A Couple of 2017 CT200h Sport Questions

[Brizzle]

Morning,

I'm struggling with the DAB radio on my new CT200h, my first port of call was the audio section of the manual, but this is strangely for a different audio system.

I'm trying to save stations to Preset but this is proving very difficult at the moment, plus when searching through the available DAB stations, there doesn't seem to be very many, although on my previous car it picked up a massive selection.

The other question is regarding motorway driving, when I put my foot down to accelerate rapidly the revs are very high and the automatic gearbox doesn't seem to shift down the gears as I would expect it to, so it basically sounds like I'm in 3rd gear doing 80/90mph.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Ian J. Parsley]

To save to preset you find the channel you want and then go to the space on the preset and press and hold. 

Could I just ask, was your previous car also a CT? 

[Brizzle]

2 minutes ago, Ian J. Parsley said:

To save to preset you find the channel you want and then go to the space on the preset and press and hold. 

Could I just ask, was your previous car also a CT? 

Morning Ian, thanks for the info, i'll give it a try on my lunch.

Previous car was an Mercedes A180 Sport, first Lexus I've had.

 

[Farqui]

If your car has the CVT gearbox then you won't experience 'normal' gear changes, the engine and box work together to smoothly propel you forward. Rev's shouldn't rise too much under normal driving. 

However if you smash the gas pedal to the floor then the engine revs will rise and stay high until you attain your cruising speed and easy/flit off. Then the engine revs should return to normal and waft you along.

Is this how your car 'works'?

[Brizzle]

23 minutes ago, Farqui said:

If your car has the CVT gearbox then you won't experience 'normal' gear changes, the engine and box work together to smoothly propel you forward. Rev's shouldn't rise too much under normal driving. 

However if you smash the gas pedal to the floor then the engine revs will rise and stay high until you attain your cruising speed and easy/flit off. Then the engine revs should return to normal and waft you along.

Is this how your car 'works'?

You've hit the nail firmly on the head there, when I put my foot down the revs do rise very rapidly but I noticed that if I take my foot off the gas slightly it seems to bump down the gears if that makes sense.

As I say, my first automatic ever so just presumed it would flow through the gears. At low/medium speeds its literally silent.

[Farqui]

Good, you just need to get used to the querks of the the CVT gearbox then.  Effortless or 'lazy' driving as the Mrs calls it 

It's not a traditional auto but works really well.

The CVT in the smaller bhp cars does tend to make the engine work hard for longer. 

Whereas in the bigger bhp cars the engine isn't at max rpm for long at all.

Enjoy.

[McRattlehead]

The dab radio is unusually difficult to tune, while in manual mode you need to search through each ensemble in turn. Dab transmits stations in packets (ensembles)e.g the bbc stations will be grouped together ,commercial stations in other ensembles.This explains your poor choice of stations.I had a dab in a previous car which tuned just like a house radio finding stations automatically,the lexus radio is odd in this respect.

The CVT issue as others have replied is not a conventional gearbox with set ratios,it theoretically has infinite ratios,it works best by moderate pressure on the accelerator.You will soon get used to the more relaxed style of the CT, it does not like to be hurried,however if you switch to sport mode this will sharpen the throttle response and the CVT will change quicker.

Finally(at last)the engine runs on an Atkinson/Miller cycle,which involves altered valve timings and crank angles,this is more efficient than standard timing but at the expense of a reduced power band,the engine is at its most efficient in the middle or the rev range.

Enjoy your new car though it gets easier.

[Ian J. Parsley]

Apologies if I'm covering what you already know, but I should emphasise the CVT does not have gears (or, put in "normal" terms, it has the effect of being a single-gear gearbox). I should add also that the braking system is different too: when you hit the "brake" pedal, all that happens is in effect that the cogs turn and go the other way to decelerate rather than accelerate; the actual brake is only applied from about 5mph down to zero (the good news here is you'll never need to change the brake pads unless you do a couple of round-the-World trips!)

The trick really is not to press the accelerator any more than you have to - partly because doing so means you are all engine and no electric (bad for consumption), and partly because you'll get a long growl! For what it's worth, if I really have to pick up speed, I switch briefly into sport mode to get it over with!

I am sorry I know very little about the A-class so I cannot compare directly, but I suspect you'll find the Sport trim a wise choice having moved over. 

[Shahpor]

1 hour ago, Ian J. Parsley said:

when you hit the "brake" pedal, all that happens is in effect that the cogs turn and go the other way to decelerate rather than accelerate; the actual brake is only applied from about 5mph down to zero (the good news here is you'll never need to change the brake pads unless you do a couple of round-the-World trips!)

Really?  I didn't know this.  So CT owners never have to change brakes?  That is rather clever.

Also, I have read that the most efficient way to drive in town is to accelerate relatively quickly and then coast rather than build up speed slowly?  It seems to do with the fact that the car will then use more Battery power cruising along than it would otherwise.

[Ian J. Parsley]

I've never come to a satisfactory decision on whether it's best to speed up quickly and then coast! My instinct is it depends on the length and type of the journey - ultimately it's about whether it's worth having the Battery charged (useful if you are driving on, maybe less so if you are about to park for a while).

But yes, the first thing I noticed on going hybrid was actually the "brake". When you're not used to it, especially on a more powerful car, it causes the car to "shudder" to a halt as the actual brakes kick in right at the end. A lot of reviews report this as a negative, but you soon get used to it and it does have the long-term advantage of not wearing down the pads. 

[steveledzep]

I'm not familiar with the CT (other than a one day loaner), but I am familiar with the CVT gears.  I liken it to the chain on a bicycle's derailleur gears going up and down to the different ratios.....BUT, imagine the gear cogs as a smooth cone with a rubber band rather than a chain.  Some of the older members here may remember the Daf Variomatic cars of the late sixties and seventies.  They literally had a rubber band going up and down a cone to provide the drive ratio.

I don't drive in a particular manner to maximise fuel economy.  I drive according to conditions and the progress I wish to make.  We all drive relatively expensive vehicles that are very economical anyway.....I really don't see fuel economy as a major consideration to driving style....just drive in the manner you wish.  One or two mpg extra or less is quite insignificant to the overall driving experience of Lexus vehicles.  IMO of course .

[rayaans]

5 hours ago, Shahpor said:

Really?  I didn't know this.  So CT owners never have to change brakes?  That is rather clever.

Also, I have read that the most efficient way to drive in town is to accelerate relatively quickly and then coast rather than build up speed slowly?  It seems to do with the fact that the car will then use more battery power cruising along than it would otherwise.

Well lets just say you shouldn't really have to change brakes under 80-100k miles.

My 3RX was on 60% wear with 46k miles on it! Unfortunately, the RX does chew through tyres though - my 4RX is currently on 4mm at 13k miles lol