Skip advert
Advertisement

Lexus CT200h review - A premium hatchback alternative - Design

A frugal choice, but lags well behind German rivals for driving entertainment

Evo rating
RRP
from £21,000
  • Peerless Lexus service, reliability and tax-dodging emissions status
  • Eco focus makes for a dreary drive, yet the suspension is overly firm

Design

The CT is a curious looking hatchback, its heavy slab sides making it look weighty, more Toyota in its style than Lexus. The addition of the Lexus 'spindle' front grille has given it a more obviously familial look, but it’s unlikely the styling is ever going to have your head turn like it might with an optioned-up Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In S specification the Lexus CT looks terribly under-wheeled, those deep flanks exacerbating the visual effect of tiny alloy wheels. A smart, rather than sharp looker then, which, in the cut-and-thrust compact premium marketplace, is a problem. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The Audi Nuvolari is a 987bhp, carbon-bodied successor to the R8
Audi Nuvolari
News

The Audi Nuvolari is a 987bhp, carbon-bodied successor to the R8

The R8 recipe returns with a significantly higher level of performance – and price tag
4 Jun 2026
Polestar 5 review – cheaper and faster than a Porsche Taycan but not quite as sharp
Polestar 5 front
Reviews

Polestar 5 review – cheaper and faster than a Porsche Taycan but not quite as sharp

Polestar’s flagship finally arrives, with a bespoke aluminium structure, electric powertrain and suspension. But will anyone actually buy it?
1 Jun 2026
How to rediscover the love for cars? Get out there and buy an affordable classic
Subaru Impreza RB5
Opinion

How to rediscover the love for cars? Get out there and buy an affordable classic

It took our Eras tests to top up Richard Meaden’s love for cars. It also stoked the urge to buy an S1 Elise
5 Jun 2026