I'm Almost 40, And I'm Lexus CT 200h F Sport Curious

What if Toyota had built a Prius with better interior materials, a higher-quality audio system, more attractive styling, and for good measure, let's say a little more space for luggage? That sounds like it might just be the perfect daily driver, giving you the practicality of a small wagon with the frugal fuel-sipping economy of the Prius, and none of the penalty-box interior that Prius owners of the era have grown accustomed to. Trust me, I'm already aware of the larger cargo area of the Prius V, but I think I'm just getting too old to live with that plasticky echo chamber. As luck would have it, Lexus launched a "posh Prius" about 15 years ago. 

I'm solidly middle-aged now, and my typical daily driver fare of too-stiff hatchbacks and sports cars has given way to hybrids with nice leather. Though, in deference to my Millennial kid-at-heart sensibilities, I still tend to make them too stiff. With recent fuel prices fluctuating up to levels that make me think twice before deciding to go anywhere over the weekend, I think anything I daily drive should have at least some battery power, and after a couple decades of driving almost exclusively German cars, I might be ready for some Japanese reliability. 

The CT200h was launched in the U.S. for the 2011 model year with a 134-horsepower hybrid drivetrain. Based on the same platform as the XW30-generation Prius, powered by the same 2ZR-FXE 1.8-liter inline-four, and AC synchronous eCVT transmission (no manual available in this one), this was the lux/sport hybrid hatchback that Toyota never built, and it achieves 43 miles per gallon in the city. With 3,131 pounds to haul around, however, the CT200h was hardly a spirited driver, posting a MotorWeek-tested 10.2-second 0-60 time (Car and Driver claimed 10.6 seconds). 

Sharing a base platform with the Prius allowed Lexus to crib the drivetrain, but that platform also underpinned the Scion tC sports coupe of the era, allowing the precision luxury brand to stab a few of those sportier suspension components underneath the CT as well. It'll out-handle your average Prius by quite a bit, though MotorWeek lamented the lack of steering feel for a car so well sorted through the corners. Aside from the steering gripe, they didn't have much to complain about, save a bit of crashy suspension over rough pavement and NVH harshness at full throttle. How often are you going full throttle anyway?

When new you could option the $1,180 F Sport package, which included interior and exterior appearance enhancements, and a "sport-tuned suspension" pack, which included slightly lower and stiffer springs and thicker sway bars. These updates would give the CT better grip through the corners and less body roll, but no better steering or acceleration. Life is moving fast enough already, I could stand to try a slower pace for a while anyway. 

A 0-60 run in the mid-10s isn't exactly steaming fast, which is probably the main concern you might have about buying one of these, right? When Car and Driver tested the car they admonished its acceleration by saying it made the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta Ecoboost "look like NHRA Top Fuel dragsters." That might be slight exaggeration, considering they tested the Fit's 0-60 at 8 seconds and the Fiesta's at 8.3, but two seconds is two seconds. 

If you ask my opinion, the CT200h is a stylish and frugal car that can be made to handle pretty well, but the steering is kind of lackluster and the infotainment is dated. If you aren't looking for the kind of acceleration that quickens your heartrate, it could be the perfect daily driver. There aren't many things that can go wrong with these machines, and both it and the Prius it is based on regularly see extremely high mileage without too many faults. There are some well-documented issues with the EGR system, and hybrid batteries may require refurbishment by this point in their lifecycle, depending on mileage. Some Prius and CT200h owners are finding better fuel economy and greater longevity by replacing their original NiMH battery packs with modern lithium, as well.

The infotainment system in the CT was nice for its time, but looks extremely dated by today's standards. Thankfully there are update kits to install a modern touch-screen double DIN stereo head unit. I think that would be my only major gripe, based on what I've seen of the car. A good set of wheels and some nice tunes, I'd be all set to go with this machine on a daily basis.

Originally Lexus covered the hybrid drivetrain for 8 years and 100,000 miles, though even the newest examples are starting to fall out of that. If you can find a certified pre-owned example, they received an additional two years of coverage, with no mileage restrictions. 

CT200h were pretty pricey when new, with a $32,960 base price in 2014 that could quickly balloon over the 40,000 dollar mark with options. Today they're getting pretty inexpensive, but expect to pay at least $12,000 for a nice example with under 100,000 miles. 

If you're on the lookout for a CT200h, there are a few things to keep in mind. After all these years the Lexus "spindle" grille has turned from controversial to sort of attractive; the CT was the first car to carry that corporate facelift in 2013, subsequently updated in 2017 with a larger spindle and full LED lighting. The F Sport package came with different wheels and a bunch of F badges to differentiate, so it's easy to see at a glance if a particular car is thus equipped. Visually, you'll have to decide which works best for you. The post 2013 facelifted cars received a bunch of other updates as well, making that the one you probably want if you, like me, appreciate the spindle.

Lexus did build a couple dozen examples for the Celebrity Challenge race (above) at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix, proving they can theoretically work as a track car, but I wouldn't bother if I were you. This isn't a fast or particularly fun machine, rather a nice relatively lux daily driver that sips fuel. It has handling that most Americans would describe as "zippy" and equate with being "on rails" but it's hardly a hot hatch, or even a lukewarm one. 

If you can get past all of that, you can get a pretty nice car for not a ton of money, and save yourself a few bucks at the pump. I like the idea of a lithium battery swap for a more useful hybrid drive experience, but I would probably wait for the original battery to degrade before committing to it. I would have liked to have seen a plug-in hybrid version of this car, too, but alas we can't have it all.