2010 Prius: Lexus HS250h --> Parts Talk

  • Thread starter Thread starter YSSMAN
  • 115 comments
  • 8,558 views
YSSMAN
It'll be competing with the 2010 Honda Insight:
Click to expand...

Isn't Toyota keeping the current Prius around for a few years after the new one comes out and offering that at a lower price to compete with the Insight?
 
Philly
Isn't Toyota keeping the current Prius around for a few years after the new one comes out and offering that at a lower price to compete with the Insight?
Click to expand...

I did hear something along those lines. To be honest though they'd have to price it significantly less for people to bother buying it over the brand new design Honda. At the same time, it may be a shot in the foot if people keep buying the old Prius instead of the new one just because it's cheaper...
 
I was under the impression that the new Prius would outright replace the current one, but given the rumors that Prius may become its own brand under Toyota, you could be right. The significant advantage to the Prius, at least to the Volt and Insight anyway, is that it was the "origional," and will most likely remain the cheap alternative as long as it stays in its current HSD form. My guess is that the PHV version will be just as expensive as the Volt...
 
YSSMAN
The significant advantage to the Prius, at least to the Volt and Insight anyway, is that it was the "origional,"...
Click to expand...

*ahem*

I believe this:

2006.honda.insight.20029148-396x249.jpg


would like it's kudos for being introduced to the US a whole year before the Prius set foot here.
 
And that was actually designed for efficiency rather than "look at me I'm hip!"
 
Were early Priuses designed to be "cool?" It seems that that is a more recent development in the car's history.
 
Early Priuses were more like tech demos rather than anything else.
 
Jim Prower
Ah, yes. The grown-up-hippiemobile. The Left's favorite: It's bland, slow, and has no chance of becoming a street racer.
Click to expand...

so the rights favorite is anything that is harmful to everyone? like...war! and abolishing human rights and workers rights. and preaching hate via religion.
 
Hummers running over tigers while burning down forests or something to that effect.
 
Toronado
And that was actually designed for efficiency rather than "look at me I'm hip!"
Click to expand...

Agreed. Conceptually ten times the car the Prius is. And certainly more efficient. It's quoted something like 70mpg but it's not hard to look around the net to find people doing 100mpg in theirs. Supposed to be fun to drive too - not sure you could level that at the Pious.
 
Toronado
Early Priuses were more like tech demos rather than anything else.
Click to expand...

Most-certainly. The origional model was a terrible little car, both inside and out. All I remember thinking the first time I saw one was "wow, how'd they get the Echo to stretch, and whats up with the gills behind the rear doors?"

RE: Insight

I'm still a little sad they got rid of the car now that I've done more research on it. When I was shopping around for a new car, secretly, I was looking for an Insight. People were saying on message boards that they could get as much as 70-80 MPG on the highway, well over 30 MPG in the city. Given how much driving I do, it would have been perfect.

I know Honda keeps talking about making IMA versions of all their vehicles, and to that end, it really makes me hope that they do an IMA Fit. But, when I'm pulling 28-30 MPG in my Celica (which shouldn't be doing more than 26 MPG), I'm pretty happy.
 
YSSMAN
I'm still a little sad they got rid of the car now that I've done more research on it. When I was shopping around for a new car, secretly, I was looking for an Insight. People were saying on message boards that they could get as much as 70-80 MPG on the highway, well over 30 MPG in the city. Given how much driving I do, it would have been perfect.
Click to expand...

One of the great things about the Insight is the efficiency of the shape and lightness of the chassis - worth so much to economy even before the 1.0 litre IMA unit is in. I found a great article on Honda Tuning a while back about a K20-powered Insight - 200bhp yet driven normally can still get almost 50mpg (US gallons). I'd love to see the Prius that could get 50mpg with a 200bhp non-hybrid engine.
 
Screw that, that Insight'd freakin' FLY! I've always wondered what a Hybrid'd do with a "Proper" engine under the hood.
 
The answer - outrun a Civic Type R and still get 50mpg...
 
Well, I usually wondered about a Prius with a 2ZZ-GE, although, If I really wanted to go anti-Prius, I'd either use a 3S-GTE, (keeping FWD) or a 2JZ-GTE, with the floorpan significantly altered to clear a driveshaft, and big drag tires (and a rear diff) at the back...

Actually, with the Prius's slippery body, I wonder if that 2JZ Prius would be a good Dragster...
 
I want to take an Insight, and put a 6cyl in the back. one from an NSX, preferably. Now THAT would go.
 
Jim Prower
Screw that, that Insight'd freakin' FLY! I've always wondered what a Hybrid'd do with a "Proper" engine under the hood.
Click to expand...
Well, in the Insight's case in particular, I believe Honda already sold such a car in the 80s and 90s. Just without the hybrid bits.
 
Last edited:
Word Up: Lexus is Getting a Prius Too!

hs250h-1.jpg


I'm not at all surprised, in fact, I think a luxed-up Prius would sell very well. Must have taken the plans out of GM's book with that whole "lets make a Cadillac out of the Volt too!" deal.
 
💡 They have "h" versions on all their lineup though... ?
 
Why do all the new hybrids look like loaves with their asses cut off.
 
Toronado
Well, in the Insight's case in particular, I believe Honda already sold such a car in the 80s and 90s. Just without the hybrid bits.
Click to expand...

CR-X, correct?
 
Omnis
Why do all the new hybrids look like loaves with their asses cut off.
Click to expand...

Because it's the best shape to mix aerodynamic efficiency with practicality. Ideally the car would taper like a teardrop from the roofline and from the sides of the car to something resembling a point, but this would result in the car being very long, difficult to park, an impractical boot shape and so on. The well-known in the world of ecomodding "Aerocivic" is a good example of this theory in practice:

2416491_1677_full.jpg


The owner apparently gets up to 95mpg out of it.

owner
The end result is a car with such low drag that the results of coastdown testing is linear out to 90mph (it coasts almost as well at 80mph as it does at 50mph). I have to get it over 90mph before I start to feel the wind load from high-speed driving. OEM max speed was 95mph. I have had it up to 100mph with plenty of power remaining at that speed (estimated top speed of about 140mph). Wind noise is much reduced from stock. Approximate mileage on a flat road at 85F, 95mpg at 30 to 65mph, 85mpg at 70mph, 65mpg at 80mph, 50mpg at 90mph.
Click to expand...
ecomodder.com

Realistically though, they can't sell cars with a long tail like that for the reasons I've mentioned, so the next most aerodynamic thing to do is to cut it off sharply, which is known as the "kamm" design. You get aerodynamic turbulence but nowhere near as much as you'd get by finishing off the car with a curve (like a 90s hatchback), which disrupts the airflow instead of forcing it to leave the car like a kamm tail does.

Rotary Junkie
CR-X, correct?
Click to expand...

I think that's what he was referring to. Interestingly, despite the CRX's sporty pretentions, it's actually a very aerodynamically efficient shape, not least because it has such a small frontal area. It's no coincidence the original Insight shared a similar shape, and that the CR-Z hybrid concept shares a similar shape again:

DSC_0837.jpg

(Image credit... me!)
 
YSSMAN
Word Up: Lexus is Getting a Prius Too!

[Image would go here.]

I'm not at all surprised, in fact, I think a luxed-up Prius would sell very well. Must have taken the plans out of GM's book with that whole "lets make a Cadillac out of the Volt too!" deal.
Click to expand...
I had a number of Lexus owners come to the shop, whom also had a Prius. I suppose adding leather and few more luxurious touches would make the price too dear for Toyota small-car territory, so you might as well "send-'em-across-the-street".
 
Will they come with free 'Might as well just punch me now' t-shirts too?
 
Pupik
I had a number of Lexus owners come to the shop, whom also had a Prius. I suppose adding leather and few more luxurious touches would make the price too dear for Toyota small-car territory, so you might as well "send-'em-across-the-street".
Click to expand...

It doesn't surprise me. There are plenty of people who'd pay top-dollar to have the flying "L" on the hood and the extra-comfy seats versus that of a "pedestrian" Prius. It, I assume, is partially why the aftermarket for the Prius has done so well lately.

To be honest, I never quite figured out why Toyota never offered a "Luxury Package" on the Prius. There was "Sport Package," and an "Appearance Package" as I recall, but nothing that gave us a re-done interior, spiffy wheels, and a extremely well-dampened suspension.

Only worry would be if the Lexus additions would decrease the efficiency at all.
 
No problem... just stick a bigger motor and it'll work out... :lol:

With the price premium for... errh... premium... uhm... cars, value is already questionable... so it actually makes sense to sell a Prius with a better interior kit as a "premium" badged vehicle. In fact, I've long felt that the Prius ought to be sold as a Lexus... it doesn't really make all that much sense (especially if you remove the ridiculous tax breaks) as an economy car because bargain bin buyers can't afford one.
 
It makes a lot of sense offering a small premium hybrid under the Lexus name because in the States at least, there aren't really any other small premium cars that can compete on economy.

In the UK however we have diesel "efficient dynamics" 1-series which do 62mpg (UK gallons) whilst capable of 130mph and 8.6 to 60mph (obviously not at the same time, but then a Prius can't do it's 65mpg when you're achieving a less than impressive 10+ seconds to 60 or 106mph out of it either), which frankly is a staggering mix of economy, pace and comfort/luxury (and that's just the basic 118d).

A Lexus "Prius" would struggle to compete against that, given that it'd likely be at a more ridiculous price than the current Prius, which for the basic model is currently £18,200. The 1-series I mentioned is only £1500 more. I could see a Lexus being even more than that, and there's simply no contest whatsoever unless you're an absolute berk and must have a hybrid at all costs.
 
Not to mention the fact that BMW is starting to stuff start-stop technology into some of its diesels.

I think it could be successful... Toyota just has to work on the looks of the thing.
 
homeforsummer
A Lexus "Prius" would struggle to compete against that, given that it'd likely be at a more ridiculous price than the current Prius, which for the basic model is currently £18,200. The 1-series I mentioned is only £1500 more. I could see a Lexus being even more than that, and there's simply no contest whatsoever unless you're an absolute berk and must have a hybrid at all costs.
Click to expand...

The Prius continues to be the lowest-cost "full-hybrid" sedan on the market here in the US, which starts at $22,000. Its strength is its flexibility and utility as a car that actually works, something that the more-efficent Insight was never able to match. For that matter, the price is hard to beat. The only car that can go toe-to-toe with it in the US for price, capability, and efficiency is the Jetta Sportwagen TDI, which starts at $23,590 (PLUS! A $1300 tax credit!).

To be honest, I can't think of a single luxury car that this new Lexus Hybrid would compete with. Maybe the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which is otherwise Toyota's "luxurious" model, but its questionable as to how that'd work. GM is with certainty years away from making a Two-Mode CTS, or hell, even at Two-Mode Malibu. We're still a year away (give or take) from the Hybrid Fusion/Milan, and presumably MKZ.

...In the US, at least, a full-hybrid Lexus would stand alone in the segment...
 
YSSMAN
...In the US, at least, a full-hybrid Lexus would stand alone in the segment...
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, but as I mentioned, I doubt we'll see it in the UK as it'd just get completely outclassed by some of the choices we have already.
 
Back