Lexus CT 200h

rjk

rjk

rjk

OcUK Staff
Joined
8 Aug 2007
Posts
25,389
Hello Motors

The motherinlaw is looking at car options right now and has asked some advice. Her requirements are:

auto box
decent economy
interesting looks
10k budget

After browsing a few 2010 mazda 3s it seems that value for money and better build quality are more apparent with the CT2 200h. This wasn't a car I initially considered to suggest but the more I look the more well suited to her requirements it seems.

How realistic is the fuel economy quotes on this?
Anybody have any feedback on this car?
Suggestions for alternatives would be appreciated too.
 
rjk said:
am I being dumb in thinking the lexus will be of a higher quality than the auris?
Click to expand...

Yes indeed it will be :) but obviously will cost more

The boot is about the same size as the Golf ,

I have driven the F Sport CT200h and the old man has the Auris HSD , the CT is pretty much the same but nicer interior and road noise is a lot quieter in the CT

The CT is a smidge quicker on paper , but is about the same really even in Sports / PWR Mode
 
I dont think the cost is really the issue. is there a german equivalent that fits the bill at this budget?

I think her aim is to essentially get the nicest available car for her budget rather than just settle on an equivalent because its a few grand cheaper if that makes sense.
 
Friend had one from the fleet few years back. It looked like a good place to be, but in reality offered neither Merc comforts nor BMW thrills. Driving it was very Toyota-like - non descriptive, wooden, with crashy ride and the car always felt slower and more overweight than its looks would suggest. It always had to be driven just a tad harsher and harder than expected and although admittedly I borrowed it only twice, I personally never saw economy reach further than mid 40ies. And I used to get low to mid 40ies from VW's TSI on my daily runs.

From what I remember ground clearance was a constant issue - it is about 12-13cm, so around the same height as Octavia VRS, but because the bumper/spoiler line was designed stupidly, I had few issues exiting sloped spaces in Kent and my friend was constantly swearing at it and scraping bumpers in on high kerbs in public car parks in London.

But no - the boot is not tiny, it's bigger than Focus or Astra and about the same size as Prius.
 
I'm amazed at the boot not being tiny comments, I thought my 1 series boot was small and it seemed half the size in comparison due to the batterys being located under the boot liner. It looked miniscule.

Edit - Just checked some pictures, there must have been something in the boot at the dealers that halved the size, it does look far bigger than I remember.
 
I looked into these pretty deeply and ended up going for the Auris HSD instead. Main reason was you had to spend significantly more to get the same level of spec/age/mileage - there is obviously options on the Lexus that you can't even get on the Auris.

Economy wise I only test drove the Lexus but seemed to get similar sort of economy according to the computer as the Auris - possibly slightly lower. If you drive it reasonably carefully 60mpg is achievable but somewhere in the mid-50s is more realistic - it is wildly down to how hard you accelerate. I know the really early CT cars had handling and suspension setup issues which made them fairly terrible but this was fixed pretty early on from what I remember. Overall a good car and should be pretty reliable overall - and a great option if you don't want a diesel like me!
 
I enjoyed my CT200h whilst I had it. Averaged between 45-55 MPG, mainly depending on the temperature and how I was driving. It's a good quality car and for a company car worked out well because the BIK was so low.

Dealer experience was always pleasant, and the car itself was flawless in the two years I had it. I did around 25K miles in total. The cars are generally all very well specified. The reverse camera view in the electrochromatic mirror always used to entertain people. :) Even though it's marketed as a 'luxury' compact vehicle (and it is to some extent) it is very much a "white goods" style motoring experience in that it will get you from A to B in very little fuss but something like a Golf or 1 series will be more fun.

Depending on the type of journeys you do, you may actually find that an efficient diesel is better for economy than a hybrid like the CT200h.
 
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