2015 Lexus CT200h – Test Drive, Spec, Rating, Price

The balance point of cost and quality

The value of a consumer car is in the form of a triangular effect with each of its vertices represented as cost, quality, and performance.   The Lexus CT200h is strange scenario.  With its luxury reputation on the line, its limited budget must satisfy the remaining two entities.  And the added cost of a robust and reliable hybrid system makes the task that much harder.

Quality and aesthetics are all there, and it’s very obvious to tell that it is a Lexus once inside.  Unfortunately, the performance aspects of the Lexus CT200h is compromised with a lack of acceleration and handling.

But to be fair, the Lexus CT200h was never designed to be a thriller.  In spirit of its highly successful Toyota Prius, the Lexus CT200h was meant to deliver a quality ride at minimal fuel costs.

Performance

An Atkinson cycle inline 4 cylinder 1.8L engine coupled to a permanent magnet synchronous motor is what spins the wheels in the Lexus CT200h. Transmission of choice is Lexus’s own eCVT (electronic continuous variable transmission).

The Lexus CT200h scores best in class fuel rating at 42/40 MPG on city and highway respectively, just leading slightly ahead of the Ford C-MAX hybrid. If driven conservatively, the Lexus CT200h can very much achieve fuel economy rating. Through a week long test drive, I scored 39.3 MPG.

The engine is rated at 138 horsepower.  As the numbers imply, acceleration in the Lexus CT200h is sluggish with a 0-60 time of 9.8 seconds.  From a driver’s perspective, it’s not fast but adequate.  Flick the drive selector into Sport mode, the engine responsiveness sharpens up with instructions sent to the electric motor to assist with additional torque delivery.

Lexus also offers the CT200h F-Sport trim, which only costs $1,200 more. With a small price to pay, it’s not hard to tell that you’re not going to get a lot more. And it is a bit misleading as its powertrain configuration are exactly the same. The result is lost hope for performance enhancement in the F-Sport Trim.

What you do get in the F-Sport Trim which includes a larger spoiler, 17″ F-Sport aluminum rims, aluminum pedals, F-sport perforated leather steering wheel, white perforated leather material and a sharper front grille design. Suspension tuning is also optimized where Lexus claims to improve handling of the CT200h.

Interior

Interior quality falls in the mid spectrum in Lexus’s offering. Final impression inside the cabin space feels a bit cramped, but cozy. What’s on the high points are the leather material that provide a soft and smooth premium feel.

Choice of colors are also very well matched with an overall dark gray with its center console screen and dashboard illuminated with hints of blue moon, and dark red that is both indicative and pleasing to the eye.

Seating position is also upright with a fair bit of positive cushioning, but with the absent of extra seat contours to offer that premium seating position on higher end luxury cars. Lateral support is also minimized, but is to be taken as a positive note since it offers more seating freedom, and the Lexus CT200h never pulls enough G’s to through you out of your seat.

Driving Impressions and Final Thoughts

Driving experience in the Lexus CT200h is serene and tranquil. Interior cabin space does a great job in sheltering out wind and road noise. Choice of material and color palettes used is well executed.

Digital entertainment on the user experience department remains finicky with a sluggish user response.  What was also frustrating was the infotainment screen would always switch to the navigation map regardless of which screen I navigate to.  Voice navigation also has difficulty interpreting my voice in which I’ve had to manually type in the final destination. I’ve had better experience with Ford’s and Kia/Hyundai voice recognition.

There is a lot of criticism to the lack of aggression and performance in the Lexus CT200h. But I think it’s over-expectation. The design intention of the Lexus CT200h was to offer a quality ride with the benefit of an efficient powertrain, and the Lexus CT200h does exactly that. It gets you from point A to B in a very pleasant way with excellent fuel economy.

I can understand the limitation in acceleration with its ultra fuel efficient hybrid power train. But I was disappointed with the handling aspects of the F-Sport trim model. Suspension responsiveness was just not there, and I don’t believe the finer “tuned” suspensions mentioned in the marketing material made a lot of difference, even in sport mode. What Lexus needs to do is find a way to incorporate dynamic suspension damping to offer both qualities of ride comfort and handling. I believe that this feature will brighten the smiles of many CT200H or even hybrid fans.

Specifications

• Vehicle : 2015 Lexus CT200h
• Model : CT200H
• Price as Tested : $42,123
• Vehicle Type : Hatchback
• Seating Capacity : 2+3
• Powertrain Configuration : FWD
• Engine : 1.8L I4 HEV Engine
• Transmission : E-CVT
• Horsepower : 138 Hp (Net)
• Torque: N/A
• Fuel Economy: 43/40/41 city/highway/combined
• Wheelbase : 102.4″
• Height : 57.3″
• Width : 69.5″
• Weight: 3130 lbs
• Additional Features : F Sport Package, Front/Rear performance damper, 17″ Aluminum Alloy Rims, F-Sport Center Wheel Ornament, F Sport Wheels, Lexus Display Audio, F Sport Leather Seats, LED Headlamp/fog lights.  4 year unlimited km warranty

Pros

• Sharp exterior styling in F Sport model
• Excellent fuel economy with proven power train reliability
• Quality looks and feel in cabin space
• Quality and quite ride

Cons

• Sluggish acceleration
• Congested interior cabin space
• Lack of handling capability