Read more…

" /> EVO Magazine Reviews the Lexus CT 200h | Lexus Enthusiast

EVO Magazine Reviews the Lexus CT 200h


The next CT 200h review comes from EVO Magazine, who didn’t come away all that impressed with the hybrid hatchback:

[The CT 200h is] Rather dull, unfortunately. For all the claims of being ‘authentically Lexus’, this is certainly no mini-iSF. You sit low – the hip-point is lower than that of an Auris, a car with whose underpinnings it actually shares very little despite superficial similarities including a double-wishbone rear end – so the first impression is promisingly, er, sporty. A busy, fidgety ride and quick steering add to that superficial impression.
 
Soon it’s clear that the responses are just a bit wooden, and there’s little keenness to alter cornering lines with the throttle. Transparency, flow and interactivity are in disappointingly short supply. Step-off from a standstill is pretty brisk but there’s little energy beyond 80mph, even in Sport mode. There’s also an Eco mode, with Normal in between, but the dofferences between all three aren’t nearly as marked as they are in a Honda CR-Z.

There are a number of points from the review that I would disagree with, especially when it comes to the interior, but really, when there’s concern about how the CT 200h performs over 80mph (128km/h), I have to question if the reviewer seeing the car for what it really is.

That said, this is EVO Magazine and the CT 200h is a 134-hp hybrid with a 0-60 time of 9.8 seconds — it’s hardly a great fit to begin with.

[Source: EVO Magazine]

Lexus CTh: First GenerationPreviewsReviewsUSA
Comments
J
  • J
    JVX
  • October 13, 2010
What can I say. The CT is being reviewed by the wrong audience.
S
  • S
    SEAL
  • October 13, 2010
Thanks @krew ;) EXCLUSIVE CT200H F-SPORT VIDEO : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_QRm9B5U20
A
  • A
    Archy
  • October 14, 2010
It's all very well to say that as a performance car magazine EVO is the wrong audience to review this car, but Lexus themselves are positioning it to take market share from Audi and BMW. EVO and Autocar give a 0-62 time of 10.2/10.3 (not 9.8) which is just not good enough in that company. Add the awkwardly ugly rear end and the CVT, and it's hard see this car making much impression, except with people who don't care about cars (ie US drivers and the over-70s).
Archy wrote:It’s all very well to say that as a performance car magazine EVO is the wrong audience to review this car, but Lexus themselves are positioning it to take market share from Audi and BMW. EVO and Autocar give a 0-62 time of 10.2/10.3 (not 9.8) which is just not good enough in that company. Add the awkwardly ugly rear end and the CVT, and it’s hard see this car making much impression, except with people who don’t care about cars (ie US drivers and the over-70s).
A couple things: * The CT may be entering the same segment as the A3 & 1-Series, but it's with a different approach. Fuel economy is one clear difference, where the CT betters the A3 by 24%. * I quoted the Lexus USA 0-60 time of 9.8s, not the European 0-62 time of 10.3, but regardless, how important are speed runs in this segment? BTW, I think personal bias might be showing through on your last sentence there. :-)

K