Lexus CT200h

Much more than a refined Prius

Cathy and I along with some other press folks were invited to New Orleans to preview the all-new Lexus CT200h luxury hybrid and as one would expect, there was a lot of buzz about the car, not the least of which were comparisons to the ubiquitous Prius. Let me say this right now, it’s not, nor was it ever intended to be, an upgraded Prius with a Lexus badge; kudos to Lexus. This is a very nifty little car that stands on its own and will, as all vehicles do, either make it or not on its own merit. What I’m interested in finding out is if the American buyer is ready for a Eurostyled hatchback engineered to appeal to American drivers.

What I like about the car starts with the styling which incorporated a bit of Lexus signature L’Finesse styling. It’s edgy without being garish and in truth a good compromise between form and function when it comes to aerodynamics. It has a pretty aggressive stance and is surprisingly comfortable for me although my partner felt the seating a little tight…hmmm, oh well, let’s move on.

Inside the CT200h offers a driver focused interior with supportive and well bolstered seats that come standard in faux leather polyurethane based NuLuxe material which is softer and greener than leather although you can opt for the real deal if you so desire. The dashboard is divided into divergent zones, the upper highlighted by an eight-inch LCD display screen and the lower section that handles the audio system and other ergonomic controls.

 

Lexus touted this car as a drivers car despite the fact that it’s a hybrid, and while it certainly won’t set any speed records in the quarter mile, or rip your head off from a standing start, the car performs admirably. For those of you that have followed my reviews over the years know, performance is very important to me and I think Lexus pretty much hit the mark with the CT200h regarding form, function and a touch with an added touch of driving enjoyment.

The CT200h offers a non-hybrid driving experience for a couple of reasons; one, because the suspension is tighter without being harsh and it allows the CT to easily soak up any imperfections in the road without losing its poise. And two, you can choose one of four driving modes, EV, ECO, NORMAL and SPORT and the latter is what appeals to me because you actually have quite a bit more pop. When you rotate the dial to Sport Mode, the power indicator on the left side of the gauge package turns into a tach and the throttle is remapped for quicker response. The electric power steering is recalibrated for less assist but unfortunately doesn’t offer any more feedback to the driver but still, it is a hybrid.

We had a lot of fun and we look forward to our week in the CT200h when it hits the press fleet in Phoenix. There’s a lot to this car so if you’ve been thinking about a hybrid and want more styling élan and a bit of driving pizzazz to tolerate your daily commute, the CT200h may be just what you’re looking for.