2010 Prius: Lexus HS250h --> Parts Talk

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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.
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Very interesting. I didn't know that shape had a name. Thanks!

At least the CR-Z looks attractive, though. My main gripe with the Prius is the loaf shape.
 
Omnis
At least the CR-Z looks attractive, though. My main gripe with the Prius is the loaf shape.
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I always thought the most recent Prius looks like a mutation of an armadillo and a football.
 
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Omnis
Very interesting. I didn't know that shape had a name. Thanks!

At least the CR-Z looks attractive, though. My main gripe with the Prius is the loaf shape.
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If you're interested the ecomodder.com website is great for all that stuff, there are some really dedicated enthusiasts there! This link goes to some videos showing airflow going over a normal Honda Civic compared to if it were boat-tailed (i.e. had a teardrop shape), quite interesting.

You're right though, the Prius is a bit ugly really and a "block", but I'm assuming that's the best shape they could find that could be produced at a low cost that could hold five people and luggage. It's why the new Honda Insight probably looks so similar.

Incidentally, the old Insight is probably the most aerodynamically efficient production car ever. It's the right shape for airflow to remain attached to the surface as it passes over but it's also quite small and low (as a small frontal area is also very important). Again on the forum I mentioned that there are often discussions about the best cars to 'mod' with aerodynamic bits, and it's no coincidence that the ones that come up time and time again are small, light and have similar shapes with a sloping rear and fairly sharp cut-off to the rear end (CRX, MX-3, Paseo, Insight).
 
As it stands right now, I'm not sure why they haven't offered us an A3 TDI to get some of the luxury greenie buyers into the dealers. Every year, VW quite literally runs out of TDI Jettas and whatever else they're sticking them in these days, and customers are willing to pay $1500-4000 (if not more) for their share of the diesel pie.

Only problem is, with fuel prices otherwise collapsing (and people still not buying a lot of gas), its hard to say exactly where the market will go. We're below $2.00 again here, and it is an almost alien experience being able to fill up my tank for less than $30.
 
YSSMAN
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.
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The Prius is smaller than a Camry...

And this is probably personal taste, but Lexus is a bit ahead of anything from Detroit. A Lexus Prius might be a step down from other Lexuses in terms of luxury though. I still would be surprised if this car was any more "premium" than a Jetta TDI though.
 
Who thinks the Lexu-Prius replaces the ES in the lineup?
 
Interesting thought!

Hard to say, really. The ES is still one of their strongest-selling cars, no? I could see the Prius Redux as a strong-seller, but unless it was dramatically bigger, I couldn't see it replacing the ES.

Which reminds me, why don't they offer a Hybrid version of the ES anyway?
 
YSSMAN
As it stands right now, I'm not sure why they haven't offered us an A3 TDI to get some of the luxury greenie buyers into the dealers. Every year, VW quite literally runs out of TDI Jettas and whatever else they're sticking them in these days, and customers are willing to pay $1500-4000 (if not more) for their share of the diesel pie.
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Yeah, the TDI Sportwagen was one of my favorite cars at this year's auto show (which I just attended tonight). I'm kind of confused as to why they decided to make the rear all rounded and stuff after reading up on the Kamm design. I might've looked cooler too with sharper points.
 
I've yet to see a Sportwagen up here, but I haven't gone looking in a while. I liked the look of the car quite a bit based on the pictures, but I understand your point. Its very Passat-esque, which in the end, is more like the Touareg that came before it.
 
Lexus Has A Hybrid Now

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The long rumored HS250h is finally here, based directly on the Toyota Prius, and ready for sale as a 2010 model. According to Jalopnik, Toyota didn't talk about a release time frame, but Autoblog has made it sound like a summer release seems reasonable. As an entry-level "luxury hybrid," the HS250h stands to create its own segment that has otherwise been ignored, and I'm sure those wealthy-ish Prius owners will be happy to trade up to something a bit more "special."

Nevertheless, its not too bad. Makes you wonder what this will do to the used Prius market.
 
Hey, a car designed as a hybrid by Toyota that isn't ugly!
 
Well, it pretty much looks like a normal car I guess... not exactly a design classic, and it'll be interesting to see if it's difference in shape next to the Prius makes much difference to it's economy.
 
I'm convinced that Toyota simply can not make cars that look good anymore. I do like the big fancy wheels that look heavy and will measurably hurt the fuel economy of the car.
 
Rotary Junkie
Hey, a car designed as a hybrid by Toyota that isn't ugly!
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I was never exactly a fan of the Impreza sedan...

But the details on the car do go together pretty well IMO. I'd like to see a more "regular" interior on it before production I think, to add to the luxury theme.
 
I'm totally not digging the fusion-ish grill...From the picture, it looks to be the same size as corolla. It looks like its been compressed horizontally
 
Throw my vote in for Imprezarolla, which doesn't look very "Luxury" at all.
 
Jim Prower
Throw my vote in for Imprezarolla, which doesn't look very "Luxury" at all.
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Agreed. The only things fancy about the whole design, which is so obviously cheap-front-wheel-drive, are the paint and wheels.
 
The Official Photos of the 2010 Prius Are Here

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More Photos Here

The official debut is tomorrow, and there are a lot of rumors going around about what will actually be upgraded. Apparently the HSD system is 90% new, the car is larger than the current, and it will be more fuel-efficient. Can't say I love the look, and I'm sure the price isn't exactly going to be friendly either.

So far?

2010 Insight > 2010 Prius
 
That HS 250 has some of the most unbalanced styling cues I've ever seen: Part Prius, Camry, Corolla, and IS-series. Except they are some of the most annoying cues of each one, so nobody will confuse it for anything other than a Toyota.

It doesn't work for me stylistically, but Lexus needed another "entry-level" car anyhow. Or at least, that's what lots of Lexus-owners told me who didn't have the LS.

And the second "h" stands for redundant.
 
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It could be the angle, but the roof line on that Prius is just wrong. It shouldn't look like the main part of the car is 3/4ths of the way back. The front end is off in my peripheral vision when I look at what looks like a "focal point" of the car.

Pupik
Except they are some of the most annoying cues of each one, so nobody will confuse it for anything other than a Toyota.
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Maybe I'm the only one who thought the HS was an Impreza at first glance and had to double check the thread title...
 
Full Deets For the New Prius Have Arrived

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What you need to know:

  1. Has more power, using a new 1.8L engine
  2. Good for 50 MPG

I like the interior, at the very least. But, with so many hybrid models now available (or available soon), I'm not seeing a good reason to buy the Toyota. I'll be completely honest with everyone... Right now, my money is on the slightly less-efficient Honda Insight, which costs less, and based on early reviews, drives like a "normal" car. All being major pluses.
 
Uh, Where's the New Prius? I see a mildly restyled old one.
 
I really like the design of the middle dash air vents.

Okay, I’m done.
 
What worries me is that I genuinely like the styling more than the new Insight. The Insight looks like the previous Prius, the new Prius looks like a better looking previous Prius. It just makes me more disappointed with Honda. At least the Insight will be cheaper.
 
The headlights sure look like the ones on the Maxima and 370Z...
 
The radio looks unhappy.

[ Insert comment about center-mounted instrument cluster here. ]

Maybe Toyota designers will finally realize that this decade-old trend of theirs has not caught on for a good reason.
 
I've never understood the center-mounted pod...rather than glancing down and back up, you have to glance down and right, then back to center!
 
I think it's so mom's can more effectively see how their kids are driving to make sure they don't use any more gas than needed thereby saving the planet.
 
"Mooooom, why are you still here, I'm 35 years old!"
 
Pupik
Maybe Toyota designers will finally realize that this decade-old trend of theirs has not caught on for a good reason.
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I've driven a car or two with it, and while it is weird, I suppose I can see how someone could get used to it after driving for a very long time. Otherwise, its simply illogical to have it there. I believe Toyota's original argument for it was that drivers "wouldn't have to take their eyes off the road." But then I asked myself, "I don't look down the center of the windshield when I drive, right?"

They gave up in the Saturns, and the Scions. Toyota is the last one with it, I believe.
 
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