Car Reviews > Lexus > CT200h > Lexus CT200h Car Review

Facts At A Glance CAR: Lexus CT200h range PRICES: £23,485-£30,635 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-17 [est] – [1-50 groupings scale] CO2 EMISSIONS: 94g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.3s / Max Speed 130mph [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 68.9mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side & curtain airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm

True Hybrid Luxury

Lexus' sister company Toyota reinvented the hybrid market several years back with the introduction o of the top selling Prius. It isn't too much a stretch to believe that Lexus is now re-inventing the luxury hatch market by introducing the CT200h which runs with a hybrid engine under the hood. Lexus is the first car maker in any part of the world to release a hybrid in the luxury 5-door hatch department and given that they are using the same engine as the popular Prius there is little chance they will fail.

Under the bonnet of the CT200h is the same engine that Toyota uses in the Prius which is a 1.8-litre petrol/electric combo that a when working together deliver 134bhp of power. The petrol engine by itself gives off 98bhp of power. Lexus has stepped up the engine a little bit by making the engine run a little smoother and the Lexus CT200h is a little peppier off the line than the Prius. There is a rumor that Lexus will be adding a 2.0-litre engine to the option list in the near future as well.

Drivers of the CT200h will get to choose from three economy options that include Normal, Eco and EV. The EV mode allows the driver to use only the electric engine, but if limited to a speed of around 28mph. When the vehicle is in the ECO mode the throttle response is softened a little bit to minimize the ability of a lead-footed driver.

Lexus is offering the CT200h in three variations that include; SE-I, SE-L and SE-L Premium. Each trim level offers a load of quality features one would expect in any Lexus model. Standard features include; alloy wheels, privacy glass, Bluetooth connectivity and climate control. Step-up a notch in the trim department and Lexus tosses in leather seats. The Lexus CT200h SE-L Premium comes with an impressive satellite navigation system, electric adjustable seats, and a top-of-the-line OTT 13-speaker Mark Levison stereo system. All levels of the CT200h come with eight-airbags, front knee protection for passenger and driver as well as stability control systems and traction control systems.

Of course the thing that is going to scare the competition the most is the fact that this hybrid has the trapping of a luxury vehicle, but runs at a much lower cost. Fuel consumption numbers are impressive with an estimated 68.9mpg combined. The CT200h also is very low in the CO2 emissions department as well coming in with just 96 grams per kilometer. This fact alone puts the road fund tax at the lowest possible level and gives business owners a 10% benefit-in-kind company car tax rating.

Fancy types who want the luxury of a car worth their class, but also want to be friendly to the environment finally have a car that lets them have their cake and eat it too. The Lexus CT200h is a car worthy of the most astute executives across the UK. Heck they may even win a few karma points by helping to save the ozone.

by Autoweb