TOKYO/TORRANCE, California — The 2010 Lexus HS 250h, the upscale Toyota brand's first dedicated hybrid model, launched Tuesday in Japan. It ranges in price from the U.S. equivalent of $42,479 to $57,535, Toyota said.
The Lexus HS 250h is bound for a U.S. launch in September. U.S. prices have not been announced yet.
However, Toyota is ramping up the buzz for the luxury hybrid with a contest that offers a one-year lease of an HS 250h. Participants post their profiles and a statement about why people should vote for them on DriveHS.com. The top vote getter wins the lease. The contest ends July 31.
Toyota explains that the Lexus HS 250h is so named because it "refers to hybrid vehicle with performance equal to that of conventional 2.5-liter vehicle." It is actually equipped with a hybrid system that combines a 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle combustion engine with an electric motor. Toyota said it has fuel efficiency of 23.0km/liter which translates to an estimated 35 mpg on the U.S driving cycle. The EPA has yet to post official fuel economy numbers for the Lexus hybrid.
Toyota said it plans to sell some 6,000 HS 250h vehicles in Japan per year.
In a quirky twist, Toyota said the hybrid is fitted with a new Harmonious Driving Navigator, a device that awards points for "environmentally considerate driving." The navigator assesses the driver's degree of compliance with and proficiency in environmentally considerate driving, Toyota said in a statement. Donations from earned points go to charity projects.
Other details of the hybrid include up to 10 airbags, a 10-speaker Lexus HS premium sound system and "a cockpit environment [that] has been designed to lessen the need for physical movement or switching visual focus."
Inside Line says: A new Lexus hybrid will be coming your way shortly. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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