Toyota unveiled two news-making vehicles this year: the new, blue Prius, which lit up the Internet with opinions from car lovers and tree-huggers everywhere; and the less publicized, but no less impressive, luxury hybrid, the Lexus 250h Series.
Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know about the luxury car du jour. First, a quick rundown on the car's stats:
–The car features something Toyota refers to as the “cockpit of the future,” made from Eco Plastics that reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% over the course of the vehicle’s lifetime.
–The asymmetric design of the dash and center console are aesthetically pleasing and sleeker than what you might think a hybrid vehicle might (and usually does) look like.
–A low center pass through allows for purse (or messenger bag) storage.
–Rear seat legroom is generous and back seat passengers are treated as nicely as those in the front, they even get optional twin DVD players.
–Family first: In terms of safety, the attention to detail is extreme: the Lexus hybrid sports a total of ten airbags surrounding front and rear seat occupants.
These days, luxury often gets confused with technology. Especially when it comes to cars. On the one hand, gadgetry—features like Bluetooth, navigation, heated and cooled seats, cameras in the side-view mirrors (so you can see how close to the curb you’re parking), iPod compatibility—seems like the essence of a new-and-improved car. But the Lexus hybrid boasts a different kind of forward thinking called the "Remote Touch Interface,” a non-touch, eight-inch screen buried high in the dash and controlled with RTI (a hybrid of force feedback joystick and computer mouse).
Toyota recently released a statement claiming “Six in ten people shopping for an entry luxury model have told Lexus that they would like a hybrid option. Only Lexus can offer this kind of advanced technology experience in a no-compromise luxury vehicle.”
That may be true. But what’s also worth noting is knowing the difference between slick and smooth driving, between getting pampered and getting taken care of, between style and substance.
These days, luxury often gets confused with technology. Especially when it comes to cars. On the one hand, gadgetry—features like Bluetooth, navigation, heated and cooled seats, cameras in the side-view mirrors (so you can see how close to the curb you’re parking), iPod compatibility—seems like the essence of a new-and-improved car. But the Lexus hybrid boasts a different kind of forward thinking called the "Remote Touch Interface,” a non-touch, eight-inch screen buried high in the dash and controlled with RTI (a hybrid of force feedback joystick and computer mouse).
Toyota recently released a statement claiming “Six in ten people shopping for an entry luxury model have told Lexus that they would like a hybrid option. Only Lexus can offer this kind of advanced technology experience in a no-compromise luxury vehicle.”
That may be true. But what’s also worth noting is knowing the difference between slick and smooth driving, between getting pampered and getting taken care of, between style and substance.
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