Edmunds Inside Line has published their first impressions of the Lexus CT 200h — here’s some key quotes:
Apart from its lack of hurry, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h doesn’t feel much like a Prius. Indeed, its character reminds us more of an A3 or a Volkswagen GTI. Like the HS 250h, the CT has an independent double-wishbone rear suspension instead of a Prius-spec torsion beam.
This hatchback settles down quickly through corners and keeps its composure over uneven pavement. The electric-power-assisted steering increases in effort level in Sport mode, and we find it nicely weighted and precise when evading buses. Feedback still isn’t all there, but it’s a good setup for a front-drive Lexus.
If you’ve never known the old, opulent side of Lexus, the CT 200h might not even feel like a step down. As for us, we’ve basked in the soft leather chairs of more elite Lexus models, and still the 2011 Lexus CT 200h feels like a significant development in the company’s history.
The final point is a great one — in my mind, the CT 200h is the true start of Lexus as a global brand. Here we have a car that can be marketed in any place around the world, with a platform able to support a number of different variations (Li-ion, plug-in hybrid, hot hatch), which makes it an extremely important model in the long-term.
[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]
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