What do you get when you take the new generation Prius chassis (2010) and mate it with the hybrid drive train from the Toyota Camry, and sprinkle on a heaping helping of Lexus luxury and new technology?

The answer? The 2010 Lexus HS 250h. It's the fourth hybrid in the Lexus lineup and more importantly, according to Lexus, the world's first dedicated luxury hybrid.

Translating Lexus marketing lingo that means the HS 250h is the world's only dedicated luxury hybrid. In other words, Lexus will not build a non-hybrid HS.

To get the car established in the much-sought-after 40-50-year-old luxury buyer demographic, Lexus has crammed it full of new technology. Included is its new Lexus Enform option which enables the car to communicate with the wired world, and new heads-up display that floats digital car info above the HS's hood.

But the real question: Can Lexus, based on its reputation for luxury, sell a dedicated luxury hybrid that will cost substantially more than the 50 mpg Prius, but gets only about 35 mpg?

To find out watch the video below and judge for yourself.




To read more of Roman Mica's car reviews, visit: www.thefirstlemming.com.