Are You Going To Buy One?

[AWDIS]

Wow - the first post! everything I've seen of the CT200H suggests it's a car for me. I like them smaller than big, it looks great, it's sporty and it has soe really neat features (four different driving modes, colored display graphics etc.) and, of course it's a hybrid. The pricing is going to tdetermine its success. Here in Canada, the IS series starts in the mid $30,000, so the CT200H should be under it somewhere. I'm going to replace my TSX next year and this could be perfect. It's like an Audi A3 but nices insides/hybrid and not made in Germany, or an Aacura CSX but with more luxury and features.

[dcfish]

I don't see myself owning one, Too small for me. I really need a LS Welcome to the club

[dennisk]

Wow - the first post! everything I've seen of the CT200H suggests it's a car for me. I like them smaller than big, it looks great, it's sporty and it has soe really neat features (four different driving modes, colored display graphics etc.) and, of course it's a hybrid. The pricing is going to tdetermine its success. Here in Canada, the IS series starts in the mid $30,000, so the CT200H should be under it somewhere. I'm going to replace my TSX next year and this could be perfect. It's like an Audi A3 but nices insides/hybrid and not made in Germany, or an Aacura CSX but with more luxury and features.

It looks good to me. I also have been looking for a smaller version of the RX. I think this will be just what I am looking for. I agree the price will be the deciding factor.

[currybob]

I like the looks of it and love the Hybrid technology for I have owned 4 Toyota brand hybrids and have nothing but praise!!! This is too small for me (I'm too old) but see a market for it and hope it does well. I plan on trading my RX350 for a RX450h this fall. Been missing my hybrid and wished I got it to began with.

Bob

[RX400h]

I really like this car as well. I think Lexus created a vehicle that is aimed at the younger (<60) crowd that values handling over silky-smooth ride. The lighter the vehicle weight, the more I'll like it. Bring it on!

[cduluk]

Could this thing really cost less than the IS???

Any less than the IS and you're in Toyota country... Why can't Lexus be Lexus and Toyota be Toyota?

[SW03ES]

Its a different world out there nowadays. Think about BMW and the 1 series.

[Robert Young]

We drove the HS earlier this year and thought that the drivetrain wasn't as smooth as the 2010 Prius. We will look forward to driving the CT for a potential city car only, can't beat our LS as a long trip car!

[pj8708]

I am convinced of the viability and the necessity of a hybrid. I love what Lexus has done so far with the technology, but having said that, I passed on buying one this fall and went instead for the conventional fossil fuel burner. Why? I just don't want to give up the ride and quiet. Maybe when we trade the other car in and get one just for around town. Or when I get to be a better caretaker of the planet.

[motornature]

It's a small car. I sit in one at the Paris motor show, it's tight in the front, and cramped in the back. It's more luxurious than a Prius which has the same drivetrain, but the Prius is a much more usable car.

[LexusHS]

I'm interested in reviews from people who have driven a CT and an HS... how do they compare? I love my HS, but the CT seems like a fun cross between that and a German hatchback. Interested in first hand accounts.

Thanks!

[kcpartsguy]

I own an HS, and I drove the CT a couple of days ago. Drives real sporty, tight steering and a fat steering wheel. somewhat rougher ride but not too bad.

Interior is nice, seats are narrower than the HS, but hold you in place well. No ventilated seats, only heat available.

Overall I was impressed, great mileage and good pickup around town, strained a little to get up to highway speed with two adults on board, although uphill. I would probably

be fine with it after awhile.

Price seems OK, just under 30k to start, completely loaded around 38-39k.

Full disclosure though, I work for a Lexus dealer. Although I would point out serious flaws if I thought there were any.

I look forward to more driving time as soon as we get one in. I drove one that was brought from Chicago for training.

[rosros]

Took a look at one at the Chicago Auto show. It is low slung from the outside. Inside is a snug fit, even for me. The rear seating is only for two and really snug. The rear hatch opening is on the small side which would hinder getting bulky items into the cargo bay. OK for city commuting only. I was able to play around inside since the car garnered very little interest at the show. This was surprising on the 2nd day of the show. The Prius C and Prius V was more intriguing and drew large crowds.

[wetfish]

I pick mine up tomorrow! Drove it today and love it.

[RX400h]

Please let us know how you like it after driving it for a while. From what I hear from those who have driven it, its handling is superior to that of the Prius and THAT'S what sets it apart. I favor handling and thus, am interested in this car.

[jennjay]

We picked ours up today, trading a fully loaded 2008 Prius. It is smaller on the inside, especially the back seat. I can already tell from our brief 65 miles of driving today the the handling and feel are superior to the Prius. Much more fun to drive, the steering is a lot less vague and the car corners much better. Even though the power train is the same, the CT feels more powerful.

[Gryphon]

It's a pretty car but in my humble opinion a Prius with sand bags in the trunk.

Tom

[tmastres]

I'm very seriously considering this car. I currently drive an 11 year old RX (so I'm used to pretty sedate "performance"). I do about 80% city driving, and I really would like something that gets a lot better mileage but without sacrificing the interior quality and amenities that I'm used to. Also I really don't care about rear seat room as I'm driving by myself most of the the time and almost never take more than two. So with all that in mind I'm trying to uncover any faults with this vehicle. I'm not the smallest of guys ( 6'0" and 220) so I'm hoping I'll fit in it comfortably (Lexus is not known for making cars for American body types). I'm also looking at a couple of other cars such as the A3 and the Volvo C30 but all-of-a-sudden this thing comes along and bang its on my radar in a serious as way.

[tmastres]

It's a pretty car but in my humble opinion a Prius with sand bags in the trunk.

Tom

So you've driven one? Is that your evaluation after trying it out or just speculation?

[jweinberg]

Hello there. Maybe some information about why I chose the CT200h will help here. I've been driving hybrids for the past 12 years, mostly Honda's. I had looked at the Toyota hybrids in the past, but was not impressed very much with what you got for your money. However, recently we "inherited" a third car from my son, who moved away and could no longer make the car payments. Long story short, my wife and I had 3 cars and only 2 drivers, and the insurance and taxes on the cars was really hurting.

So, we decided to trade in 2 of the cars for one other car and we would be back to 2 cars. We looked at a variety of manufacturers, body styles, hybrids and electric cars and we always came back to the CT200h. The CT200h is sporty, without being very sporty. My last hybrid was the Honda CR-Z. A great little car with only 2 seats. Now that's sporty. :D It had a lot of nice features, like the CT200h, but it did not have the ride, styling, and overall comfort of the CT200h. Of course, it was not a Lexus either.

If you do your homework, you will read that the CT200h is underpowered, generally sluggish, and that in the Sport mode, it's handling is not what you would expect. My answer to these comments is that the people doing these reviews really don't have much experience with these types of hybrids. Want more power? Then you need a bigger gas engine, and when you do that, you drop your mileage. I buy a hybrid for two reasons, mileage and reducing emissions. On both of these counts, the CT200h is a winner. For fuel economy and greenhouse gas rating, the CT200h is a 10 out of a possible 10 based on the rating of the U.S. EPA/DOT. For smog rating, it is a 7 out of a 10. And at 42 MPG, that is not too shabby. Having driven hybrids for as long as I have, I can easily best 42 MPG in this car. In one of my test drives, I achieved FAR better than that (62.5 mpg, but that takes a LOT of practice and patience to achieve).

Is it sluggish? Yes, in Eco mode, it is sluggish. But so are all of the other hybrids that deliver this type of gas mileage, and I have, at one time or another, either driven or test driven them all.

In sport mode the performance and handling sharpens up quite a bit in the CT200h. I live very close to the Rocky Mountains, and there is no shortage of twisting and winding roads around here to drive on. Forget test tracks, you want to learn how a car handles, take it out into the real world. On the roads around here, the handling of the CT200h in Sport mode was very good. Crisp enough to make tackling the twists and turns fun and exciting. Of course, you pay for this additional power with less MPG, but at least you have the option to use the mode best suited for the area you are driving.

I don't use Normal mode very much. I generally drive around town in Eco mode, and take on the mountains in Sport mode. So what if I stay mostly in the right lane and some drivers get impatient with me? Hey, they are filling up every week, and I'm filling up every 3-4 weeks.

There is one thing about the car that is a bit daunting. When you drive it, you are surrounded by a LOT of technology, and this can be confusing. But, like everything else, once you get the car programmed the way you want it, you use a few features every day, and they become second nature. The technology, at that point, becomes secondary and a lot less confusing.

Now, there are a few "spooky" things about the car. I say "spooky" in a fun way. First, after 40+ years of using a key to do everything, I am finding it hard to readjust to a "keyless" driving experience. My wife laughs at me each time I reach for the phantom key when I get out of the car. My wife freaked last night while we were out driving in the rain. The windshield wipers came on automatically, and adjusted themselves to the intensity of the rain. And driving in stealth mode is very strange. Owners of other Toyota hybrids know what I mean. I like to stop at the foot of our driveway, put the car into Electric Vehicle mode and drive up and park in the garage. All without much of any sound.

There two dings I will make about the car. They both deal with seating. Though the seats are very comfortable, there really is not a lot of room. I am 6 foot 1 inch tall, and I can just barely move the driver's seat back far enough so that I can stretch out. That is, get my legs stretched out enough not to hit the steering wheel. And, leg room in the back seats is not abundant. However, that is not an issue for us. In the 5 years I drove a two-seater, we did not need additional seating more than twice. So, we can put the back seats down for most of the time and have more room for my wife to do her shopping. If you are a tall person or have a lot of adults riding with you a lot, you need to take this into consideration.

I purchased my CT200h very recently. It is fun to drive and saves me a lot of gas money.

I hope these comments helped you. Pricing for the CT200h is better than most hybrids, and it is certainly better than the electric cars.

[AWDIS]

Two years later and I bought one! I got a CT200h F sport six months ago primarily for around and both my wife and I really like it. Kinda down on power, so we drive it in "sport"mode all the time which makes it more responsive, but other than that it's great - quaint, economical, fun to drive and the most comfortable seats of any car we've had.

[larry chester]

My "primary" car is a Porsche 911 Turbo. I love driving it, and it has been my daily driver for the past 3 years. But I had a Subaru wagon for the winter. It was a beater that cost me an arm and a leg to maintain, and didn't get any better gas mileage than the Porsche. Just got a new job, and my commute is 27 miles in each direction in rush hour traffic. Filling up a Porsche twice a week at prices approaching $5 a gallon was getting painful. I wanted to find a hybrid that would make the pain go away.

For reference, I have owned an SC300, and two IS250's. Put over 200K on the SC, and 75K on each of the IS's. So, I like Lexus (owned Toyota's before that.)

At the Chicago auto show, I gave the various Priuii a sit and look. Also looked at the CT200h, which is where I was leaning to begin with. I also looked at hybrids from Honda, Ford, etc. Got a very nice deal on a CT from McGrath downtown (2 blocks from my office) Fully loaded, it's a 2012 with 8K miles on it, and was a service loaner. Cost me $29,900. The car has all the main goodies, nav, backup camera, leather, sound etc. Plus, they gave me $2,500 for my POS subaru. It was a very positive buying experience, and I paid the same for this car that I was going to pay for a new 2012, stripped. And the nav with bluetooth is really nice. It integrates well with the phone and radio, so that when you get a call, the nav voice prompts and the radio both mute.

So, after a month of driving it, how do I like it? It is my anti-Porsche. Inexpensive to maintain, easy on the gas, comfortable ride, slow from point to point, a bit utilitarian (with the hatchback) and it makes me a "tender" driver. It serves a different purpose for me. I am coaxing gas mileage from it. Averaging 45 mpg, (measured by dividing mileage by gallons - the meter on the dashboard is about 4 mpg optimistic.) In the Porsche, I am coaxing speed. But I like the gadgets, the comfort, the efficiency and the calm. I am very happy I made this purchase. But this isn't a car that you're going to zoom from place to place in. It corners well, is reasonably comfortable (not an LS or SC by far) and has a decent ride.

I think that people need to understand the character of the cars that they buy. Buy something that suits the purpose that you want. Why do you want it, what are the short comings and benefits of each model? I was looking for a comfortable, high quality (fit/finish/reliability) hybrid. I wanted to spend less on gas going to and from work, with enough tech gadgets to keep me happy, in a high reliability car. I got it. When I want to go fast from place to place, I have a car for that as well.

larry

[LEX-SV]

I can relate to the Porsche versus CT comparison.

I was pleasantly surprised (favorably) when I had a CT200 loaner overnight.

[LEX-SV]

Am I going to buy one? Very unlikely.

[Labirintus]

Hi Guys!

I plan to buy a Ct200h. i look forward to more information about the power. I heard despite of the 140hp the car is litle bit slower what most of us expected. What do you think? Any experiences with compare to other veichles?

I found this video: