LEXUS
HS 250h
Before
the small CT 200h, Lexus had another entry-level vehicle in its lineup - the HS
250h which was introduced just one year before the hatch hybrid. It was just a
tad smaller than the IS, had the same powertrain as the Camry hybrid but came
with the same specific Lexus quality as the other models in the lineup.
However,
the US market was considering it the IS’ retarded smaller brother and its sales
number never went past 10,600 units, which actually happened in 2010, with the
figure starting to rapidly go down in the next two years.
As
a result, Lexus stopped the HS from being ‘not-sold’ in the US and it remained
available only in Japan. Sales there remained somehow constant, but even so,
the rise of the small hybrids like the Toyota Aqua, put the HS among luxury
cars for rich people.
And
to further highlight this status, Lexus Japan introduce a new limited edition
HS 250h Harmonious Leather Interior II in summer 2014. It sounds a bit like an
overkill as most Lexus interiors are already harmonious.
Released
on June 16th 2014, the special HS will mostly be garnished with
visual goodies, such as a new Starlight Black glass flakes exterior finish,
black and mellow white interior, white wood trimmings as well as an exclusive
violet perforation upholstery with violet stitching.
The gasoline-powered
portion of the HS 250h powertrain is the 2.4L 2AZ-FXE inline-four engine. The
2AZ-FXE produces 147 hp (110 kW) and 105 ft·lb (142 N·m) of torque at 4000
Rpm. This is assisted by an electric motor for a combined
output of 187 hp (139 kW). The HS 250h uses a similar hybrid drivetrain as the
Toyota Camry Hybrid. The fuel economy is 20.6 km/L, based on JC08 Mode cycle.
