Friday, July 31, 2009

Lexus HS 250h

When Honda returned the Insight hybrid to the world market and Toyota made a full model change to the Prius, the battle for hybrid supremacy brings on a new contender, but this time it is from the Toyota side via Lexus brand. From the Japanese luxury car brand behind the sporty IS, the elegant GS, the beautifully handcrafted LS, and the crossover RX, the first-of-a-kind hybrid sedan, known as the HS 250h, is here.





The Lexus HS is truly a first-of-a-kind of premium hybrid sedan that is the “luxury version of the Prius” and it is not going to be easy getting this new hybrid sedan made by Lexus because of such price. Despite the pricing, let us check what is on the outside and what is on the inside the Lexus HS. On the exterior, this car has the combination of the Toyota Prius and the Lexus IS, but with the incisive simplicity, intriguing elegance and seamless anticipation, just like what you learned from Lexus’ design philosophy called L-Finesse, the perfection of the styling is truly a masterpiece for this hybrid sedan.





On the interior, it is mostly a harmony between a man and machine; especially you can feel the wood panels from the inside. To add conveniences for the HS, a Harmonious Driving Navigator (similar to the eco-drive monitor on the new Prius) checks the fuel efficiency of the HS wherever you go. Aside from the Harmonious Driving Navigator, the Remote Touch (also found on the new RX & the new RX Hybrid) provides the driver a variety of options such as music, audio, navigation and more.





Now, the truth is come clean with Lexus Hybrid Drive crafted for the HS. To put this, a powerhouse of 2362cc hybrid engine that releases the economical power of over 150ps at the fuel economy of over 23.0km/L. That is not all; a high-performance 145ps motor is equipped on this hybrid engine for the well-behaved performance of the Lexus HS, giving the Lexus Hybrid Drive a totality you can depend on. There are three modes to choose from, the Eco Mode allows the driver to maintain the best fuel efficiency on the go, the EV mode allows the HS to use the electric power inside for more quiet driving, and the Power Mode unleashes the full capacity of the HS. The Power Mode is perfect when you are cruising through higher roads but the Eco Mode might be a recommendation for normal roads.

NEED TO SAY MORE?
With the Insight, Prius, Mitsubishi i-MIEV, Hyundai Avante LPI Hybrid, and other hybrid machines battling out for hybrid supremacy, the HS from Lexus became a new contender for this type of challenge. Despite the price tag that reaches over the 5,000,000 yen mark (or the equivalent of over 3,000,000 pesos), the fuel economy might be a slight chance to look at but if you really want a hybrid sedan with the essence of a luxury car, just make some choices to choose the Lexus HS.

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