Lexus to Cancel CT in Favor of Sub-Compact Crossover?

[Lasse J. Nordvik]

Asked my local dealer about the future of the CT today, and he said a new CT is coming out about a year and a half.

 

[James]

Asked my local dealer about the future of the CT today, and he said a new CT is coming out about a year and a half.

How reliable do you think he is? I think that is good news I think they do need to keep the CT I feel like I see a ton of them. Adding in 2.0t and maybe AWD would really benefit the CT but depending on the size of the new UX I could see how it could replace the CT. Not saying it's the correct choice but I can see it.

 

[Lasse J. Nordvik]

How reliable do you think he is? I think that is good news I think they do need to keep the CT I feel like I see a ton of them. Adding in 2.0t and maybe AWD would really benefit the CT but depending on the size of the new UX I could see how it could replace the CT. Not saying it's the correct choice but I can see it.

I believe the info is solid. When they comment on future products it's inside info. They never speculate.

 

[mikeavelli]

Again the CT has been huge in Lexus newfound success in Europe and it exceeded and met sales goals here in the USA. Maybe a name change is coming instead of it being discontinued? We know about the raised/CUV rumors.

 

[corradoMR2]

I believe the info is solid. When they comment on future products it's inside info. They never speculate.

I heard otherwise from my local Lexus dealer a few months back that we are likely going to see a CUV replacing the CT. Either way, I welcome a Lexus sub-compact hatch, raised or not.

 

[mmcartalk]

I heard otherwise from my local Lexus dealer a few months back that we are likely going to see a CUV replacing the CT. Either way, I welcome a Lexus sub-compact hatch, raised or not.

Given today's general market and SUV-proliferation, I'd say there's a better possibility of a small subcompact CUV replacing it than another-generation actual CT hatchback. Of course, it's no secret that I personally have never liked the CT myself (except for its nice NuLuxe upholstery and high gas mileage)...but I'm being totally objective here on the matter, and not trying to inject any bias I might have. But then, on the other hand, up until very recently, I didn't think there would be a market in the U.S. for a subcompact (smaller than NX) crossover CUV with an upmarket Lexus nameplate on it. However, Acura and Infiniti seem to currently be going that route in other countries...perhaps it just might (?) work for Lexus, even here in the U.S.

 

[GSCT]

Given today's general market and SUV-proliferation, I'd say there's a better possibility of a small subcompact CUV replacing it than another-generation actual CT hatchback. Of course, it's no secret that I personally have never liked the CT myself (except for its nice NuLuxe upholstery and high gas mileage)...but I'm being totally objective here on the matter, and not trying to inject any bias I might have. But then, on the other hand, up until very recently, I didn't think there would be a market in the U.S. for a subcompact (smaller than NX) crossover CUV with an upmarket Lexus nameplate on it. However, Acura and Infiniti seem to currently be going that route in other countries...perhaps it just might (?) work for Lexus, even here in the U.S.

I agree. With the huge popularity of CUVs in general and small CUVs in particular in North America, the potential for a below NX Lexus has to be greater than a "hot hatch" with only 135 horsepower. Too bad for those of us that liked the CT as a great city car though.

 

[mmcartalk]

Too bad for those of us that liked the CT as a great city car though.

I agree that it is a good car for dense urban conditions, but, IMO, its ride, sound insulation, and general refinement levels are not up to general Lexus standards.

 

[Gecko]

I don't think the LEXUS CT will be renewed. It shares the same platform as the SCION tC, and the tC is going "bye-bye" as a final 2017 model as well if I remember correctly, with the death of SCION. Both are built on the old platform, so for cost reasons I don't see TOYOTA/LEXUS continuing the CT as it might not be "Cost Effective" since neither are on the newer TNGA and GA-L platforms that they are switching to.

Pretty much all Toyota FWD products are moving to TNGA, so to your point about being cost effective, all FWD products are about to become much more cost effective to produce.

tC is being cancelled because it was competing somewhat with the 86, and the coupe market was soft anyway.

I don't really think that Lexus will cancel the CT. It's been a sales success, it's just older and the market is not in favor of hybrids or hatches right now, but gas is still much more expensive than it is in the US, in the markets where the CT has done very well.

 

[Gecko]

Having spent a lot of time working in dealerships myself, I can tell you the conversation probably went something like this:

Lexus salesman: "Is a new CT coming out?"

Lexus corp: "We are working on a new CUV that will be about the size of the CT."

*Lexus salesman walks away and tells the world that Lexus is cancelling the CT in favor of a CUV.*

Lexus has already trademarkeed UX, we know it's coming. But when you look at markets like Europe, there is a demand for both small hatches and small CUVs. America too, albeit that segment is smaller.

There's going to be an MPG penalty on a CUV, for sure. CT should stay the Lexus hybrid MPG leader.

 

[Trexus]

I don't really think that Lexus will cancel the CT. It's been a sales success, it's just older and the market is not in favor of hybrids or hatches right now, but gas is still much more expensive than it is in the US, in the markets where the CT has done very well.

I agree with you that Lexus should not cancel the CT. In Europe it is the 3rd highest selling hybrid. The 1st is the NX 300h followed by RX 450h.

I think the UX and CT can coexist. but it appears rumors would like to replace the CT with the UX but that shouldn't be the case. If Lexus keeps the CT and introduces the UX then a likely European sales scenario would be as follows:

UX hybrid 1st highest selling
NX hybrid 2nd highest selling
RX hybrid 3rd highest selling
CT hybrid 4th highest selling
IS hybrid 5th highest selling
GS hybrid 6th highest selling
RC hybrid 7th highest selling
LS hybrid 8th highest selling

In the U.S. we have the ES hybrid and Japan has the HS hybrid. It's amazing how many hybrids Lexus has.

 

[Lasse J. Nordvik]

Perhaps it'll be dropped in the US but renewed for Europe?

 

[Trexus]

Perhaps it'll be dropped in the US but renewed for Europe?

Similar to how the HS was dropped in the U.S. but is alive and well in Japan.

I hope Lexus doesn't drop the CT for the U.S. market. A CT 200t would be awesome and should be well received here in the U.S. and worldwide.

 

[GSCT]

Wow! Given all the posts, I have to say I wouldn't have thought there would be so much interest in and passion for the CT. I'm impresed!

 

[LexusTechSA]

I would be surprised if the drop the CT. With the TNGA platform development costs would be low, for a vehicle which they can charge at a premium price. That is why car makers love the premium segment, because they make big profits there.

 

[meth.ix]

I don't think the LEXUS CT will be renewed. It shares the same platform as the SCION tC, and the tC is going "bye-bye" as a final 2017 model as well if I remember correctly, with the death of SCION. Both are built on the old platform, so for cost reasons I don't see TOYOTA/LEXUS continuing the CT as it might not be "Cost Effective" since neither are on the newer TNGA and GA-L platforms that they are switching to.

But the CT will probably move to the TNGA

 

[meth.ix]

This is looks like the Scion IM replacement.

The Toyota Corolla iM.

 

[meth.ix]

Having spent a lot of time working in dealerships myself, I can tell you the conversation probably went something like this:

Lexus salesman: "Is a new CT coming out?"

Lexus corp: "We are working on a new CUV that will be about the size of the CT."

*Lexus salesman walks away and tells the world that Lexus is cancelling the CT in favor of a CUV.*

Lexus has already trademarkeed UX, we know it's coming. But when you look at markets like Europe, there is a demand for both small hatches and small CUVs. America too, albeit that segment is smaller.

There's going to be an MPG penalty on a CUV, for sure. CT should stay the Lexus hybrid MPG leader.

Isn't the size of the NX already similar to the CT. Not that much, but the CT is a bit smaller than the A-Class and A3.

 

[meth.ix]

I think that if the hatchback craze isn't as big as it used to be, then there should be a CT sedan as well. But that would mean it would have to be renamed as a model ending with -S and have the hatchback be the SportCross model.

 

[mikeavelli]

I agree with you that Lexus should not cancel the CT. In Europe it is the 3rd highest selling hybrid. The 1st is the NX 300h followed by RX 450h.

I think the UX and CT can coexist. but it appears rumors would like to replace the CT with the UX but that shouldn't be the case. If Lexus keeps the CT and introduces the UX then a likely European sales scenario would be as follows:

UX hybrid 1st highest selling
NX hybrid 2nd highest selling
RX hybrid 3rd highest selling
CT hybrid 4th highest selling
IS hybrid 5th highest selling
GS hybrid 6th highest selling
RC hybrid 7th highest selling
LS hybrid 8th highest selling

In the U.S. we have the ES hybrid and Japan has the HS hybrid. It's amazing how many hybrids Lexus has.

This is a good point....a lot of people want a small city hatch which do sell well in Europe....Hopefully the "UX" can co-exist with the CT and more CT variants come. I guess one challenge is price as a loaded CT can hit 40k and most people would jump to a NX/IS/ES.