High Class Hybrid: 2010 Lexus HS250h

When the Toyota Prius first debuted, its popularity with society’s rich and famous surprised many. Sparsely appointed, unassuming, and quite simply far too humble, it became the steed of choice for innumerable movie stars wishing to capture the moral high ground. But let’s face it, when a lifetime of struggling finally pays off to the tune of millions of dollars and international fame, you deserve something with a bit more panache than Toyota’s oddly shaped fuel miser.

But, until now, your environmentally-aware options were limited. Sure, there’s the gorgeous Lexus GS450h and even-more-opulent LS600h and LS600hL, but those are too easily confused with their gas-guzzling stable mates in paparazzi photography. No; you need something unique, something only available in hybrid format. Something like a Prius, but with more style, more luxury.

Enter the Lexus HS250h. The world’s first hybrid-only luxury automobile, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a tarted-up Prius. It may look similar, with shockingly familiar dimensions and the same split a-pillar, but the silhouette gives it away: this is our very own version of the Toyota Avensis. Toyota’s large family sedan in most foreign markets, the Avensis-derived HS250h is actually longer and taller than its sportier brother; the IS, but hides its girth well by maintaining a narrow overall width. Out front, the HS250h mimics the Prius’ face with relatively small fascia openings below a short hood in order to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. Of course, Lexus’ styling cues are apparent in the front and rear lights, as well as the signature kink in the rear door opening. Overall, it’s a pretty car that does a great job of looking different enough from the rest of the Lexus lineup so as to not be confused with any other models, without going too far off the greenie deep end ala the Prius.

But it’s inside where Lexus designers have really triumphed. We’ve come to expect good things from Lexus interiors, but the HS250h cabin comes as a real surprise. With dramatically sweeping panels featuring multiple layered surfaces, the interior is anything but the standard, staid (albeit well made) Lexus affair. First, there’s a nearly horizontal center console that protrudes into the center of the cockpit, allowing easy access to all the controls and providing a handy storage bin that’s close at hand (at least in models that do without the optional sat/nav unit) and perfectly sized for keys, iPods, or cell phones. When closed, the bin lid serves as a great rest for your hand while you work the stereo controls. Flanking both sides of the center console is rich, soft leather that’s artfully stitched down its length, while the plastic finish itself is of the excellent grade you’d find in an LS sedan. As the driver, you’re treated to Lexus’ now-standard electro-luminescent gauges housed within a nicely upholstered binnacle. Inside the combination gauge on the left resides the same information readout you’d get in a Prius; delivering accurate fuel data while a torque-demand gauge allows a driver to make the most of the hybrid system’s ability. Down below the overhanging center console is the standard arrangement of storage bins, with a 3.5mm stereo jack and USB auxiliary input as well. On a particularly long drive (14 arduous hours) I utilized, or rather, attempted to connect my iPod to the HS250h via the supplied USB input, but was thwarted by an error code that pre-empted playback. Eventually, it was solved by pulling over and turning the car off and then back on, whereupon the system worked for a few more hours before halting playback again and displaying the same error code. Given how useless the playlist/artist/song navigation system is even when functioning correctly, I opted to listen to the satellite radio for the remainder of the trip.

In back, the rear seat is about as good as you’d expect from a vehicle this size, while the trunk offers plenty of storage space. However, it’s worth noting that throughout the interior, the vehicle’s relatively narrow track width keeps horizontal room at a premium. Subsequently, the driver’s footwell isn’t exactly the most spacious place over longer journeys, and there’s a definite lack of shoulder room in all seating positions. Furthermore, the trunk, albeit surprisingly deep, is quite narrow and cannot be expanded by folding down the rear seats.

Perhaps the least surprising thing about the HS250h is the way it drives; it feels exactly like a heavier version of the Prius. Power and responsiveness are made better by selecting Power mode, just as in the Prius, but it’s still a far cry from sporting. It’ll hustle itself around the average corner relatively well, but the tires protest at any and all aggressive steering inputs; the low-rolling resistance rubber simply incapable of dealing with the HS250h’s bulk. Faced with the average passing manoeuvre, the HS250h’s powertrain responds surprising well, but on longer, sustained hillsides the hybrid powerplant falls flat on its face. Trekking through BC’s interior, the HS250h demanded liberal exercising of the right calf to cajole it up many of the steeper hills, and maintaining huge throttle openings did little to affect the car’s speed on uphill jaunts. In short, it’ll get you around quite comfortably, but don’t ask for much more.

Which, come to think of it, would make an excellent slogan for the HS250h. It’s well appointed, handsome, and definitely well thought-out, but doesn’t shine in any single area. Factor in the $39,900 base MSRP, and the HS250h starts to make the competition look pretty attractive; Ford’s Fusion Hybrid offers none of the luxury brand panache but betters the HS250h’s real-world fuel economy, performance and practicality, while Audi’s A3 diesel offers superior performance with similar fuel savings. That said, Lexus buyers typically aren’t ones to cross-shop their local Ford dealership, and some might find Audi’s sparing Germanic interior somewhat less luxurious than the spaceship-inspired, soft-edged HS250h cabin. But, with a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid looming, and Audi, BMW, and Mercedes all stepping up their green vehicle game almost daily, it looks like the HS250h might be facing a hard road to hoe.