It's backed by a continuously variable transmission and of course, the battery packs used by this system are similar to that of the Prius but are also larger.
Overall, the HS 250 is a nice driving piece, it's quiet, it's smooth, it's obviously more biased toward luxury than it's performance. Although the Triune Group, which includes aluminum pedals, 18 inch wheels, a rear deck spoiler, and a stiffer, firmer suspension tuning that is actually kind of a sport and gives fun to drive .
Now there's adequate power although, it is no power house by any stretch. With a 187 total hp you're talking about a lot less hp than even a V-6 Camaro which has over 260. So this car's performance is in terms of its technology and its fuel mileage, not so much as acceleration. Now it will get up and go when you punch it, but it has that hybrid characteristic, we sometimes call motor boating which when we hit it, it revs up and then pulls you along and then it slows down.
Sometimes when you are going up and down a hill, it revs up a little and goes down a little and you take on a grade and it takes a little more gas, not what you are used to in a torque 6 cylinder or V-8 engine. Of course cars with those types of motors don't get 35 miles to the gallon, like this one does.
Lexus had not yet released pricing yet as of this riding, but hence at a base MSRP of around $37,000. Order the navigation, and touring or technology packages and it will cross $40,000 with ease. Lexus is hoping to find around 24000 buyers per year who's most important purchase criteria, are technology and ecology.
In the HS 250H, they will find a generally well engineered and executed machine. But if you value mph over mpg and red lines above green ones, there are many more compelling choices in this price range.
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