Lexus CT
Encyclopedia
The Lexus CT 200h is a hybrid electric
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...

 automobile introduced by Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...

 and is an entry-level luxury hatchback. It made its debut at the March 2010 Geneva Auto Show, six months after the unveiling of the LF-Ch concept car; it is primarily targeted at the European market but will be sold worldwide and was introduced to North American markets at the April 2010 New York International Auto Show
New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in New York City in late March or early April. It is usually held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Sunday after Easter...

.

The Lexus CT 200h uses a front MacPherson strut
MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.-History:...

 suspension and a rear double wishbone design. Lexus had previously trademarked the names CT 200h, CT 300h, and CT 400h.

CT 200h production began at the end of December 2010 with European sales following shortly after. US sales began in March 2011.

Specifications

The CT 200h is powered by the same 1.8 litre VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine (Toyota's 2ZR-FXE) as used in the Auris
Toyota Auris
The Toyota Auris is a compact 3 door and 5 door hatchback which shares the same E150 platform with the Toyota Corolla.In Europe, Toyota positioned the Auris as the replacement of Corolla hatchback, while the notchback Sedan continued with the Corolla nameplate...

 and Prius
Toyota Prius (XW30)
The Toyota Prius is a mid-size hatchback that has been produced by Toyota. Toyota debuted the third generation Prius at the January 2009 North American International Auto Show, and sales began in Japan on May 18, 2009. Replacing the XW20 series, the XW30 represents the third generation of the...

, producing 73 kW and 142Nm of torque, paired with electric motor/generators in the hybrid drive system; together the engine and electric motors produce up to 100 kW and 207Nm of torque. Fuel consumption for the CT 200h is listed at 4.1 l/100 km in Australia.

The CT 200h has four driving modes Normal, Sport, Eco and EV included on other hybrid drive vehicles. Sport mode modifies the throttle and electric power steering settings, while making the Stability control and traction control less intrusive, maximising the CT200h's performance. EV mode generates zero emissions at the vehicle by using only the vehicles electric motors to drive the vehicle.

Safety features include vehicle stability control (VSC) and eight standard airbags with the options of a pre-collision system with dynamic radar cruise control at extra cost.

The chassis is based on the Toyota MC platform
Toyota MC platform
MC is a midsize car platform from Toyota Motor Company. It is a versatile platform used in a number of compact and mid-size applications-Applications:* 2006- Toyota RAV4* 2007- Toyota Corolla * 2007- Toyota Camry* 2007- Toyota Aurion...

, which is the same platform used by the Corolla
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...

 and the Matrix
Toyota Matrix
The Toyota Matrix, sometimes officially referred to as the Toyota Corolla Matrix, is a compact hatchback manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation in Canada, to be sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico...

.

Australia

Standard features on the CT 200h include SmartAccess with push-button Start/Stop and touch sensors on exterior front-door handles, leather steering wheel, a six-speaker, audio system with a CD player, and Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...

 phone connectivity, iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...

 connectivity, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, and dual zone automatic climate control.Toyota Newsroom, Pricing for All-New 2011 Lexus CT 200h to Start Below $30,000 In Australia, the CT 200h is offered in "Prestige", "Luxury", "F Sport" and "Sport Luxury" specifications. The Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury variants add a reversing camera as standard, while the Sports Luxury gains active cruise control and the pre-collision safety system. F Sport models include all the features of the Luxury model, plus sports bumpers, sports side skirts and a large rear spoiler. Interior features of the F Sport are an F Sport steering wheel, sports pedals, scuff plates, instrument panel and privacy glass.

At the 2011 Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne (25–27 March 2011), the Lexus CT200h was used in the Celebrity Challenge, a one-make, one-off series event held as part of the Grand Prix's weekend attractions. The event, supported by CAMS and sponsored by Lexus Australia, was promoted as the world's first race containing only petrol-electric vehicles.

Europe

In the United Kingdom, Australian pop superstar Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...

 was invited to be the spokesperson for the new CT200. She has recorded a TV advertisement and the press release of the car will feature Minogue. In the United Kingdom, the CT200 will be one of the sponsors of Minogue's latest concert tour, Aphrodite World Tour.

North America

The estimated US EPA fuel economy
Fuel economy
Fuel economy may refer to:*Fuel economy in automobiles, refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed*Fuel efficiency in general...

 is 43 miles per US gallon (18.3 km/L) in the city and 40 miles per US gallon (17 km/L) on the highway, while utilising regular 87-octane fuel.Toyota Newsroom, Pricing for All-New 2011 Lexus CT 200h to Start Below $30,000 Canadian fuel consumption ratings are 4.5 L/100 km city, 4.8 L/100 km highway, and 4.6 L/100 km combined.

Reception

The Union of Concerned Scientists
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit science advocacy group based in the United States. The UCS membership includes many private citizens in addition to professional scientists. James J...

 (UCS) in its 2011 Hybrid Scorecard
Hybrid Scorecard
The Hybrid Scorecard was created by the Union of Concerned Scientists to give consumers a comprehensive comparison of hybrid electric vehicles available in the U.S. market. The UCS Hybrid Scorecard ratings take into considerations fuel economy as rated by the U.S...

 ranked the Lexus CT200h, together with the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, as the top luxury hybrid models in the scorecard’s environmental improvement category, an achievement the UCS attributed to their relatively small gasoline engines, as both carmakers downsized these vehicles’ engines from six to four cylinders to maximize fuel economy. The UCS evaluation found that the Lexus CT200h reduces greenhouse emissions by 42.9% as compared to the Lexus IS 250, used as its gasoline-only similar for this comparison.

Gallery

External links

  • Official websites for Australia, UK, http://www.lexus.com/models/CTh/ US].
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