Lexus HS

The Lexus HS is a dedicated hybrid vehicle introduced by Lexus as a new entry-level luxury compact sedan in 2009. Built on the same platform as the Avensis and Scion tC, it is classified as a compact under Japanese regulations concerning vehicle exterior dimensions and engine displacement. Unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in January 2009, the HS 250h went on sale in July 2009 in Japan, followed by the United States in August 2009 as a 2010 model. The HS 250h represented the first dedicated hybrid vehicle in the Lexus lineup, as well as the first offered with an inline four gasoline engine. Bioplastic materials are used for the vehicle interior. With a total length of 184.8 inches, the Lexus HS is slightly larger than the Lexus IS in terms of size, but still smaller than the mid-size Lexus ES. Like the smaller Lexus CT, the larger Lexus ES and the Lexus RX FWD, but unlike other vehicles in the Lexus lineup, the HS features front-wheel drive, and as such has been offered as IS's front-wheel drive counterpart. In the U.S., sales for the HS 250h lagged other models, and dropped by nearly three-quarters in 2011.