On the 20th anniversary of the unveiling of the original Lexus LS400 in Detroit, Toyota's premium brand debuted the world's first dedicated luxury hybrid. The HS250h shares many of its components with the third generation Prius that we will be seeing tomorrow, but unlike the hatchback, the HS is a compact four-door sedan with a healthy does of luxury.
Power is provided by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, paired up with 187-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The HS is slightly longer than the current IS, slightly wider than the ES and will include all the usual amenities people expect on a luxury car, along with a lane departure prevention system that uses the electric power steering to help keep the car straight and true. Other features, like a heads up display that's clearly visible in daylight and LED headlights, are optional. The HS250h goes on sale this summer, and although pricing hasn't been announced yet, the automaker hopes to sell about 30,000-35,000 units annually.
