The feathers fly as F Sport causes a stir
S OME road test cars come and go without incident – but this week’s motor seemed to attract a great deal of unwanted attention.
From crazy, laneswitching wagon drivers and madmen in Audis to suicidal wildlife – I got the lot this week.
It was in no way the car’s fault as inside a Lexus CT200h F Sport is a very civilised place to be. It was outside that it all became very uncivilised.
First there was the lunatic in a small white printers lorry who decided to change lanes on the M60 without bothering to check if anyone was already there and a serious collision was only avoided by inches – a great test for the F Sport’s handling and beefy brakes.
Then there was an angry-looking chap behind me in an Audi, who seemed upset that we were not driving at 70mph past a clearly active fixed speed camera in the neverending 40mph limit road works on Bolton’s St Peter’s Way.
Is it me or are our roads increasingly being used by the incompetent and insane?
But the most upsetting was a large pheasant which broke cover from the grass verge giving yours truly not even time to move a muscle before watching a shower of feathers disappearing in my rear-view mirror – well we were driving through the M60’s infamous ‘ Death Valley’ at the time. Testament to the F Sport’s build quality was that there was not a scratch on the front bumper.
Mind you, this car is a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde character. In Eco mode things are somewhat pedestrian with the 81- bhp electric motor doing most if not all of the work at lower speeds.
You can try and drive in electric vehicle only mode up to 45mph – but only on the level, or downhill, and only if you don’t mind holding up the rest of the world and his wife. However, switch to Sport and it all changes. Suddenly you have another 98-bhp from the 1.8 petrol engine and, boy, does it show.
The dashboard display turns red, the nowredundant eco-meter becomes a rev counter and everything else steps up a gear. Although Lexus quote a 0-62 time of 10.3 seconds and top speed of 112mph the car actually feels faster than that. Possibly the electric CVT auto box, which sees engine revs rise alarmingly when you put your foot down hard, adds to the sense of urgency.
Being a full hybrid means the electric motor is used all the time and does most of the work at around town speeds, but going on two long journeys during the week – a new Fiat test day in North Yorkshire and taking Her Indoors on a weekend to the Lakes – meant a lot of motorway work and I have to say that, knowing it is costing you nothing in juice when crawling along in jams on electric motor only, does make the experience a little easier to bear.
Where the full hybrid does score is in urban mpg (as that electric motor is working harder) which is almost identical to extra urban at a shade below 70mpg. The CT200h is also zero road tax and congestion charge exempt. And the ultra low emissions mean tax benefits for company car users.
As you would expect in any Lexus things are positively plush inside and all the toys are easily to hand – cruise control (although not adaptive), F Sport leather interior, electric, heated seats, keyless entry and start, climate control, traction control, six speaker premium audio system, rear camera and sat nav.
On the outside there are distinctive F Sport alloy wheels, rear spoiler, side skirts and front grille – all to show this is the ‘hot’ CT and giving a very sporty appearance.
Lexus claim the CT200h is the world’s first hybrid luxury hatchback which makes the car’s price even more surprising. For this near top-of-the-range F Sport model is just £26,995 on the road... and the CT200h range starts at £21,245 for the 200h S.