2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement

2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement

Growing up along with Lexus and being an enthusiast, my perception of the brand is that they make cars that are as smooth and luxurious to drive as they are boring. And with Lexus’s parental giant, Toyota, being the forefront of efficiency and hybrid powertrains, both Toyota and Lexus are looked down upon by the enthusiast as being the antithesis of all things petrolhead. That’s not to say that they make terrible cars, but ones that speak way too much to the average consumer rather than the enthusiast.

Lexus currently has five hybrids in its lineup with the CT 200h being the fifth. And altogether, Toyota in general has sold more than 500,000 hybrids last year. So ToMoCo, and specifically, Lexus is no stranger to the hybrid world. I mean, they started the industry for Pete’s sake. But how many of those buyers do you think were enthusiasts? Usually when you equate hybrids to their demographics, you think plain Jane, average Joe and of course, tree huggers.

All sorts of people who would seemingly opt for the basic ham and cheese on Wonder bread rather than the more exquisite slow baked, hand-carved open face leg of glazed ham panini with a honey-Dijon reduction aioli. And if anything, the only Lexus that currently has a sporty reputation is the IS and LFA. So when I was told that we were going to be behind the wheel of the cheapest Lexus of them all, I was expecting to be driving a gussied up Toyota Prius despite Lexus’s words that the CT200h offers exceptional fuel economy and a dynamic driving experience. However, Honda has showed the world that hybrids need not be boring with the CR-Z. Can it be the same case for the Lexus CT200h, which happens to currently be the only car of its kind? Well, let’s find out.

2012 Lexus CT 200h Specifications:

• Style: 4-Door Hatchback.
• Drive Type: Front-wheel-drive.
• Seating Capacity: 5.
• Base Price: $29,120.
• Price As Tested: $37,370.
• Engine: 1.8 liter inline 4 – 98-hp / 105 lb-ft of torque; 80-hp electric motor; combined output of 134-hp and 153 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: CVT.
• 0 to 60 mph: 9.8 seconds.
• Top Speed: 113 mph.
• Curb Weight: 3,146 lbs.
• Fuel-economy (city/highway): 43/40 mpg – 42 combined.

2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement

2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement

Interior:

While Lexus did a more than adequate job at separating the CT 200h’s interior from its lesser Prius cousin, it was still obvious though that the CT 200h was the cheapest Lexus in the lineup. And that’s a given. In terms of design, quality of materials and build quality, the CT 200h is definitely much more upscale than the Prius that inspired it. However, it was a bit of a surprise to find such low rent plastics when compared to Lexus’ reputation of offering the complete opposite.

…it was a bit of a surprise to find such low rent plastics when compared to Lexus’ reputation of offering the complete opposite.

You could tell that Lexus attempted to maintain their build quality in the CT 200h, but it was only noticeable on select interior parts. For instance, the gearshifter, which is essentially lifted from the Prius, is fitted with a chrome handle that’s actually a treat to the eye. Nonetheless, you could tell that its purpose was to overshadow the rest of the cheap low rent plastic that embodied the center console’s controls. As usual, ergonomics and equipment are top tier, something that Lexus has been known for. Our CT 200h came equipped with Lexus’s navigation system that features their new mouse-like controller pad on the center console. And with the CT 200h being my first encounter with the controller, it is by far the easiest to operate out any other offering from any competitor. But the biggest highlight was the driving position, which mimics that of a low-slung sports-coupe giving the CT 200h a sense that it is Japan’s version of the GTI.

2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement

2012 Lexus CT 200h offers pleasing fuel-economy with a little excitement