Used 2011 Lexus HS 250h Premium for sale 

The 2011 Lexus HS 250h is a 5-passenger, front-wheel-drive compact sedan available in two trims: the Base, and the Premium. The powertrain is a 2.4L inline-4 engine with a pair of electric motors/generators that make a total output of 187 horsepower. The transmission is a CVT gearbox, while the drivetrain is an FWD, either of which is standard. The sticker price of the sedan starts from $36,330 for the base trim and goes up to $39,100 for the top end Premium trim.

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The options and even the Premium trim come at a hefty added premium. However, the base trim is capably outfitted with most of the features on the lineup, and thus it is the trim to go for. Several driving aids can be had with the Technology Package, which is recommended. All the features on the Premium trim are available on the base trim individually.

The powertrain in the 2011 Lexus HS 250h is a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which makes 147 horsepower from a 2.4L inline-4 Atkinson’s Cycle engine, mated to two electric motors making 40 horsepower or a combined 187 horsepower.

The powertrain isn't exceptionally responsive, though it does offer faster acceleration than the Prius. The transmission is a CVT gearbox, with the drivetrain being front-wheel-drive.

The HS 250h accelerates to 60 mph in around 8.4 seconds, making it quicker than most 4-cylinder compacts, though still slower than luxury cars. The gearbox becomes quite finicky and rubber-band like in the Eco mode, while the Sport mode gets a better and continuous response. The Lincoln MKZ manages a slower response, but a more consistent throttle feel. The Nissan Altima Hybrid has the best-tuned CVT in the competition, but it is quite unresponsive as compared to either the MKZ or the HS 250h.

Depending on what you require from the model, the HS 250h is quite brilliant or rather middling in its efficiency. The car manages 35 mpg in cities, 34 mpg on highways, and 35 mpg combined. The powertrain is similar to the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which gets similar numbers, while the Prius returns close to 50 mpg.

In overall mileage numbers, the Lincoln MKZ is by far the best car, which returns close to 39 mpg combined. The Nissan Altima Hybrid on the other hand returns the lowest 33 mpg in city, highway, and combined. The Nissan on the other hand gets a large 20-gallon fuel tank, which gives it the best average range in the competition.

The shape of the HS 250h is its low roofline, which makes taller passengers quite uncomfortable, particularly in the rear row. The front seats are mounted quite high, which results in the edges of the center stack jutting into the driver’s footwell.

In the back, space is nowhere as roomy as the Toyota Camry, while three passengers are quite likely to rub shoulders uncomfortably. The materials inside the cabin though are quite luxurious, but the overall design makes them just look well rather than returning a feeling of overall luxury.

The truck space is quite large, with 12.1 cubic feet, better than both of its competitors. The boot feels much larger than it is. The HS lacks foldable rear seats due to the placement of the battery which takes away from convenience. The interior offers considerable storage spaces and cubbies, which makes it overall quite convenient. Some important interior features are:

• Full power accessories
• Leather upholstery
• Power front seats
• Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Driver seat memory
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Real-wood cabin accents

How intuitive is the 2011 Lexus HS 250h’s infotainment unit?

The HS 250h offers the Enform Safety Connect system which combines subscription-based information and safety services. This system offers crash notification, roadside assistance, and automatic destination assistance for the Navigation system.

It includes XM live traffic, weather, sports, and stock, accessible through a voice command system. The navigation system is overall quite feature-rich, though it has some features only accessible through the mouse-like controller in the center stack, which is quite weird to use, particularly when on the go. Some major infotainment features include:

• 10-speaker audio system
• 6-disc CD changer
• Satellite rAdio
• AUX input
• USB input
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• Mark-Levinson audio with 330-watt output (optional)
• Navigation package
• Head-up display
• Enfrom Safety Connect

The blunt nose with the sloping forward hood makes it look almost out of place in Lexus’s refined and well-designed lineup. The HS 250h does not have the beautiful profile of the IS compact sedan, or the sleek and elegant design of the ES 350. But look closely and real attention to detail becomes apparent.

Leaving the windshield, the roof begins to slope downward immediately, which does well for exterior styling, though it does eat into the cabin’s headroom. The front window’s corners extend front from the doors which makes it resemble Lexus’s logo. The overall design is quite aerodynamic with a drag coefficient of just 0.27. Even the underbody features significant aerodynamic aids.

Comparing overall dimensions, the car is smaller than the Lincoln MKZ hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid, which directly shows up in the rear-row legroom. The overall weight of the car is also on the higher side, much more so than the Lincoln MKZ, which makes it quite inefficient in fuel economy. The car also offers a sleek width, which unfortunately lowers the shoulder room in the rear-row. Major exterior highlights of the sedan are-

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Fog lamps
• Sunroof
• Heated outside mirrors
• 18-inch alloy wheels (Premium)
• Automatic wipers (Premium)
• Auto-dimming exterior mirrors (Premium)

Only the IIHS has tested the HS 250h in its new tests. The car has been awarded “Good” scores in a frontal and side-impact. The back-impact test though returns just a “Marginal” score. The new roof strength scores a lacking “Acceptable”. Lexus does offer considerable safety features in the car, including an outstanding 10 airbags. There is also rear side set mounted airbags, knee airbags for passengers and drivers. Other features include electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, and hill-start assist. The optional Dynamic Radar-based cruise control even comes with a groundbreaking pre-collision system. Some major safety features in the car are:

• Electronic Stability Control
• Anti-Lock Brakes
• Brake assist
• Hill-start assist
• Pre-Collision System
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
• Fron, side, and side curtain airbags
• Rear-seat side seat mounted airbags
• Driver and front passenger knee airbags.

For all its quirky styling, the 2011 Lexus HS 250h is brilliantly made and has great material quality. It has a refined powertrain and a clean, noiseless ride quality. The performance though isn't the best and the brakes feel weirdly weighted due to the regen setup. The engine response is great for the segment, though it feels a little lacking in the “Eco” mode. Overall the car returns decent mileage figures, though we would consider other cheaper options from Toyota itself, like the Camry and Prius, which are better alternatives.