September 10th, 2009

From Green Right Now Reports

Lexus will push the pedal on the hybrid market with the arrival this month of its first dedicated hybrid model. The company calls its 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedan “the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in the U.S.”

The company also touts the car’s blend of advanced technology, luxury and eco-sensitivity. Almost a third of the interior and luggage space come from sustainable materials, and Lexus says 85 percent of the car can be recycled.

There has been advance buzz that the HS 250h would be Lexus’ Prius. But while Lexus officials say both hybrids use the series/parallel hybrid system, they add “that’s where the similarity ends.” Lexus says the HS 250h is based on the European Toyota Avensis platform and uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine compared to the Prius, which is on another design platform and uses a 1.8-liter engine. The hybrid transmission, motor generators and electronic control systems are also different.

At 35 mpg, Lexus says the HS 250h has the best combined EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any luxury or diesel luxury vehicle in the U.S. In addition, the HS 250h emits 70 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new car and is eight times cleaner than any clean diesel.

“With the HS, we’re bringing something to market that no one ever envisioned,” Dave Nordstrom, vice president of marketing for Lexus, said in a statement. “People want to do the right thing . . . they want great mpg, but they also want the latest in technology, the latest innovations and a car that’s fun to drive. This vehicle has it all wrapped up in one.”

The HS has four driving modes: Power, Regular, ECO and EV. When it runs in the EV mode, which is purely electric power, the result is zero emissions. The optional Heads-up Display clearly projects vehicle speed and other data on the windshield. Optional Lexus Enform allows for multiple points of interest to be pulled up from a home or office computer, or any Web-enabled device, and sent via the Internet directly to the vehicle’s available Navigation System.

The HS 250h has a base MSRP of $34,200. MSRP does not include the destination fee of $875. For additional information about the Lexus HS 250h, visit lexus.com/HS.