Item: Lexus CT
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

No CT is what you’d call cheap – even the basic SE model is a few thousand pounds more expensive than the A3 and 1 Series. Given that there are no tax benefits for a private buyer, the CT makes most sense as a company car.

You won’t have to pay the surcharge placed on diesel-powered rivals, and CO2 emissions are lower than those of most other upmarket family cars, so the CT costs usefully less in terms of benefit-in-kind tax.

Real-world fuel economy is likely to fall a long way short of the claimed figure, especially on the motorway. Stick to town driving, though, and the CT is an exceptionally frugal option.

The CT comes with eight airbags, including ones to protect the knees of those in the front. Otherwise, all the electronic stability and traction aids you'd expect are present. All this helped the car achieve the maximum five-star crash test rating from Euro NCAP, albeit in the old-style test conducted in 2011. There are also plenty of security measures that’ll prevent thieves from taking too much of an interest.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

All models in the range are badged CT 200h. This means you get a 1.8-litre petrol engine working in alliance with an electric motor that’s fed by a battery pack under the boot floor.

The combined efforts of these power sources are fed to the front wheels via a CVT automatic gearbox. While having two motors may sound like jolly good fun, the reality is somewhat disappointing. The petrol engine can’t even manage 100bhp and it doesn’t feel like the electric motor adds much more. Put simply, the CT is slow.

The CT can run on electric power alone at low speeds, so it’s whisper-quiet in stop-start traffic. Sadly, that’s the only time it’s even remotely hushed, because the petrol engine wails noisily whenever you put your foot down. Factor in the horrendous amount of road noise on the motorway and you have a particularly unrefined car.

There’s a decent amount of grip and not too much body lean in corners, but the CT’s steering offers absolutely no feedback. This robs you of confidence on twisty roads, because you’re never sure how much bite the front tyres have. And seeing as these always run out of grip first, you’re unlikely to have fun in the CT.

The biggest issue, however, is the harsh ride. Even in entry-level SE trim, which comes with small 16in wheels, it’s choppy around town. Still, this is preferable to the stiffer suspension set-up of the F Sport version, which is downright uncomfortable.

If you’re a maker of ‘premium’ cars these days, you must have a hatchback in your range. Whether they’re appealing to those downsizing or to people who just want to get on the first rung of the luxury ladder, these cars are bought by the bucketload.

The Lexus CT is, in some respects, fairly typical of the breed, being a five-door hatchback with a plush-looking interior and the availability of plenty of hi-tech gadgets. Unlike rivals, however, the CT is only available with one engine: a petrol-electric hybrid with an automatic gearbox.

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Keep reading over the next few pages to see if this one-size-fits-all approach can beat the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/review/n77">Audi A3</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n26">BMW 1 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes-Benz A-Class</a>.

And remember, if you want to buy a Lexus CT then check out our new car deals by clicking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/configure/lexus/ct/hatchback/?step=1&amp;amp;sort=price">here</a>. You could save a small fortune without any awkward haggling.

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Lexus is known for its high-quality interiors and everything in the CT certainly feels up to scratch on initial inspection. There’s a big slab of squidgy plastic on the top of the dashboard, attractive trims and nice leather on the steering wheel.

But while everything feels solidly put together, the damping of some switches and the plastics lower down in the dash feel a little cheap for a car of this price. The 1 Series and especially the A3 feel much classier and more solidly built inside.

Getting into a comfortable driving position shouldn’t be too tricky; the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach and there’s plenty of adjustment in the seat. Just bear in mind that you’ll need the electric front leather seats (standard on Premier, optional on F-Sport) to get adjustable lumbar support.

All models get a 7.0in infotainment screen that, in all but the top-spec version, is controlled using a rotary dial mounted in front of the engine mode selector (which, confusingly, is another rotary dial). It’s a fairly easy system to use with familiarity, although still not the most intuitive set-up. Sat-nav is standard on all but base SE models.

Premier and F-Sport Premier Pack models get a larger 10.3in screen that’s even clearer, but this is controlled by a touchpad. Even with haptic feedback added to the latest version of this system, it can be very hard to select the icon you want. We’d avoid it.

Hatchback

In the same way that Infiniti acts as Nissan’s premium arm, Lexus has a similar tie-in with Toyota. And since most of Toyota’s models are offered as hybrids, it’s no surprise to see the same from Lexus, although there are some traditional petrol engines, too.

The brand focuses heavily on SUVs – namely the NX and RX – but also has the CT hatchback, ES executive saloon and LS luxury car among its portfolio. More small and large SUVs are expected in the future.

Like Toyota, Lexus has built a very strong reputation for reliability and regularly finishes very close to the top of our annual Reliability Survey.

LEXUS

The CT is unrefined, uncomfortable and outdated.

The CT is adequate for a small family, but there are much more practical hatchbacks out there for the money. Up front, there’s a reasonable amount of room between passengers but not a lot of storage. Although there are cupholders, the door pockets are small and there’s not a huge amount of oddment storage between the seats, either.

There’s enough head and leg room in the rear to allow two small adults to sit fairly comfortably, but even tall adults will be fine in most rivals. Once again storage is limited and the view out of the shallow windows isn’t great, either.

The boot is a reasonable 375 litres, slightly less than the five-door A3’s, but does without some of the clever features of rivals’. There’s no variable height boot floor and the rear seats fold in a conventional 60/40 split.

The CT is unrefined, uncomfortable and outdated.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Low running costs compared with solely petrol or diesel equivalents</li> <li>Very low official CO2 emissions to benefit company car drivers</li> <li>The same usability as a regular car</li> <li>Smooth transition between electric and engine power</li> <li>Small practicality compromise over conventional models</li></ul>

Not so long ago, hybrids were the preserve of Hollywood stars, environmentally conscious 'early adopters' and the odd&nbsp;minicab driver looking to save a bit of money on fuel.

Since the collapse in demand for diesel, however, they have become&nbsp;much more popular, and it's easy to see why, with&nbsp;low tax bills and&nbsp;impressive MPG figures&nbsp;just a couple of the perks they offer.

There are two types of hybrid: 'self-charging'&nbsp;models, which mix petrol&nbsp;and electric power in an effort to maximise&nbsp;efficiency, and&nbsp;plug-in hybrids that can travel many miles purely on electricity before their engines need to cut in. This category is for the former type of cars.

Hybrid

Lexus CT review

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Buying advice for the Lexus CT covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

No CT is what you’d call cheap – even the basic SE model is a few thousand pounds more expensive than the A3 and 1 Series. Given that there are no tax benefits for a private buyer, the CT makes most sense as a company car.,You won’t have to pay the surcharge placed on diesel-powered rivals, and CO2 emissions are lower than those of most other upmarket family cars, so the CT costs usefully less in terms of benefit-in-kind tax.,Real-world fuel economy is likely to fall a long way short of the claimed figure, especially on the motorway. Stick to town driving, though, and the CT is an exceptionally frugal option.The CT comes with eight airbags, including ones to protect the knees of those in the front. Otherwise, all the electronic stability and traction aids you'd expect are present. All this helped the car achieve the maximum five-star crash test rating from Euro NCAP, albeit in the old-style test conducted in 2011. There are also plenty of security measures that’ll prevent thieves from taking too much of an interest., 

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