The Lexus CT is a premium compact hatchback sold from 2011 to 2022 in a single version, the CT 200h. It used the hybrid drivetrain of the Toyota Prius, was the first luxury compact hatchback hybrid and the first production Lexus to carry the spindle grille.
Lexus CT at a glance
| Introduced | March 2010, Geneva Motor Show |
|---|---|
| Production | January 2011 to October 2022 |
| Body | five-door compact hatchback |
| Model code | ZWA10 (A10 platform) |
| Platform | Toyota MC, shared with the Corolla |
| Engine | 1.8-litre 2ZR-FXE four-cylinder, 73 kW (98 hp) |
| Combined output | 100 kW (134 hp) and 207 N·m |
| Transmission | electronically controlled CVT |
| Fuel consumption | 4.1 L/100 km in Australian figures |
| Driving modes | Normal, Sport, Eco and EV |
| Facelifts | 2013 for 2014, and 2017 for 2018 |
| Name | Creative Touring; 200h stands for 2.0-litre-equivalent hybrid power |
based on one source (English Wikipedia)
History of the Lexus CT
The CT made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, six months after the LF-Ch concept car was shown. It was aimed mainly at Europe but sold worldwide, and reached North America at the New York Auto Show in April 2010. The design by Takeshi Tanabe was approved in 2008 and patented on 11 September 2009. The CT superseded the IS as the smallest car in the Lexus range.
Production began in January 2011. Japanese sales started on 12 January 2011 and American sales in March 2011. The car used the Toyota MC platform of the Corolla and Matrix, with MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear, and the 1.8-litre engine of the Prius and Auris working with electric motor-generators. Lexus trademarked the names CT 200h, CT 300h and CT 400h, but only the 200h was built.
The styling was refreshed twice: in 2013 for the 2014 model year, when the corporate spindle grille arrived, and in 2017 for 2018, when full LED lights and a larger spindle grille became standard. Sales ended in the United States and later Canada with the 2017 model year, while other markets continued until 2022. The last car was a special edition called Cherished Touring, and production stopped in October 2022.
Design and features
- First of its kind: the first luxury compact and the first hatchback hybrid in the premium segment.
- Prius running gear: a 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle engine with hybrid motors and a CVT.
- Spindle grille: the CT was the first production Lexus to use the design that later spread across the range.
- Four driving modes: Normal, Sport, Eco and a short-distance EV mode.
- Safety equipment: stability control, eight airbags and an optional pre-collision system with radar cruise control.
Lexus CT versions
- CT 200h (2011): the original pre-facelift car.
- 2014 model year: first facelift with the spindle grille.
- 2018 model year: second facelift with full LED lights and a larger grille.
- F Sport: sports bumpers, side skirts, a rear spoiler and a different grille, without extra power.
- Cherished Touring (2022): the final special edition.
The CT was the production follow-up to the LF-Ch concept, and it took over from the IS as the smallest Lexus. The larger hybrid sedan of the period was the HS; more cars are in the Lexus collection.
Sources
- Lexus CT, English Wikipedia: design, production, specifications, facelifts
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