When the Lexus brand was finally introduced back in its homeland of Japan, it marked the end of the Toyota-badged Lexus products such as the Toyota Harrier, which was essentially a Lexus RX. The Land Cruiser and Lexus LX twins are still on though.
Or so we thought, because the new Lexus HS250h will be launched in Japan as a Toyota called the Toyota SAI, alongside the original HS250h which has already been launched in Japan, which isn’t really completely original at all, being a restyled Euro-market Toyota Avensis (platform also used for the Scion tC) with the Camry Hybrid’s gaso-electric powertrain. Boy, that was confusing!
Toyota will be positioning the Toyota SAI as a larger hybrid-only car compared to the Prius, though since they share the same 2,700mm wheelbase I don’t expect the interior space to be all that different, though rear headroom should be better.
In the HS250h, the chassis had to handle the naturally larger 2.4 litre Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid system but some are saying that the Toyota SAI will use the 1.8 litre version thats in the Prius. There are of course also news that it will use the same 2.4 litre HSD engine as the HS250h. What it will have is a proper boot, while the Prius is a hatchback.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
The front look is bad…the rear and the side view of the car remind me the current Camry with new rear light.
well ok ok….
Funny SHIT car
when the designer lost source of inspiration or creativity bank…this is what happens…lol
recession FWD product…..stay away, Its toyota's cadillac cimarron (si moron)
won't cannibalise own products meh?
It's a case of neither here nor there ….looks like me , sounds like me , but it's definitely not me .
i think Toyota should decide where they want to be in 20 years time …premium products or cheap-mass produced products ?
grill so not stylish. toyota made the lexus look aged. :
They better change the name if they wan to sell here, if not really kanaSAI…
Anyways BMW anytime better than Toyota CRAP
if u get to choose and toyota camry and a bmw 3series, and u cant afford to pay above 150k, which one would you buy? what a stupid comparison by ALPINA_BMW… if most ppl CAN AFFORD, im sure toyota will go bankrupt…
ps: Ferrari anytime better than BMW
front looks like the new impreza actually…
Funny name in hokkien , sai
Omg..that ain't look good at all…
Boy, that was confusing!
– Oh god, I'm confusing too!
Toyota should separate the Lexus & Toyota brand itself!
What a spoil brat market! No more exclusive position for Lexus!
How to compete with german luxury car such as Maybach