Lexus has tried this before. Two years ago we examined the HS 250h, a Lexus-branded small sedan powered by a derivative of the Camry Hybrid’s drivetrain. It hasn’t done all that well in the marketplace. We suspect Lexus is going to have much better luck with the similarly conceived, but far differently executed 2012 Lexus CT200h.
This time, the name avoids any awkwardly repeated letters: CT coherently stands for compact tourer, the 200 for the 2.0-liter displacement that its 1.8-liter engine simulates when paired with an electric motor, and the h denotes hybrid. But what’s possibly most important of all is that, unlike the HS, the CT200h makes a vital visual impact. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t, but its appearance sticks like glue in your memory. In particular, its rear — where many two-box designs wind up looking like vanilla-class hatchbacks, the CT’s stern is boldly complex with far more upscale detailing.
While a few among our judging panel thought the CT’s dash looked as if it had been rushed a bit, most were impressed by its Lexus-caliber materials and nifty rising electronic display. And with a more sophisticated suspension than the Prius’ (with a goodly dose of European-influenced tuning), the CT handles miles better than Toyota’s economy champ. Gone are the Prius’ occasional wallows and uncertain steering, replaced by a controlled ride and taut turn-in. In fact, the car became downright frustrating around our figure-eight course, where we became convinced there’s a seriously fun-handling car somewhere within its tight, software straightjacket.
Do you think the 2012 Lexus CT200h is good enough to be Car of the Year? Stay tuned as we preview every car that Motor Trend tested for its 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year competition in alphabetical order in advance of the official announcement on Nov. 16
