2010 Lexus HS 250h: A True Hybrid for the Luxury Car Buyer?

Is Toyota trying to repeat the Prius magic? Sure sounds like it.
The Lexus HS compact sedan is the latest to join the automaker’s luxury line. It is a hybrid, borrowing its powertrain technology from the Prius. Unlike the GS, LS, and Rx hybrids already in the Lexus fleet, though, there is no gasoline version of the HS; it is strictly a hybrid. Per Motor Trend:

But the HS 250h employs an entirely different chassis and bodywork. The gasoline engine, electric motor and hybrid drive system, and electronic controller hardware are architecturally similar to those in the Toyota Prius, although most everything is larger and more powerful for this application. There’s a bit of under-the-sheets borrowing from the Toyota Avensis sedan sold in other markets. Yet, in spite of a familiar and familial Toyota/Lexus look and feel, it is fair to call the HS a dedicated hybrid platform.

Lexus hybrids have faired poorly, with many critics pointing to their low mpg ratings for hybrids as the main cause. The six-figured LS 600h and its 20/22 mpg, especially, has been skewered by the press. Will the HS prove to be a game changer for the brand? What do you think?