Lexus News: Lexus Shows The HS250h The Door

[William Maley]

Lexus’ HS250h hasn’t been meeting expectations since being introduced back in 2009. Through 2011, Lexus has only sold 2,383 HS250hs, a drop of 72.8% from last year.

Because of this, Lexus is showing the HS250h the door and is replacing it with another model. Ward’s Auto is reporting the new model will be positioned towards the younger crowd and not towards people moving on up from a Toyota Prius. Also, the new model will be priced much lower than the HS250h which has a base price around $37,030 ($3,495 more than a base Lexus IS.)

Source: Ward’s Auto (Subscription Required)

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[Drew Dowdell]

It had an awful awful interior not at all befitting a Lexus.

Why not make a hybrid version of the ES? It seems it would be the simplest project to execute.

[ocnblu]

This whole movement should be unplugged.

[Drew Dowdell]

why can't people have the option to buy a hybrid if they want?

[ocnblu]

Goodbye, HS250h! You were hardly worth knowing! Don't let the door hit you in the flinty buttcheeks on the way OUT!

[Robert Hall]

It had an awful awful interior not at all befitting a Lexus.

Why not make a hybrid version of the ES? It seems it would be the simplest project to execute.

It would have been...I think the idea is they thought luxury buyers would prefer a dedicated hybrid--something that looked distinct and not like just another regular car...same idea works with the Prius, maybe not so on a luxury car.

[FAPTurbo]

I'm glad that that the three people on C&G that have it in for Hybrids are only here, and not involved in any decision-making or corporate governance whatsoever. Otherwise, we'd still be using Clydesdale's to hoof it to box-socials.

[ocnblu]

Several automotive corporate heads have echoed my sentiments. They see very limited return on their investment, saleswise. And they're pretty smart, having climbed the corporate ladder to the top. So... "Clydesdale's" (sic) it is...

[FAPTurbo]

It used to be that limited returns did not prevent companies from taking risks. GM posted a $6.3 Billion profit for the first half of this year, and is selling a lot of cars like the Cruze. They should continue to innovate. That is what will bring prices down in time. Those CEO's will come to regret their decision in the future, as that is what happens often in the technology industry.

If the tech industry had the same mindset, I wouldn't be making this post on a 500 gram tablet.

[Drew Dowdell]

The Prius is about the only thing Toyota has going for themselves at the moment. So I don't think it was a poor return on investment at all. The Fusion and Escape hybrids have improved Ford's green cred substantially. A full 50% of MKZ sales are of the hybrid. The Volt is a green "halo" vehicle that helps to sell a whole bunch of Cruze Ecos to people who are already manly enough that they don't need to compensate with vehicle badging. GM had a few stumbles with Hybrid technology at first, but I'm getting the impression that it was an issue with the overall organization rather than the cars themselves. Buick's largest sedan is now available as a hybrid and gets just about the same highway fuel economy as the smallest Honda hybrid. Nissan is raking it in with the Leaf and even though the rest of their lineup is withering on the vine, they are still selling well.

The only one who has failed hard with hybrids is Honda; they've made very few technology advancements at all and the rest of the cars are falling behind fast. The plus side is that their hybrid technology is among the cheapest to produce due to its simplicity.

[ocnblu]

What exactly is "green cred"? I honestly just do not think the giant majority of customers care about that phrase.

And because I joke about "man cards", it makes me, and the car I chose, somehow not worthy? Simply because I wanted a car with normal sheetmetal thickness, no complicated air shutters in the bumper, no underbody shields, no hard-to-clean wheels, and no stinkin' green badge? Should I have my phone ready to record a video if I happen to park next to a Prius and leave my car running?

Is Nissan REALLY "raking it in" with the Leaf? You're claiming their investment has been returned and the Leaves are raking in pure profit?

Just because Buick's "largest sedan" is available as a hybrid, it is automatically a success in the market? Um... no.

Show me something that says vehicle customers are clamoring for electrification, for hybridization? I do not believe they are.

The Chevrolet Volt was hyped more than any car before production began than any car I can remember in my lifetime. If any electric/hybrid was going to change the market, it was the Volt, because it is the best execution of the concept. Yet now people are backing out of the so-called "waiting list" to get one... people are seeing a lack of value in the car. They're buying conventional small economical cars, which TRUMP the Volt, the Prius and the Leaf in cost to benefit ratio.

So... no. I just don't see the big to-do over hybrids and electrics. There is no seismic shift toward them from a real-world perspective.

[Drew Dowdell]

What exactly is "green cred"? I honestly just do not think the giant majority of customers care about that phrase.

And because I joke about "man cards", it makes me, and the car I chose, somehow not worthy? Simply because I wanted a car with normal sheetmetal thickness, no complicated air shutters in the bumper, no underbody shields, no hard-to-clean wheels, and no stinkin' green badge? Should I have my phone ready to record a video if I happen to park next to a Prius and leave my car running?

Is Nissan REALLY "raking it in" with the Leaf? You're claiming their investment has been returned and the Leaves are raking in pure profit?

Just because Buick's "largest sedan" is available as a hybrid, it is automatically a success in the market? Um... no.

Show me something that says vehicle customers are clamoring for electrification, for hybridization? I do not believe they are.

The Chevrolet Volt was hyped more than any car before production began than any car I can remember in my lifetime. If any electric/hybrid was going to change the market, it was the Volt, because it is the best execution of the concept. Yet now people are backing out of the so-called "waiting list" to get one... people are seeing a lack of value in the car. They're buying conventional small economical cars, which TRUMP the Volt, the Prius and the Leaf in cost to benefit ratio.

So... no. I just don't see the big to-do over hybrids and electrics. There is no seismic shift toward them from a real-world perspective.

Toyota has moved 109k of those rotten little Pruises so far this year. As a car, it is pretty crappy in just about every measurable way. Its only redeeming quality is its fuel economy, yet it is still selling.

The Lacrosse eAssist is just now reaching the dealers, so we can't yet pass judgement on it, however if the MKZ is any indicator, 50% of buyers opt for the hybrid (a statistic that is skewed slightly by the fact that you cannot buy AWD and a Hybrid at the same time in that model, and in the north east, AWD may win the options game)

As for the Leaf, I am claiming that Nissan is getting a ton of good marketing out of the car and they are managing to keep sales growing for the rest of their lineup despite having back of the pack products.

[smk4565]

I am surprised more people didn't want to pay $40k for what appears to be a Corolla Hybrid, oh wait, no I'm not. (and I know it is an Avensis, but people that the Toyota dealer don't). What a terrible car this was. The CT200h is just as bad.

A hybrid ES350, errrr ES250h, is a no brainer. Then they'd be expanding appeal of an existing product rather than making a whole new car to get 3,000 sales a year. Problem with Lexus is that they build a boring car for old people. Lexus cashed in big on the baby boomers, but that current lineup has little appeal to Gen X and Gen Y. One thing that kept BMW strong for so long is they can appeal to young and old.

[regfootball]

I've seen the HS, actually I don't think it's done all that badly design wise, most definitely considering its a hybrid.

It's got an identity problem though. Prius is a name, it's a brand. What's an HS?

An ES hybrid yes, makes more sense.

New Prius V or whatever, saw one on the road, it's gonna rake in more cash for Toyota. A larger hybrid, just as nerdy, a perfect move up vehicle. "Hey, I'm still a greendork, just a bigger one now!"

MKZ hybrid sells so much because its a no cost option. Lincoln was genius to bury the cost in a Lincoln Fusion. Helps pay for it.

Ford will stupidly kill the Escape hybrid when the new body comes out. Mistake on both counts. I think it will take a couple years for sales to come back on the Escape when they switch from box to egg. Eventually people will accept it and move on, but Ford will have to make up a whole lot of sales with the Edge to offset that loss. Perhaps Ford sees an overall hybrid demand drop. Maybe the next Escape will be all electric. Current hybrid owners can get a Focus electric to keep on the cutting edge. Ford will still sell a ton of Fusion / MKZ hybrids. And yet they are not nerdwagons.

I think an ES hybrid would be about the only hybrid Lexus really needs but selling Lexus with hybrids means they can make money off hybrids to help continue to develop their system.

Overall I think until hybrids become a minor price diff, and integrate into more existing models, they will still be seen as dorkwagons and most of society doesn't want to anymore be caught looking like one of those ladies yelling at the truck owner. Psychotics and overzealous folks. I think people wouldn't mind a hybrid if its got a normal wrapper and won't cost much. I think the era has passed where people are striving to pretend they are ecoconscious.....they realize it doesn't make them superior.

Hybrids still freak out some folks with battery fears and those who don't want to deal with the winter issues.

eAssist is sensible as a path. For Buick to have that is pretty good.

Edited November 12, 2011 by regfootball

[bobo]

The HS was too dorky-looking, and not in a cool way. I didn't have a problem with the interior. Part of the sales problem of the HS is also the success of the CT200h, which is selling at around 1,500 a month, and I think the projection was 1,000. A hybrid ES is also a no-brainer.

[pow]

Prius has pretty much moved to the mainstream as the efficient, practical, and rational midsize family car alternative. AFAIK, it's Toyota's third best selling car, and it's set to overtake Camry in the near future.

If Lexus offered an ES300h, I could easily imagine that making up half of all ES sales.

[Drew Dowdell]

The Escape hybrid is being replaced with the Cmax hybrid.

[pow]

The Escape hybrid is being replaced with the Cmax hybrid.

And the new Escape is pretty much a C-MAX allroad/Outback/XC.