I’m thinking of a new car and have become enamored with the Lexus CT 200H hybrid - partly ofr the gas economy and partly because I’m just at a point in my life where I want a little luxury in a car. What do you guys think of this model? heard anything pro or con about it?
Hybrid’s are GREAT if and only if you do the right driving…
. Drive more then 20k miles/year
. Most of your driving is rural with about 20% or more of stop and go.
. Plan on keeping vehicle 5+ years.
If you don’t meet ALL of the above then a hybrid isn’t worth it.
As for the Lexus…We have a ES-350…and LOVE it…great car.
I just bought a hybrid (Lincoln MKZ) and am happy with the choice. I’m getting 38 mpg over the first 3000 miles, and it’s improving (now a bit over 40 mpg on last tank). I don’t think you have to put a strict value calculation on getting a hybrid. Watching gas prices climb while driving something getting double the mpgs of my previous car (Lexus ES300) is much more enjoyable than, say, some expensive option on the car. Over 100,000 miles I’ll save 2500 gallons, $10,000 at $4/gallon. Could I spend less on my transportation? Sure, I could get a $12,000 Kia and get to work, but that’s not what I wanted.
I look at it this way - if I’m going to spend $X for a car, what one do I want? In this case I chose a high-mpg vehicle, a choice that looking even better in hind sight. Try out the CT200h, buy it if you like it. It’s new, but the system’s well-proven in other Toyota hybrids.
NEVER said he shouldn’t buy it…just said that financially it’s NOT worth it if you don’t meet a certain criteria. We looked at the Camry hybrid…and my wife meets all the criteria…Great car…but has 0 trunk space…Can’t even put a full set of golf clubs back there.
Can’t even put a full set of golf clubs back there.
That’s Toyota’s way of preventing you from ruining a perfectly good walk. 
BC.
This is a new model, but new models of Lexus are usually well sorted out. The hybrid technology comes from Toyota, still the leader in hybrids so that should be good too. The car is really set up for performance, so that means some trade off in mpg.
It should be a hoot to drive, and certainly will give you the luxury. The mpg depends a lot on where you drive and how you drive so jury has to be out on that score.
This is essentially a well equipped Prius. If a slow car doesn’t bother you, it’s worth a look. Have you test driven the CT200h yet?
Not at all, does not share it’s frame, suspension or body stampings w/Prius.
We looked at and drove one, it is VERY small inside, not a lot of usable space and a lot of pretty large blind spots for such a small car.
It does share the same drive train, though. If you think a Prius is too slow, you will find the CT200h slow as well. Slow may not bother you, and that’s all I meant.
Regular Camry has a ridiculously small trunk also.
I have to disagree with some of your analysis.
First of all, hybrid advantage is more in urban/suburban driving, with lots of braking and lower speeds, although there is still advantage with some rural vs highway driving.
Two, I think your economics are off (the 20k miles /year figure). that would depend largely on gas prices, which you may be vastly underestimating.
Three, it is not solely an economic decision. There’s the lifestyle factor, the reduced emissions, and perhaps the OP prefers the styling. If it were solely economics you might as well tell him to buy a 10 yr old Corolla and be done with it. He never asked if it was “worth” it, only what people thought of the car. Few, if any, new cars are “worth” it.
Different gasoline engine than the Prius, shared electric drive components. Tuned quite differently, more agressivly than the Prius. The whole car is a bit less “numb” than the Prius.