Lexus HS 250h...revealed Jan. 11
01-11-09, 09:22 AM
#181
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
again, it's about weight, cost, and ironically, NOT trying to look 'flashy'. lexus has always pushed itself as the 'sensible luxury' brand, and this fits right in. the whole hybrid thing has really been confusing for lexus. they pushed it for performance. they pushed it for economy (not much). they pushed it for quiet (makes sense). now they're probably pushing it for 'cheap sensible luxury' 
this one might be the right formula.
with no disrespect meant, i can see it doing very well in canada, where acura sells junk like rebadged civics and where people are VERY sensible and don't like to look flashy.
where is the car made by the way?
this one might be the right formula.with no disrespect meant, i can see it doing very well in canada, where acura sells junk like rebadged civics and where people are VERY sensible and don't like to look flashy.
where is the car made by the way?
01-11-09, 09:23 AM
#182
luxury brands who? A3/1 series/ A/B Series? What do you think majority of Audis were from that 1 million sold in 2008... A8's are sold in hundreds even in Germany... It is FWD A3/A4 that they sell a lot.
01-11-09, 09:23 AM
#183
Guest
Posts: n/a
again, it's about weight, cost, and ironically, NOT trying to look 'flashy'. lexus has always pushed itself as the 'sensible luxury' brand, and this fits right in. the whole hybrid thing has really been confusing for lexus. they pushed it for performance. they pushed it for economy (not much). they pushed it for quiet (makes sense). now they're probably pushing it for 'cheap sensible luxury' this one might be the right formula.
with no disrespect meant, i can see it doing very well in canada, where acura sells junk like rebadged civics and where people are VERY sensible and don't like to look flashy.
where is the car made by the way?
this one might be the right formula.with no disrespect meant, i can see it doing very well in canada, where acura sells junk like rebadged civics and where people are VERY sensible and don't like to look flashy.
where is the car made by the way?
01-11-09, 09:24 AM
#184
01-11-09, 09:25 AM
#185
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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Very weak. This feels kinda like Gm badge engineering and it shouldn'. the 2.4L I4 is a step backward. The Ford Fusion hybrid is a better bet than this.
01-11-09, 09:31 AM
#187
Guest
Posts: n/a
Where is this L-finesse outsourced to Italians coming from?
Lexus design has always been solid, they age well and you can see how one generation became the next. It also helps they are so successful they don't have discontinued cars.
01-11-09, 09:32 AM
#188
1) Old. Been on the market for a while now.
2) Outdated- Toyota is now moving to the 2.5L 4 as can be seen in the 2010 Camry thread.
3) Not amazingly efficient.
4) Very loud and somewhat unrefined in the higher RPMS
Now Lexus may have made some tweaks here and there but I think they should have either gone for the Prius engine and thus greater gas mileage, or the new 2.5 and more power and refinement. The 2.4 doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless you're considering cost, in which case this has been taken directly from the Camry Hybrid...which I might rather have from a visual stand point.
01-11-09, 09:41 AM
#190
Especially since the 2.4 is
1) Old. Been on the market for a while now.
2) Outdated- Toyota is now moving to the 2.5L 4 as can be seen in the 2010 Camry thread.
3) Not amazingly efficient.
4) Very loud and somewhat unrefined in the higher RPMS
Now Lexus may have made some tweaks here and there but I think they should have either gone for the Prius engine and thus greater gas mileage, or the new 2.5 and more power and refinement. The 2.4 doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless you're considering cost, in which case this has been taken directly from the Camry Hybrid...which I might rather have from a visual stand point.
1) Old. Been on the market for a while now.
2) Outdated- Toyota is now moving to the 2.5L 4 as can be seen in the 2010 Camry thread.
3) Not amazingly efficient.
4) Very loud and somewhat unrefined in the higher RPMS
Now Lexus may have made some tweaks here and there but I think they should have either gone for the Prius engine and thus greater gas mileage, or the new 2.5 and more power and refinement. The 2.4 doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless you're considering cost, in which case this has been taken directly from the Camry Hybrid...which I might rather have from a visual stand point.
01-11-09, 09:47 AM
#191
I wish all examples of "badge" engineering would end up looking like this - interior and exterior that looks nothing like their platform mates ;-)
01-11-09, 09:47 AM
#192
Speaks French in Russian
Yes, we do know the car is about Fuel Economy. But people asked for a Lexus like Prius. You know, a Lexus with wood trim, leather, an elegant design. They didnt ask for a Toyota with a Lexus badge. 
What I think is that people are accepting a half assed effort by Lexus when we KNOW they are capable of much more. I dont buy the statement that hybrid buyers dont want wood trim in their vehicles. Was that the same reason to decrease the amount of wood trim in the GS, RX, ES, and LS? Sounds like an excuse/cover up to promote cost cutting. And yes, the RX debuted with aluminum trim, but wood trim quickly became an option later.
And nah, I cant give them props for dropping an old Camry Hybrid engine into a brand new Lexus. For what? Why?!! What about the new I-4 engines? They could have used that, or the other engine technologies they use in the JDM Toyota's.
And yes it has Lexus Enform and LED headlights and all that other tech stuff. It's SUPPOSED to have that.
I'm sorry, but I should expect the best from Lexus. This is NOT the best from Lexus IMO. I can't accept this when I know they have the potential and capability to do much more. This car could have been outstanding. But its lukewarm at best.
What I think is that people are accepting a half assed effort by Lexus when we KNOW they are capable of much more. I dont buy the statement that hybrid buyers dont want wood trim in their vehicles. Was that the same reason to decrease the amount of wood trim in the GS, RX, ES, and LS? Sounds like an excuse/cover up to promote cost cutting. And yes, the RX debuted with aluminum trim, but wood trim quickly became an option later.
And nah, I cant give them props for dropping an old Camry Hybrid engine into a brand new Lexus. For what? Why?!! What about the new I-4 engines? They could have used that, or the other engine technologies they use in the JDM Toyota's.
And yes it has Lexus Enform and LED headlights and all that other tech stuff. It's SUPPOSED to have that.
I'm sorry, but I should expect the best from Lexus. This is NOT the best from Lexus IMO. I can't accept this when I know they have the potential and capability to do much more. This car could have been outstanding. But its lukewarm at best.
Last edited by GFerg; 01-11-09 at 09:52 AM.
01-11-09, 09:49 AM
#193
Oh well...I guess we'll see.
In response to spwolf's post, luxury in America is clearly different from luxury in Europe and this car is probably better suited to European markets, at least in my eyes. Here, people who are looking for cheap and fuel efficient transportation aren't really going to Lexus or BMW for the solution. Premium brands are looked to as innovators in quality, luxury, engineering, design, performance, and technology...not simple transportation, mostly because they are significantly more expensive than similarly laid out/optioned mainstream cars.
Here Lexus has put a Camry Hybrid powerplant in a Prius platform and wrapped it in a 2004 Corolla shell. For that reason, I find it difficult to be necessarily enamored with the engineering aspect of this, or really the technology front either. It's all parts they have, or that they have had for a while. I guess I was expecting something a little more ground breaking for the "first dedicated luxury hybrid".
Additionally, it's pretty weak looking outside and the interior may have just set a record for ugliest door panels and least amount of wood in any car to ever come from Asia. The stitched vinyl dash is a nice touch, but the cabin truly lacks the elegance and appeal of a Lexus...which is the emblem that this car wears.
Overall, it just sucks. FWD, 187hp, 40ish MPG, looks like a Yaris crossed with a Corolla, and a somewhat cheap and sparse interior. All for $30ish grand? Come on.
01-11-09, 09:52 AM
#194
Yes, we do know the car is about Fuel Economy. But people asked for a Lexus like Prius. You know, a Lexus with wood trim, leather, an elegant design. They didnt ask for a Toyota with a Lexus badge.
What I think is that people are accepting a half assed effort by Lexus when we KNOW they are capable of much more. I dont buy the statement that hybrid buyers dont want wood trim in their vehicles. Was that the same reason to decrease the amount of wood trim in the GS, RX, ES, and LS? Sounds like an excuse/cover up to promote cost cutting. And yes, the RX debuted with aluminum trim, but wood trim quickly became an option later.
And nah, I cant give them props for dropping an old Camry Hybrid engine into a brand new Lexus. What about the new I-4 engines? They could have used that, or the other engine technologies they use in the JDM Toyota's.
And yes it has Lexus Enform and LED headlights and all that other tech stuff. It's SUPPOSED to have that.
I'm sorry, but I should expect the best from Lexus. This is NOT the best from Lexus IMO. I can't accept this when I know they have the potential and capability to do much more. This car could have been outstanding. But its lukewarm at best.
What I think is that people are accepting a half assed effort by Lexus when we KNOW they are capable of much more. I dont buy the statement that hybrid buyers dont want wood trim in their vehicles. Was that the same reason to decrease the amount of wood trim in the GS, RX, ES, and LS? Sounds like an excuse/cover up to promote cost cutting. And yes, the RX debuted with aluminum trim, but wood trim quickly became an option later.
And nah, I cant give them props for dropping an old Camry Hybrid engine into a brand new Lexus. What about the new I-4 engines? They could have used that, or the other engine technologies they use in the JDM Toyota's.
And yes it has Lexus Enform and LED headlights and all that other tech stuff. It's SUPPOSED to have that.
I'm sorry, but I should expect the best from Lexus. This is NOT the best from Lexus IMO. I can't accept this when I know they have the potential and capability to do much more. This car could have been outstanding. But its lukewarm at best.
