My First Impressions

Wass · January 29, 2012

I have just bought my first Lexus, a CT 200. Aside from the already well commented upon hybrid system, the thing which most impresses me is the luxury. I sold my Jaguar series 3 4.2 litre XJ6 in the late 1980s to a jaguar specialist and commented at the time that they should consider a hot hatch. The Lexus CT200 is the type of car I had in mind. ( Jaguar were to introduce a range of thinly disguised fords which were ahem...... thinly disguised fords.... but never anything approaching the Lexus level of excellence)

I am very chuffed with this car and have waited for more than 20 years for its arrival. It combines luxury, engineering, small size, safety,price and quality in just the proportions I have been looking and wishing for.

Wass · March 25, 2012

I have now covered 2800 miles in my CT200H and am still discovering some of the driving techniques. How to use the mode selector, How to feather the throttle, how to judge the right place to ease off the accelerator so that the car slows itself down to legal speed without using the brakes when entering 30mph zones. My fuel consumption has improved over 8 tank fills from low 50s to 67 mpg at the last fill. I am very chuffed with this car. I think that the car is well suited to the 38 mile route I drive to and from work which explains the excellent fuel consumption figures I'm getting out of it.

The car seems to be less fuel efficient on dual carriageways and motorways which is , I suspect where a lot of people expect it to be in its element. The fuel consumption is passable on motorways and dual carriageways and the throttle response is well up to the job but the roads which seem to suit the car best are those single lane A roads where you inevitably end up following a Sainsburys lorry in a queue at a steady 40mph! ;) Theres plenty of room for my overweight 6'2" frame and I really like the sound system.

The controls are well thought out and easy to reach and i am still really glad that I bought this car.

There are cars which are faster and there are cars which are more economic there are also cars which are more comfortable. There are cars which are more pleasing to the eye. The CT200H does all these things quite well which is what makes it a very very good car ( in my opinion)

Sleepypete (FB) · March 26, 2012

Totally agree with that last sentence - it's the whole package that makes the CT a winner for me and a rather special car. It does everything pretty darn well.

Sure, it could do with a little more power but it does a great job with what it has available. It's got as much apparent power as the ST170 that it replaced.

MPGs - mine are still rubbish (I'm dragging down the Fuelly average!), looks like your work trip hits the CT sweet spot which is allegedly about 45mph where the car can dip in and out of EV as it likes. I've seen 75mpg on the computer after 20 miles of 40mph A46 roadworks ... But that dives a fair bit at 70mph.

Sound system - I had the Sad Face when I spotted there was no Long Wave (or DAB module) on mine for listening to cricket commentary. But the Bluetooth more than makes up for that, just need a better data package on my phone for Internet Radio -> Phone -> Bluetooth -> Car Stereo . And that sounds better than the LW in my last car too !