The HS 250h is the Lexus brand’s first dedicated hybrid. Previous Lexus hybrids were adaptations of existing vehicles, but the HS is sold just as a hybrid, with no gasoline-only version.

The comparison to the 2010 Prius is apt, since the two cars share the same basic platform. They both ride on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, though the Lexus HS 250h is 2 inches wider, half an inch higher, and a full 9 inches longer than its hatchback relative. The HS also has a larger 2.4-liter engine—similar to the one in the Toyota Camry Hybrid—against the 1.8-liter engine used by the 2010 Prius. The complete hybrid system in the Lexus is fully 40 percent more powerful than that of the Prius: 187 horsepower compared to 134.

So while the two cars have different bodies, different engine sizes, and certainly different personas, you can view the HS 250h as a Prius with a trunk, a raft of luxury accoutrements, and a different trade-off between fuel economy and features.

Base MSRP: $34,650
MPG: 35 city / 34 highway