Our cars: Lexus CT200h - May 2012

Lexus CT200h SE-L Premier

Week ending May 18
Mileage 9314
Driven this week: 43 miles

Lexus CT200h review

The petrol-electric Lexus CT200h is a high-tech car. Our SE-L Premier model has LED headlamps, a reversing camera, keyless entry and a surround-sound stereo with a hard drive to record your music to.

Digital radio is a £360 option, though, which seems odd in such a tech-laden car. If you don’t specify DAB (as we didn’t), the CT still comes with an AM/DAB button, too. Apparently the CT’s stereo is ‘DAB ready’, so it might be possible to add it at a later date.

Neil.Williams@whatcar.com

Week ending May 11
Mileage 9271
Driven this week: 22 miles

Heated seats might seem like a strange thing to mention in May, but I'm still getting plenty of use out of the CT200h's. It's all because the mildest of the settings is just that – mild. The evenings still aren't particularly warm, so a quick turn of the heater dial is ideal for taking the slight chill off until the climate control heats the cabin.

Neil.Williams@whatcar.com

Week ending May 4
Mileage 9249
Driven this week: 37 miles

While recovering from a knee operation, I’ve been seeing the CT200h’s cabin from a whole new perspective – the passenger’s seat.

For such a high-tech car, the gearlever is terribly out of place. It looks more like the chromed top of a Victorian walking cane than something you change gear with. Come on, Lexus, get with the 21st century.

Neil.Williams@whatcar.com