JayGoldste

According to autonews.com (http://www.autonews.com/article/2011...110329869/1503), in the US, in the first 2 months of this year, Lexus sold 469 HSs (versus the sale of 762 Lincoln MKZ Hybrids). HS sales were down by 76% compared to the same time period last year.

noku

Has anyone even seen a new '11 HS for sale? I couldn't find any around here. This fact alone would deter a lot of folks from getting one.

Argelius

Seems like the HS has been a bit of a bomb (at least in th US). I decided to trade mine in and found the resale value pretty dismal (especially for a hybrid while gas prices are soaring). Lost 50% of it's value in the first year (although admittedly, I dont know what "normal" depretiation is).

I predict the HS will be dropped as sales of the CT get established.

cdencore

50% depreciation in 1 year is pretty dismal. Even worse than a KIA!!!

rajeev6

I don't think he's putting the numbers right. 50% depreciation would mean he bought it for 40k and was able to get only 20k for trade.

rajeev6

Have you seen the specs for CT - the engine produces only 96hp almost half of HS and still is only 5-7 mpg better in mileage! I just don't understand!

sublexus

Why does the Edsel debacle come to mind? We still love our HS 250h and if it has become an instant rarity, so be it! It's a perfect car for us and we'll keep it for the long haul.

noku

I wouldn't buy a CT. At first I thought it was the size of a Matrix but when I saw it, yikes!!!! If you're gonna have passengers in the back seat they better be on the smaller size as rear leg room is minuscule. Don't take your friends on a long trip, they won't be friends for long. Maybe a family w/ kids, someone who doesn't need a back seat, or if hauling passengers for short runs it may be fine but it really isn't for me.

My Lexus dealer only has a couple of CT demos in stock so people must be buying them. I think they had 25 come in and all sold but not expecting to be resupplied soon. Heard from Toyota salesman that although production in Japan has started again there is no way to ship because of the tsunami and earthquake damages at the harbors.

RXSF

that is just the engine...coupled with the hybrid motors, the car has a total of 134hp which is just 53 less than the HS.

And one could say the same thing about the RX hybrid. It has more than 100 hp over the HS but has only 5 less combined mpg with a lot more room

and finally, the 2011 HS is updated on Lexus.com

orateam

actually got to test drive a CT200 before buying the HS. I insisted on it from the dealer. they let me drive the one they got 1 month early for them to learn on.

I had been following the CT for some time and was dying to see it. I thought it was basically a better looking prius. Few MPG's, but nicer in and out.

Was i wrong. Sure it looks the part, but it is sluggish to an extreme. It also rides as firm as a Civic with 22" rims. But the worst is the SIZE. It's TINY!

Really tiny. The prius looks like an SUV inside compared to the CT. When comparing the 3, the choice was easy. Had the CT200 had a bit more size along with the HS engine size and ride comfort, it would be an easy winner.

spwolf

wouldnt the larger CT with HS engine size, HS ride comfort be...... HS250h?

Titanjose

Yes, a larger CT with HS engine size would be another HS250h BUT WITH MUCH BETTER LOOKS!

The leading downside for the HS has proven to be its styling and most people have been pretty vocal about it.

DDS62

I was told at the dealership the 2011's have been in the show rooms for only a few weeks except for the major markets of Chicago, LA etc. Of course the sales are going to be down. Last year was a bad year for Toyota with the brake issues and the gas tank leakage issues which resulted in the cars being taken off the market for months. Even under those conditions, the 2010's were apparently in short supply. In my case I had to wait weeks to find one - there were only a couple of base models on the lot. The other day I read an article about Consumers Reports rating the HS's reliability as only slightly above average, yet when I checked their site the HS had received stellar ratings in every category except for the brakes, body integrity, audio systems and power equipment. The low brakes and body integrity ratings sould be expected after the automobile was taken off the market for months because of those considerations. Recently another Lexus owner interrogated me about my decision to buy what he referred to as the most undesirable model in the line up, yet he had never ridden or even sat in one.

I see the many reasons that account for the negative chatter about the HS, but little of it seems to be coming from the owners.

LexFather

As I stated before, Lexus purposely did not import 2011s until most 2010s were gone. Dealers currently have limited HS inventory and 2011s are trickling in and not in the numbers as in the past as dealers have told Lexus original sales targets were too high.

Oddly the CT/HS seem to have the sales goals flip flopped. The HS was to sell 2k a month and sold around 1k a month its first year. The CT was to sell 1k a month and just sold 2200 vehicles its first month. This wrong forecasting has upset dealers as they don't have the right mix of cars for people.

The good news is the CT seems to have been a huge marketing/advertising hit and is driving people into other Lexus models mainly the HS for those that want more space and were not aware of this model.

Look for sales to increase as the months go by.

orateam

Gas prices drive up sales for hybrids when gas is high. Lately ct200 models are selling for msrp and the HS around here is just 1k less than msrp. Last year the HS was around 5000k less than msrp