There has been plenty of talk about the new UX crossover replacing the CT 200h in North America, but Lexus Europe general manager Pascal Ruch maintains the hatchback is an important contributor in his region — from Auto Express:
“The CT has a high conquest ratio of 70 to 75 per cent,” Ruch said. “It’s useful at bringing new people to the brand. People buy the CT for efficiency; with the UX, we’re looking for a different customer.
“If the question is ‘Will we replace the CT?’, let’s say so. If we look back since 2012, the brand has experienced, step by step, a strong evolution. But I believe all the segments we are now in, it’s important to stay there,” Ruch said.
“We might have to think about a different approach to the sector,” Ruch said. “Maybe it’s the time to find something new in the CT’s segment.”
Auto Express claims the next-generation CT will arrive in 2020 sharing the TNGA platform of the Toyota Corolla Hatchback, and will be offered with both a gas-electric hybrid and a full-electric powertrain. The new CT could also be offered as both a hatchback and a crossover, though how that would work beside the UX remains a puzzle.
(Before the current crossover craze in the USA, the CT 200h was an important vehicle for Lexus. An EV version could be all that’s needed to see a North American return of the hatchback.)
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