2013 LEXUS CT 200h: Lacklustre Lexus

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/08/2013 (4418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

My favourite Lexus since the inception of Toyota’s upscale brand in 1989 is the original IS 300. That car, produced between 2000 and 2005, was a model of balance and poise — just as large as it needed to be and equipped with a sweetheart of an inline-six and rear-wheel drive.

In short, it spoke to me. Granted, it was quickly forgotten when the second-generation car replaced it and brought with it a luxurious air more befitting of a Lexus, but it’s still the one to beat in my books.

Since that car, there really hasn’t been a Lexus that speaks to me, mostly because I’m not a target customer for the brand and it’s clear the company has been going after the more “mature” car shoppers out there. But times, they are a-changing.

Imagine my interest, then, when the CT, a racy low-slung hatchback hybrid, first appeared in 2011. It’s small and well-proportioned, and has an interior that screams “sport.” All was well when I first got behind the wheel of a CT last year. Well, that is, until I pushed the power button and started driving. That’s when reality sunk in.

This car was, at its heart, a Toyota hybrid. As far as the driving experience goes, that’s what you get. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, mind you, but as colossal test-drive disappointments go, this one ranks at the top.

Now it’s time to check out the 2013 model. Not surprisingly for a two-year-old model, nothing has materially changed on the car for 2013. However, this year’s tester was equipped with the F-Sport package, complete with graphite rims and more sporting cues on the interior.

But don’t worry; I didn’t fall into that trap again. My expectations for a spirited drive were lowered to a more appropriate level and now I can say with confidence what you get with the CT 200h is a very sporty rendition of a Toyota Prius.

Steering response and suspension firmness are what separate a drive in the CT from a drive in a Prius, and these changes are certainly welcome. That said, the ride walks that fine line between sporty firmness and econobox choppy.

I was pleasantly surprised by my ability to consume fuel at a rate of 5.2 L/100 km in the CT, regardless of city or highway conditions (the CT is officially rated at 4.6 L/100 km in combined driving). This number was achieved on sunny days with the mercury rising above the 30-Celcius mark, so the A/C was certainly getting a workout.

By way of comparison, similar conditions in my VW Golf TDI would yield a city figure in the low-sevens and a highway number in the high-fours. I have way more fun driving the VW, mind you, but we’ve already established this is not the point of the Lexus.

My biggest beef with the CT’s drivability is the pokey response from the computer and continuously variable transmission (CVT) to fire up the gas engine and spin the revs up when power is called for. Even after twisting the drive-mode knob to the right for Sport (causing the instrument panel to glow red as if to ask you why you hate the environment), it just takes too long for the engine to reach its power peak. And that little 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle four-banger teams up with the electric motor to produce a combined 134 horsepower, so it needs all the help it can get.

Other CVT-peddling car companies have rectified this by allowing the CVT to change ratios more quickly so the engine speed jumps up and the car feels more responsive.

In Toyota’s world, the CVT is the brains of the entire hybrid operation, which is why every Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicle has one.

Rather than having the fixed gear ratios of a five- or six-speed automatic, a CVT has the ability to continuously vary the drive ratio so the engine speed is always where it needs to be to meet certain performance criteria. In a Toyota hybrid, that criterion is achieving the lowest-possible fuel consumption.

Toyota would not be at the forefront of hybrid performance if not for the CVT. I recall having the audacity to ask whether a manual transmission would be considered for future Toyota hybrids at the launch of the current-generation Prius. Toyota’s PR folks then looked at me as if I had an extra head growing out of my neck. I guess that answers it.

The CT starts at $31,450 and includes push-button start, dual-zone climate control, a cargo cover, synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, Bluetooth connectivity, six-speaker audio, wheel-mounted controls, fog lights, 40-centimetre alloys and a vehicle immobilizer.

Option packages are plentiful: the $2,000 Touring package nets 43-centimetre alloys, a power glass moonroof and a storage compartment with a second 12-volt outlet. For an additional $3,050, buyers get the Premium package, which adds 10-speaker premium audio, real leather on the seats, a backup camera, rain-sensing wipers and more.

Our tester had all that plus the $900 F-Sport pack, with graphite-finished rims, premium leather and trim upgrades. Total as-tested price for our test unit rang the registers at $37,400 before freight and taxes.

The only option our tester didn’t wear was the $2,250 tech package, which would have included such niceties as voice-activated nav, LED headlights with washers and a few other goodies.

The CT succeeds in offering a sportier version of Toyota’s hybrids with a healthy dose of Lexus luxury. Just don’t let those sporty duds stretch your expectations beyond what the car’s powertrain has been designed to deliver.