Lexus CT200h

[deven]

Anybody have insight on this vehicle? I was in California a couple of weeks ago and was lucky enough to drive one even though the car is not officially for sale until March. It is very similar to a Mazda3 hatchback only with a much much nicer interior and obviously a lot more $$$.
Input, crictic and opinions are welcome just in case I over looked anything.

 

[d00df00d]

Is there a manual transmission option?

 

[97tbird]

only CVT looks like. IDK why anyone would get this unless they want the "L" name...134HP...Ford Fusion Hybird seems like a much better hybrid, and has about 190 HP when you want a bit of "oomph", AND it has the same MPG specs or better I think..

More info on the CT200h:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/13/2011-lexus-ct-200h-first-drive-review-road-test/

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1010_2011_lexus_ct_200h_drive/index.html

http://www.lexus.com/fcv/ct200h.html#/Specs/

 

[deven]

Yes, only CVT. 97tbird, yes the Ford Fusion Hybrid has the same MPG numbers but the interior materials are very inferior. I like the interior material quality in the CT200h. It seems like Lexus/Toyota are rebounding back in quality that led me to leave the brand back in 2009.

Thanks for the motortrend link, I had not come across that.

 

[JHZR2]

Agree with 97. Its just a ploy to get a fancy nameplate with no real substance. 30k isn't too bad though I guess considering that a decked out corolla is likely $25k.

The whole interior quality thing is ridiculous too. Minimalist materials, minimal offgassing complexity and cost is key to health inside the most toxic space you ever exist in, and also key to lifecycle cost, things that can break, etc. No thanks on touchscreens and power seats and incites that will break in time.

 

[97tbird]

Hmmm...i admit I haven't seen the Lexus, but I did sit in a Fusion Hybrid, and it seemed very well done to me, and most reviews gave the Fusion Hybrid high praise for the interior...It may not look as "luxury" as a Lexus, but seemed well done for not being aimed at luxury buyers.

Keep in mind that the Fusion is TRULY aimed at being environmentally friendly - most materials (seats, etc) are true to that intention and are made of recycled materials, which really is the point, IMO...
Quote:
Earth-friendly seating fabric in the Fusion Hybrid is made from 85 percent post-industrial materials -- polyester fibers that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

(Of course, if you WANT, you CAN get the leather and all sort of more upscale stuff, but that would defeat the purpose of a hybrid, IMO).

And it doesn't look bad to me at all:

 

[deven]

I am comparing it to the Lexus which obviously you cannot since one is luxury and the Fusion is not. The fusion's interior is too much of a boy racer style than what I am looking for which is stately and conservative yet very classy. I just cant get over the speedo and the blue surrounding it.

 

[97tbird]

I understand - I didn't think it was boy racer type though...Like I said, it's truly geared towards showing all the needed data and parameters on the hybrid operation, so obviosuly it looks rather strange and different than a conventional dashboard...
and AFAIK, one can change the color of the dash illumination, but it seems most pics on the web shows it in blue illumination. The dash display has about 5 choices, and again, the pic shows the most commonly used one...I think the Motor Trend (?) review had pics of the other "dash display modes"...

To me the Lexus is just a "wanna be" hybrid, a ploy to attract unsuspecting buyers, and the Fusion is more of the real deal. YMMV.

 

[deven]

97tbird....I knew about the different lighting color for the speedo in the Fusion but they are all very bright and distracting at night which is when I test drove the fusion and the sales guy showed me the different lighting as a sales pitch which back fired on him.

I would have agreed with your comments on Lexus as a "wanna be" hybrid before the CT200 because I was really dissapointed with the Lexus HS250h that they introducted last year. That was a [censored] poor hybrid and an insult to those looking for a hybrid and settling for the Lexus. Not so with the CT200h which I drove for the better part of the weekend and it netted me 43 mpg in 50-50 mix driving which was very impressive in my mind especially when you factor in the California traffic on Rte 5.

The challenge in a luxury hybrid is that customers still demand a highly refined interior with high quality materials but making the overall vehicle light enough as to optimize fuel mileage. In Lexus' the demand has always been a quiet, serene ride and emphasis put on cutting down noise, vibrations and ride harshness. This in itself will put on added weight in order to put sound deadning materials. I think Lexus has done this quite masterfully in the CT200h yet kept the vehicle sporty enough(in sports mode) and retain its trademark as well as the 40+mpg estimate.
I'll do more driving in March when it is officially available for sale.

 

[97tbird]

Even when the illumination level/brightness is turned down to minimum level? I didn't play with the diplay that much...and it was daytime when I sat in one...I also dislike distractions at night, but almost all the cars I have driven have a little wheel that you can turn to adjust the LEVEL of the dash illumination, and i keep it at the lowest possible...if the cruise is on, my display is completely dark when I drive at might...the BMW still has faint illumination even at the lowest level, the Tbird and the Elantra can be made pitch dark...

Anyway, do keep us updated - i think overall it's a very (+) thing that car makers are competing in the Hybrid segment...Someday all levels of car makers (econo, mid-level, luxury, etc) will have a good selection of hybrids, I hope.

 

[JHZR2]

+1

that speedo doesn't look like anything, and doesn't even seem to show hybrid operating characteristics.

Truly a vehicle for one to buy into the style Of having a hybrid, without caring for what it does... Of course someday all these things will be transparent to the users.

 

[deven]

97tbird, even with the illumination knob turned down, it was still bright as it is more "neon" like. I asked the sales rep about it and he said that they used "led like" lighting to save power and it just stays bright even at the low level.

JHZR2, the car does have the hybrid operating characteristis. I think the one shown above is the car that is sold in France I believe. The one I drove did have the power band speedo to the left of the speedo rather than the RPM one shown in that picture.

 

[The Critic]

The Fusion Hybrid's interior is just tacky. The worst part of it is the lighting.

The CT200h's interior, on the other hand, has a far more conservative and classy appearance. $30k is actually just slightly above the average vehicle transaction price, so the car is actually priced quite competitively. Although I cannot see myself buying one of these new, but as a 2-3 year old CPO car, I think it can be a great value.

 

[unDummy]

Still a performance dog. I wouldn't want to pay $30k for a car that is that slow.

Fancy Prius/PriusV. What a waste to the Lexus name.

Could have at least given it the 2.5L and a little more pep.

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
Still a performance dog. I wouldn't want to pay $30k for a car that is that slow.

Fancy Prius/PriusV. What a waste to the Lexus name.

Could have at least given it the 2.5L and a little more pep.

They do have one which is the Lexus HS250. It has 2.4L engine that delivers 187 hp but the car only gets tops 32 mpg on a good day. It has been by far the most disappointing vehicle in terms of hybrid usefulness especially when you price it out with comparable options, it gets to $40K fast.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Hmmm...i admit I haven't seen the Lexus, but I did sit in a Fusion Hybrid, and it seemed very well done to me, and most reviews gave the Fusion Hybrid high praise for the interior...It may not look as "luxury" as a Lexus, but seemed well done for not being aimed at luxury buyers.


We have two Fusion Hybrids at work. The interior materials aren't outstanding. The seat material is cloth, and leather is of course an option, but everything else is the same. Both have squeaks in the dash area and the materials are not pleasing to touch. They're okay, but nothing I'd write home about, and nothing that would compel me to buy the car.

 

[97tbird]

Hm. Perhaps because the one I sat had 0 miles - hehe.
Anyway, about the cloth seats: read my comment about that in a previous post on this page.

 

[Hokiefyd]

All those recycled soda bottles may be why it feels so much like sitting on tent canvas.

 

[97tbird]

Yeah I didn't expect much of a response to anything targeted towards saving the environment on this site, anyway. scoffing at that type of thing seems to be the trend.

GRIN.

 

[d00df00d]

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't see hybrids as a good way to save the environment. JMO.

You're right, though; it does seem fashionable here to bash anything eco-minded.