Hybrid Lexus is a little wonder
performance. You can mitigate against this somewhat by switching to sport mode, which gives a little more responsiveness.
Noise is also a bit of an issue when hitting the open road at high speed, meaning motorway driving is not really the CT200h’s forte.
Where this car excels, and this obviously makes sense given its size, is around town. In sport mode its nippy enough, and can still take full advantage of the batteries.
There’s also a useful B mode in the gearbox, which simulates engine breaking when going downhill, meaning you don’t have to be lightly on the the brakes all the way down.
This 2018 iteration of the CT200 brings a refined exterior look, and an upping of the ante inside.
The main change to the exterior is a slightly more aggressive look to the front grill - which makes a handsome car a little more handsome in my view. It may be small but it’s perfectly formed.
There are some updated trim and colour options for this year’s model, too, bringing more variety and a higher likelihood you can find a combination that suits.
The Lexus Safety System+ means this car is also equipped with some high-level safety features, including lane assist with sway warning, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam headlights, rear camera, and parking sensors. It’s not short on bells and whistles, in other words.
Inside, the Premier trim level car we tested was wonderfully luxurious - lots of leather and heated seats, an impressive 10.3in nav screen, with touch remote interface (you operate it with a little joystick on the centre console), keyless entry, and memory settings for driver’s seat position.
One thing Lexus will never be accused of i making cheap cars, and the CT200h is no exception. The base model sells for £23,495, but for that you don’t get the safety system extras, sat-nav, the leather seats, or the parking sensors, but you do get aircon, DAB radio, and alloys. It’s not a bad price for that.
Our model was the Premium, which starts at £30,495 and went up to £31,855 OTR with extras like metallic paint and sunroof.
That puts it in competition with the likes of the Audi A3 and the Mercedes A-Class. While not as refined a drive as those cars, the hybrid tech gives the CT200 an efficiency advantage, and Lexus’s uncanny knack of being able to make a luxuriously comfortable interior should not be overlooked, nor should the CT200’s distinctive and handsome exterior.