herberd877: 2011 Lexus CT 200h

Thursday, April 28, 2011

2011 Lexus CT 200h

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

Lexus Hatches A New Take On Responsible Performance

2011 Lexus CT 200h - Click above for high-res image gallery

Armchair quarterbacks have been quick to charge Toyota with losing its engineering nerve, labeling it a brand content to churn out safe, middle-of-the-road milquetoast offerings for every segment in which it competes. Admittedly, this isn't the same company that once marketed a supercharged, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive minivan shaped like a suppository, nor is it the same company that sold homologated rally specials alongside its workaday iron. But to say that there are no bold spirits in Toyota City just ain't so - just look at the bonkers LFA supercar, for goodness' sake.

But you needn't have a millionaire's bankbook to see that the Japanese automaker still has cheek to spare - just check out the 2011 Lexus CT 200h. Not only is Toyota's premium marque dipping its toes into America's compact luxury market - a segment that nobody but Mini has figured out how to make big dollars on - it's doing so with a hybrid, an expensive powertrain configuration that, Prius aside, only sells in marginal volumes.

Admittedly, Lexus has made no bones about the fact that it's squarely targeting Europe with the CT (a market where hatchbacks consistently do big business and "small premium" is not an oxymoron), but make no mistake, this is a brave bet. Lexus says it's gunning for 1,000 units a month - a small number in the grand scheme of things - but it's expecting the moon when compared to competitors like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30, which typically sell in the hundreds per month. Yet this bold bet is showing early signs of paying off. Thanks in part to heavy advanced marketing, Lexus cleared its decks of over twice that many units in March - 2,199 - the CT's first month on sale.

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Gallery: 2011 Lexus CT 200h: Review