Cars Guide

Lexus CT 200h

Lexus CT 200h, which is scheduled to hit dealer showrooms in late February, is a terrific upscale alternative to the Toyota (TM) Prius. This all-new model has two big selling points: A relatively low price—its the least expensive model in Lexus lineup, with a starting price of $29,995—and an average fuel economy rating of 42 miles per gallon.

The sporty, well-bolstered front seats are much more comfortable than front seats in the Prius. As in the Prius, the rear seats fold down to make a large hauling space.

The CT 200hs 42-mpg fuel economy rating (40 mpg on the highway, 43 in the city) lags the Prius 50 mpg, but equals that of the Honda Insight and beats most other hybrids. As I engaged in about 225 miles of mixed driving in frigid winter weather, I averaged 37 mpg. The CT 200h has three driving modes: eco, normal, and sport.

The good: With its hybrid electric system, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h delivers excellent fuel economy. A sport suspension makes for good handling. The premium sound system creates high-quality audio.

The Bluetooth phone system is short on features.
The bottom line: Despite its sporty appearance, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h uses its hybrid power train for fuel economy, not speed. Lexus offers solid cabin tech that falls short of groundbreaking.
Ultimately, it favors fuel economy over raw power, getting an EPA-rated 43 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.

As a hatchback, the CT 200h shows plenty of internal versatility, with rear seats that fold down, allowing for plenty of cargo room. Thick rear pillars and a narrow strip of tinted back glass give it rally car style.

All-new for 2011, the Lexus CT200h adds another dedicated hybrid to the Lexus brand; however, unlike the HS250h this one emphasizes sporty looks and value.

Starting at $29,120, the 2011 Lexus CT200h comes into the lineup as Lexus’ entry-level model. While the Lexus CT200h may not be the sportiest compact luxury car available, it is the most fuel-efficient.

Lexus CT200h: The Details
The Lexus CT200h is new for the 2011 model year and will offer the amenities Lexus buyers expect. As more details become available about the 2011 Lexus CT200h, we will update this space.

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Yep...Toyota was able to replicate the sideways slide that prompted Consumer Reports to label the GX 460 a safety risk last week. And their engineers formulated a software update to prompt the stability control to step in sooner.

Toyota Japan issued a news release with a lot more in the way of hard facts:


TMC Announces Remedy for Vehicle Stability Control in Lexus GX 460 and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado


Toyota City, Japan—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces its remedy for the problem concerning the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) program in its Lexus GX 460 and certain Land Cruiser Prado vehicles.

In circumstances in which advanced driving skills are required, such as when a driver of the involved vehicle sharply turns the steering wheel in high-speed conditions, or when the driver negotiates a curve at excessive speeds, the vehicle could slide sideways, due to the insufficient activation of the VSC.

The following conditions combine to cause the problem:

- In the GX 460 and Land Cruiser Prado, heavy components, such as the fuel tank, are located on the left side, and in left-hand drive versions, the left side is made even heavier because of the presence of the driver.

- For vehicles with certain tires (on 18-inch wheels) and equipped with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS*) and VSC, the activation of the VSC may not be sufficient in certain circumstances due to the setting of the VSC program.

- Circumstances may require advanced driving skills, such as sharp turns of the steering wheel in high-speed conditions or negotiating a curve to the right at excessive speeds.

As a remedy, Toyota will update the VSC program to enhance the effectiveness of the VSC so that the risk of the vehicle sliding, even to the point that it is almost sideways, will be reduced.

Vehicles involved are as follows:

- GX 460: Approx. 13,000 units in total Approx. 9,400 units in the United States, approx. 1,000 units in Russia, approx 1,000 units in Oman

- Land Cruiser Prado: Approx. 21,000 units in total (only left-hand drive vehicles with KDSS and VSC) Approx. 4,400 units in Oman, approx. 4,000 units in Russia, approx. 1,500 units in the United Arab Emirates. No right-hand drive units have this problem.

In total, approximately 34,000 units worldwide are involved. In North America, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) and Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) each announced a voluntary recall on April 19 (local time). As for other regions and countries involved, such as in Europe and the Middle East, TMC will work to implement similar measures as soon as possible.

Full story from Automotive News.

UPDATE: Toyota, having no choice, has made it official. Details here.

You have to give Lexus credit. They were early to the party (first, in fact) when it came to putting hybrid power in luxury vehicles, opening up a market among buyers who had extra money to spend.

They started 8 years ago with a hybrid version of the RX crossover (it was the 400h then). There have been changes along the way, but this year, there are several significant revisions:

The basic RX design has remained constant for 15 years, but 2013 brings a freshening that gives all RX models the signature Lexus spindle grille, a new bumper and headlamp design, LED daytime running lights, updated tail lamps and four new colors (Silver Lining Metallic, Claret Mica, Deep Sea Mica and Fire Agate Pearl).



The standard equipment list is too long to list here, but highlights for your $47,310 base price include 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, a nine-speaker premium audio system, dual-zone climate control, a full complement of airbags, power everything and real wood trim.

Lexus wisely left goodies in the extra-cost column. $16,000 worth of them (the Comfort Package, the Luxury Package, rear-seat entertainment and a further upgrade of the audio system, a heads-up display, intuitive parking assist and a Pre-Collision System with Radar Adaptive Cruise Control) found their way onto our test vehicle, leaving a bottom line after delivery charges that fell just $720 shy of 65 large.

The hybrid RX 450h uses the same 3.5-liter V6 engine as the gasoline-powered RX 350, but the addition of Lexus Hybrid Drive takes an estimated 18 city miles per gallon and turns it into 32 (the highway figure increases from 25 to 28), while boosting total output by 25 horsepower (to 295). The 25 additional horsepower is offset by the extra weight of the batteries and other hybrid hardware. That’s 342 pounds, which is why 0-60 in the RX 450h is 7.8 seconds as opposed to 7.7 in the RX 350 (both figures are Lexus estimates).




On the steering wheel you’ll find a new Sport mode button. Press it and you’ll get more aggressive behavior from the Continuously Variable Transmission, less interference from the Vehicle Stability and Traction control systems and a (slightly) higher level of steering effort.  Oh, and the background lighting on the instrument panel switches from blue to red. That may be more noticeable than any actual change in performance.

Bottom line: Lexus is letting a bit more emotion, a hint more sport, filter into its best-selling line (there’s even an F Sport package for the RX 350 this year). But let’s not kid each other. This isn’t an LF-A wagon…it’s a Lexus people mover. The focus is still on luxury, smoothness and isolation from the world outside. At the wheel, it’s still mostly whispers and whipped cream, which is just how the RX’s loyal following likes it.