DESPITE STILL being some distance away from its showroom debut, the all-new Lexus HS 250h is generating a large order-book in its Japanese home market.

Around 1500 Japanese buyers have put themselves in the queue for the most frugal Lexus ever, and Lexus anticipates demand remaining high.

The HS 250h’s less luxurious cousin - the 2010 Toyota Prius - has already notched up 180,000 orders in Japan and demand for the hybrid is so high Toyota has ramped up production to accommodate it.

While the order books for the HS 250h aren’t likely to get anywhere near as thick as the Prius’, the current popularity of hybrid vehicles means showroom success is virtually guaranteed.

Japan won’t be the only market where the hybrid-only model will be popular either, with Lexus expecting around 25,000 HS 250h orders for the first 12 months of US sales.

Deliveries of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h begin in the USA towards the end of the third quarter of this year. Japanese sales commenced earlier this week.

An Australian release has not been officially announced, however Lexus Australia has registered its interest in bringing the model to our shores.