Lexus HS250h use counterpart Toyota SAI

When the Lexus brand was finally introduced back in its homeland of Japan, it marked the end of the Toyota-badged Lexus products such as the Toyota Harrier, which was essentially a Lexus RX. The Land Cruiser and Lexus LX twins are still on though.

Or so we thought, because the new Lexus HS250h will be launched in Japan as a Toyota called the Toyota SAI, alongside the original HS250h which has already been launched in Japan, which isn’t really completely original at all, being a restyled Euro-market Toyota Avensis (platform also used for the Scion tC) with the Camry Hybrid’s gaso-electric powertrain. Boy, that was confusing!

Toyota will be positioning the Toyota SAI as a larger hybrid-only car compared to the Prius, though since they share the same 2,700mm wheelbase I don’t expect the interior space to be all that different, though rear headroom should be better.

In the HS250h, the chassis had to handle the naturally larger 2.4 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid system but some are saying that the Toyota SAI will use the 1.8 liter version thats in the Prius. There are of course also news that it will use the same 2.4 liter HSD engine as the HS250h. What it will have is a proper boot, while the Prius is a hatchback.

-->Read More...

Lexus Prices 2010 HS 250h Hybrid from $34,200

The first dedicated hybrid model from Lexus, the 2010 HS 250h will arrive at U.S. dealerships in late August with prices set at $34,200 for the base model and $36,970 for the better equipped Premium version. In both cases buyers will have to pay an additional delivery, processing and handling fee of $875. Standard features include leather-trimmed seats, a 10-speaker, 137-watt audio system with a CD changer, 17-inch alloys and 10 airbags.

The HS 250h Premium model adds heated/ventilated front seats trimmed in semi-aniline leather, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing windshield and genuine wood interior trim plus a new memory system that allows individual driver settings for seat, power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, outside mirrors and air conditioning settings to be recalled automatically by individual key fobs.

The HS 250h features a 147HP 2.4-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine and a 40HP electric motor which generate a combined output for 187HP. Power is channeled to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). According to Lexus, the hybrid sedan received EPA-estimated ratings of 35 mpg city and 34 mpg on the highway for a combined 35 mpg utilizing regular 87-octane gasoline.

[Source: Carscoop]

-->Read More...