FIRST DRIVE LEXUS CT200H:THERE'S A VERY strong logic to the new Lexus hatchback. Motorists are fixated on carbon emissions levels and the recession is forcing many to reconsider what exactly they need from their car. Downsizing has become de rigeurand in the premium segment a smart family hatchback should win favour with many saloon drivers who want to cut their costs without sacrificing on creature comforts.
Others will seek to move into the premium market but can’t justify the extra space of a saloon. Add in the ability to laud it over others courtesy of an eco-friendly hybrid powertrain, and you start to see why Lexus has been eagerly anticipating the introduction of its CT200h.
Cynics might see it as little more than a posh Prius, but there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, Audi’s A3 hasn’t suffered from claims that it’s just a posh Golf. So can this new Lexus capture the motoring zeitgeist?
The CT200h looks are not a sure-fire hit. The front nose is smart and muscular, reminiscent of the look of the previous IS range before the brand adopted its sleeker L-finesse family styling. The side profile and rear are another matter. It looks partly like a shrunken estate and partly like a sibling of the current Subaru Impreza – a car not noted for its svelte design. The wraparound rear window is a nice touch that defines the back, but the rear pillars look out of proportion with the rest of the car.
Overall, it’s a confused mismatch of styling cues that doesn’t possess the wow effect. And that’s a pity for it’s clear that Lexus has plenty of styling talent in its ranks. It’s IS, GS and LS saloons still catch your eye when driving past and have aged better than most of their rivals.
Lexus has built its reputation on attention to detail and in the CT200h, it’s in the cabin that this statement is writ large. This is where the CT really starts to shine and where it has the beating of its rivals. Here it becomes a new benchmark in the premium hatchback class. Everything from the figure-hugging seats to the soft-touch leather is a world apart from the cost-conscious features on most of these cars.
The firm’s mouse-like remote touch system will be offered on the car, but even without it, the controls are intuitive. And while there remains a fondness for multiple buttons on the central console, you quickly find your way around the controls.
But it’s on the road that Lexus needed to make the biggest statement and here it’s not as impressive as we had hoped. That’s not due to the driving dynamics; it’s the powertrain.
The ride is firm, suggesting a more performance orientation, but the powertrain doesn’t deliver the pep you’d expect. Dynamically it seems like the chassis could handle a lot more power than the 1.8-litre petrol-electric combination can deliver. It’s akin to opting for a GTi’s tauter chassis set-up, then matching it with a eco-focussed engine.
The 1.8-litre petrol engine is combined with a 650 volt electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery pack in exactly the same combination and format as in the latest Prius. The combined output of 136bhp is relatively impressive when you consider its emissions levels of 89g/km and a fuel consumption figure of 3.8l/100km. Yet it never delivers the peppy performance you’d expect. It offers whisper-quiet electric mode driving in urban traffic and the changeover between petrol and electric is as seamless as in its Toyota sibling.
On the motorway, and on some of the long straight country roads we tested it on, the car glides along with ease. As an eco-friendly cruiser it delivers with aplomb. But take it onto some more challenging routes, or even kick down to overtake a line of traffic, and the CT starts to seem more of a compromise. The electrically controlled CVT transmission is just not up to the task of turning this eco-friendly premium alternative into anything akin to a hot-hatch.
The engine shoots up to 5,000rpm and there it sits, the high-pitched whine of the engine intruding into the otherwise whisper-quiet cabin. You feel compelled to change up a gear but there is nothing you can do.
The CT is not slow, but the power delivery is never going to live up to the sporty appeal of rivals, which leaves you wondering why they didn’t just soften the ride and offer it up as a comfort-orientated hatchback instead. The handling is relatively sharp, but it feels a little muted by the power-assistance system.
Lexus and Toyota has justifiably taken the lead in hybrid technology and this system is far more seamless and superior to any of its rivals. It makes perfect sense to offer it in a premium guise at a time when eco-consciousness is centre stage – particularly for the US market where hybrid is the mainstream alternative to petrol power.
But the decision to offer no alternative to hybrid in the CT range in Europe seems like dogmatic fundamentalism in a market where rivals offer a litany of options. To create a car that should lure a host of new customers to the Lexus brand, but then only offer it in hybrid, seems like biting off your nose to spite your face. Hatchbacks are popular in Europe but diesel is the preferred powertrain choice.
What’s more, there have been dramatic improvements in emissions levels of late and while the CT boasts a figure of 89g/km, it’s only a matter of time before you see non-hybrid rivals closing the gap. Already Audi offers two engine versions in its A3 range that come close: a 1.6-litre diesel with 99g/km and a 2-litre diesel with 105g/km.
Meanwhile BMW have two 1-Series variants that don’t break the 100g/km barrier yet, but still fall below the 120g/km cut-off for the lowest tax band. And the Irish taxman doesn’t give any credit to the extra engineering that goes into a hybrid car, so CT200h owners will not make any extra tax savings there.
Finally, while there has been a €2,500 VRT rebate for petrol-electric hybrids in recent years, that’s due to end this year, meaning the CT200h will not have that extra financial succour when it arrives here next February.
The Lexus logic behind the CT has created a motoring conundrum. Clearly the Lexus chassis team wanted to make the car a rival for the likes of the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, but the powertrain engineers were more focused on economy. The interior sets new standards in this class but the exterior design isn’t as appealing as it should be, given the rest of the Lexus range. The suspension is too sports-orientated for a powertrain more focused on eco-matters and the lack of engine alternatives is ultimately going to limit its appeal.
For Lexus, the CT200h is a missed opportunity to really challenge the German´ brands.
FACTFILE
Powertrain: 1798cc 99bhp four-cylinder petrol engine combined with 82bhp electric motor supported by nickel-metal hydride battery
Bhp: combined at 136bhp
0-100km/h:10.3 secs
Boot: 375/985 litres
L/100km (mpg):3.8 (42)
Emissions: 89g/km
Arriving: Mid-February
Price: unconfirmed but expected to be close to €30,000