Hybrid Luxury

Driving with luxury, style, and fuel efficiency has never been so easy. While the Toyota Prius has long been the standard for hybrid vehicles, it is no longer the only ride in town. The Lexus HS 250h, their hybrid sedan, combines the best of hybrid fuel efficiency and luxurious comfort. Features While many new vehicles these days come with bells and whistles enough to make even the longest drives comfortable and enjoyable, the Lexus HS 250h goes above and beyond. A few of the of the most appealing features of just the standard model of this vehicle are:

• 30% of trunk and interior trim uses sustainable plastics
• Bluetooth system with voice control phone
• Automatic climate control for two zones
• Automatically switching off headlights
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• UV reducing glass for all windows
• 10 color options for exterior trim
• 6 disc CD changer
• Moonroof
• USB connection for MP3 player
• State of the art safety features

The Cutting Edge While we green connoisseurs certainly understand the importance of both luxury and the environment, sometimes government agencies catch on, too. After the initiation of such programs as Cash for Clunkers, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have decided to take further steps towards decreasing the American impact on the environment. Their recent proposal, aimed at the years 2012-2016, would require car manufactures to produce a fleet of vehicles that would have fuel efficiency of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Congress has already put a goal of 35 mpg by 2020 in place, so these new proposals would surpass Congress’s goal 4 years earlier. These measures are projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 950 million metric tons, as well as save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. The punch line of all of these projections and legislation is that the 2010 Lexus HS 250h is already getting 35 mpg. To put this into perspective, the comparably sized and only slightly cheaper Acura TSX only gets at average of 23.6 miles per gallon. Six years ahead of schedule, the Lexus is certainly on the cutting edge of luxury vehicles. The Next Step If you are looking for a luxury vehicle without the typical environmental impact, think about the Lexus HS 250h. It’s a comfortable and worthwhile investment. While the price tag is initially a bit steeper than the competition, the fuel efficiency will make up for this difference within a few years, leaving the Lexus HS 250h a competitive, luxurious, green alternative. Photo Credit: HybridCars.com