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First Drive: 2011 Lexus CT 200h
A Prius for the Jet Set
by writer: Scott Evans October 12, 2010
There's no doubt that Toyota has reveled in the success of the Prius, a car that has become synonymous with the word "hybrid" and the green movement in general. And as soon as Cameron Diaz was spotted rolling in a sub-$30,000 Prius, people in Toyota City undoubtedly started wondering how they could get Lexus and its higher transaction prices in on that game.
Because let's be honest, Cameron wasn't going to trade her Mercedes for anything else with a Toyota badge. But what about a Lexus badge? Sure, Lexus has hybrids, but none of them have the uber-green cachet of the Prius -- not even the cynical and frankly ugly HS 250h. No, if Lexus wants in on the Prius game, it needs a car with real hybrid cred -- namely, fuel economy that can't be matched by a mid-size Ford sedan, or one from Toyota, for that matter.
What Lexus needs is Prius for the Black Card crowd, and that's exactly what the CT 200h is supposed to be. Just check the specs. Near-Prius fuel economy? Check. Lexus predicts 42 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. Lexus-quality interior and materials? Check. Lexus-quality ride and reduced noise/vibration/harshness? You bet. Heftier price tag? Just enough that the average customer can justify trading a few mpgs for Lexus cachet.
The CT 200h is positioned as the gateway to the Lexus brand, the perfect place for it, really. It'll be the cheapest on the Lexus lot, but just a bit more expensive than a top-shelf Prius. That way, Prius buyers have something realistic to aspire to; the private jet crowd can jump ship to the "better" Lexus brand; and neither leaves the Toyota mothership. Everybody wins.
That's not to say Lexus hasn't learned from the HS 250h. While the CT 200h is certainly not a Prius with a Lexus badge, everything the two hybrids share can be found under the hood -- namely the drivetrain and front suspension. The other two-thirds of the car draws from elsewhere in the Toyota portfolio, including the platform that underpins the Scion TC and Europe's Toyota Avensis and the HS 250h's double A-arm rear suspension.
The CT 200h, though, is much more than the sum of its parts. The 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine receives new intake and exhaust systems and fresh computer programming for better power delivery and smoothness. The suspension has been re-tuned for sporty handling and features Toyota's Lateral Performance Damper System -- shock absorbers that replace the typical strut tower braces and cancel out harmonics and vibrations in order to improve NVH.
Lexus engineers boast that the CT 200h is a far smoother and more comfortable car to drive than the Prius, and they're right. Despite a slightly stiff suspension (for sportiness, you see), the CT 200h rides nicely over poor-quality pavement, and vibrations are nearly non-existent. Exterior noise is effectively dampened as well, though not the tire noise.
What, then, of all this "dark side of green" Lexus has been going on about? A sporty hybrid? We've heard that before, and the CR-Z wasn't that impressive. The CT 200h, though, makes a better case for itself. Twist the Drive Mode knob from "Normal" (default) or "Eco" to "Sport" and the CT 200h takes on a new personality. The gauge lighting turns red and the "Hybrid System Indicator" gauge becomes a tachometer, the first-ever in a Toyota or Lexus Hybrid. A nice trick, but useless, thanks to the Continuously Variable Transmission, which sets the gasoline engine at a predetermined RPM level and leaves it there. It would be more impressive if the CT 200h offered paddle shifters with simulated gears like the Honda Insight, but alas, it does not.
Gimmicks aside, assist to the daringly Lotus-like steering wheel is dialed back while maximum power available to the electric motor jumps from 500 to 650 volts, and the safety nannies are dialed back. Now we find out why the non-adjustable suspension is so stiff -- this car can handle. Quite well, in fact, in spite of its fuel-economy-friendly tires. The chassis is difficult to upset and when it does lose composure, it defaults to gradual understeer, at which point the nannies step back in. For 2011, they're undefeatable, though that'll change down the road. The steering is heavier in Sport Mode, which is good because it's normally very light, but there isn't a whole lot of feedback. If you need more, Lexus is actually planning TRD-sourced suspension upgrades in the future. For your hybrid.
The extra power on tap is also noticeable, as the throttle response sharpens as well. The difference is mostly in the delivery, though, as Lexus quotes a 0-to-60 time identical to the Prius at 9.8 seconds. Despite the not-so-sporty times, no amount of flogging by us journalist types during the drive could get the indicated fuel economy under 34 mpg. Not bad.
The most remarkable thing about the CT 200h is how easy it is to forget that you're driving a hybrid. Regardless of driving mode, transitions to and from electric power and gasoline power are so seamless that you simply forget they're happening. Power is plenty adequate in most situations, but can leave you wanting when passing or climbing hills. The brakes, meanwhile, are much more linear and dare we say "normal" than Prius brakes, without that two-stage feel when the regen kicks in.
If the CT 200h is solid dynamically, it struggles in the intangibles. Hatchbacks aren't especially popular in the U.S., especially higher-priced luxury hatchbacks. The Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30 -- Lexus' targets for the CT 200h -- sell less than 1,500 copies per month combined, and Lexus hopes to sell 1,000 CT 200hs a month. The Lexus-IS-meets-Mazda3 styling isn't ugly, but it's not very Lexus, and it didn't work last time when they called it the IS 300 Sportcross.
The issue carries over to the interior as well. The overall design of the dash is unconventional and brings to mind the cockpit of a jet airliner, but it looks as though Lexus has simply dropped in parts wherever they fit with little thought to aesthetics. The old white-on-black LCD screens look like antiques in a world of hi-res, full-color displays. Be sure to order the optional nav system or you'll be treated to a stereo with a green-on-black display that would make an '87 Corolla blush.
Lexus has, however, spent its development dollars wisely. The seats are simultaneously comfortable and sporty, while the low H-point, shallow steering wheel angle, well-positioned pedals, and low hood create a very sporty driving position. Passengers elsewhere in the cabin will find themselves fairly comfortable, though with less passenger space than a Mazda3 hatch, "roomy" isn't quite appropriate. Cargo space above and below the rear floor is good, though the under-floor space could be taken up by batteries in the future if Lexus sees enough demand for a plug-in model. A clever device holder plugs into the dash near the power and stereo input ports and adjusts to hold everything from an iPod Nano to a Droid X.
In the end, it's clear the CT 200h was designed with Europe in mind, but there's a case for it in the U.S. The real test for Lexus will be in brand management; that is, convincing customers it's both worthy of the Lexus name and the extra price. Properly marketed, it's a perfect stepping-stone into the Lexus brand. If not, it's another HS 250h.
2011 Lexus CT 200h
Base price	 $30,000 (est)
Vehicle layout	 Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback
Engines	 1.8L/98-hp/105-lb-ft Atkinson cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4, plus 80-hp/153-lb-ft electric motor
Transmission	 continuously variable auto
Curb weight	 3100 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase	 102.4 in
Length x width x height	 170.1 x 69.5 x 56.7 in
0-60 mph	 9.8 sec (mfr est)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ	 42/41 mpg (mfr est)
On sale in the U.S.	 February 2011
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