2012 Lexus CT200h Review: The Ultimate Commute Weapon?
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- čas přidán 24. 03. 2020
- The Lexus CT200h is so much more than a fancied up Prius. Sure it brings to the table an aggressive exterior design and a very well appointed interior for it's market segment, but the CT also brings some handling chops. With a near 50/50 front/rear weight distribution and double wishbone rear suspension setup, the CT200h can dance a little bit.
What it does best though is relaxingly pass mile after mile on even the most grinding of daily commutes. Tune in to find out if the Lexus CT200h is truly the ultimate commute weapon. #lexusct200h #lexus #carreview - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Love my 2013, and also average 47-50 mpg in mild weather. Glad you love yours too!
I just bought one after test driving a Mini Cooper and Golf GTI. I commute in NorCal and live in the hills. Perfect car for me. Found a one owner with 50K miles. Also got the fully loaded one with black leather option. Love it.
How much did you pay for it?
@@danielojeda7615 I paid 14K. Worth it for the low maintenance.
Same
Want to sell it? lol
Thanks to all of you, I finally put some effort into and found that I can play music via Bluetooth with the CT200h. You have to set up your phone as a portable Bluetooth music device and then you’re good to go.
Thanks everyone, now this car is the ultimate daily driver.
On my 2nd 2015. What a drivers car! Love it
Such a great and informative review, thank you!
Thank you!
I bought the identical car two years ago and it convinced my son to buy a 2015 fsport version . I can't recommend it enough. I will drive it until I take delivery of my Cybrtruck
oh, no, you got the cybertrash :(
Something that is often overlooked but that sealed the deal for mee was that it has a spare tire... In hybrids and EV that's quite rare (almost inexistant). If you go camping in remote-ish areas that's essential since road assistance can't reach those.
That’s a solid point.
For me it was the looks over the Prius that one me over.
I was shopping for my second Prius and saw a CT in the CarMax lot. I then shopped online to find one with what I wanted. I have a 2012 that I bought in 2015, still enjoy driving it. Time to update my maps. I got 54 mpg on a road trip one time, I also like the challenge. Most of the time I at 40, 40+. I am in a city and love fitting in tight spots and down narrow alleys. I use sport mode for highway entrance and passing. Only thing I'd change is that I can fold in the mirrors with a button. Only maintenance so far is new tires/wipers.
That’s fantastic. They just keep running and sipping fuel.
I have been looking at this car. Thanks for the review!
Bill sure thing. Give it a test drive, they make for wonderful commuters.
auto obsessive garage Thanks!
Handling is one of the best things about this car. It's slow but fun to drive.
Agreed, the chassis stiffness and balance is incredible. Acceleration is rough, but you can toss it into a corner with near reckless abandon.
@@autoobsessivegarageI have a 2017 model ct200h. I find that it's not THAT bad if you put it in sport mode. It's not gonna beat any Supras or anything, but it kinda goes ...a little
Awesome review!
Thank you sir!
Enjoyed your video and commentary - sedate narration style for some reason reminded me of an '80s detective show. Magnum? Dunno. Different voice but something about the diction. Cheers. C.
ChristovTenn haha, appreciate that. My secret (and evidently poorly practiced) technique is to read while trying to disguise that I’m reading. I prefer your take on it.
Beautiful car indeed!
Must haves: Mark Levinson sound system, heated seats, Navigation screen, parking sensors with back up camera.
Pluses: sunroof, electrical memory seat, FSport trim..
With fuel prices…gotta say fuel economy is another very important plus!
I plan on looking at a 2011 CT200h on Saturday! It's not the premium, but this video makes me excited to go see the one I'm interested in. It has the same color interior as yours, but is Metallic White on the outside.
Hope it went well. There seem to be plenary available and prices are very respectable right now.
just get a tablet and hotpspot your phone to it as a GPS/Radio !
I bought a 2013 about 5 months ago and it has a very comfortable ride but it does take the 55 mph mountain road (contrary to this guy). I love to wind out of engine for power like the Honda Fit. There is an actual shift if you pay attention. I’m a former fit, gti and gli owner plus plenty of Acura/Honda.
I’m thinking about trading in my FBO GTI for one of these. It’s getting up there in miles and I’m spending too much on maintenance and about $150 a week on gas. Always liked the CT, but I know I’ll miss the hell out of my GTI 😢
I've always liked the CT200H. Sort of reminded me of a spiritual successor to the IS300 Wagons, which I heavily lust over in secret.
blackmount1 the IS300 Sportcross is amazing. I wish it was offered with a manual.
@@autoobsessivegarage Me too, I think if one ever pops up for the right price and color, I'll probably live with the auto anyways, could always consider a manual swap if I got ambitious, though I'm sure a clutch pedal assembly would be very hard to find unless you can make one work from a Toyota Altezza
Yeah the 2020 models look still quite fresh :D
CarsofGlasgow haha, I see what you did there.
Don't lust in secret..let your freak flag fly!
Just picked one up based on this video and the fact I’ve wanted a Prius forever.
2012 premium with 71k miles, Dark gray with black interior for a hair under 11K. I believe I got a good deal.
That’s a solid deal right there. How are you enjoying it so far?
I’m enjoying it tremendously. My only critiques are 1. Due to age of car, no Apple play and 2. The car is so quiet I hear all the road noise. Lol.
I should say I live in Cleveland and our roads are HORRIBLE.
@@mariefernandeaugustin1392 you might want to pickup the Lexus phone holder that fits inter the center slot. It’s the best. Otherwise, without nav, you could plug in a small tablet or you phone in the top storage.
Portable Garmin (for trucks & cars) tucked away in the glove box works for me.
My 2015 has been in an accident before I even own it. Beside from the body works needed, I already put in 60k miles with regular maintenance.
TN1183 regular maintenance is all these things really need. They are very reliable.
im looking at one with 128000 miles. im neverous about the high mileage though
Hey auto obsessive garage. Do you think average sized golf clubs would fit in the trunk? Definitely looking to take the car out for a few rounds this summer but not sure if it'll fit
Shouldn’t be any issue at all to fit some clubs. It’s a little shallow die to the batteries, but it certainly is definitely wide enough.
@@autoobsessivegarage thank you!
I just totled my car and I found one of these at a great price. I'm seriously considering it.
It makes for a wonderful fuel sipping daily.
@@autoobsessivegarage nice. That's a def plus
Definitely check it out and let me know whatcha think. Please feel free to ask
any questions.
Ayyy I just bought the same colour!!!!
Heck yeah! It’s the best color option out there.
the on board MPG reading on my 2012 is way off. in real world i always get 43mpg but the dash reading is always like 52
I’ve never seen the dash reading be truly accurate on any car. I’ve always just divided mileage by fuel amount at fill up. I’m just over 46 mpg average for the time I’ve owned mine.
Im looking into getting a 2013 CT200H for about 10.6 k and hoping I get it I've tried to find a used premium with that color seats and no premiums all base so Im getting a Fsport premium hope it goes well 🤞🏻
Good luck, you will absolutely love to put the miles on it!
I am looking to get one used with 2012 120 k miles on it what is your suggestion just afraid of battery life span thanks
Make sure it was well maintained and looked after. Check the trip computer for mpg to ensure the hybrid battery has been functioning as it should. When they go bad fuel economy is lower than it should be. Good luck!
Reading head gasket blow up problems with this 2011-2014 is worrying for me. What do you think? Also i seemed to notice all those HG blow reports were mostly from US rather than europe where i am.
I’ve heard that too…but also have seen not only mine, but others, go deep into the 100k mile range and over 200k miles without issue.
The head gasket issues affected the 11-13 models more than 14+ due to Lexus changing the design of the pistons and piston rings with the refresh. Part of the reason why the HG fails is owners don’t clean the EGR valve (approx every 50k miles). Also, lots of stopping and going, driving short distances doesn’t help either. Engine does a lot more expansion and contraction. Lastly, my guess as to why Europeans aren’t seeing HG issues is due availability of better quality gas. Low quality fuel can lead to excess pressure in the combustion chamber.
I have seen on another video that the driver used his phone as his bluetooth music player. Does it depend on the specific package whether you can play music?
Someone told me that you can play music saved to your phone but not actually stream it. Hope this helps clarify.
@@autoobsessivegarage Ah thanks!
Make sure your menu is at setup level. Start voice system. “ phone setup” “pair phone” say name for phone, internal audio. Make sure phone is selected and play away. It holds a number of paired phones and tablets without a problem. The only issue I run into is that CZcams doesn’t always play through so audio is good on other platforms.
I'm test driving a 2012 CT200h with 48,000 miles on the clock tomorrow. What is the ride like? Is it stiff? I heard after 100,000 miles you may need to replace the battery... i do 12,000 per yeah so want something that will last at least 6+ years with great reliability.
I just passed 120k miles with mine, and the original battery seems to be operating just fine. I average 46 MPG overall, which is quite impressive. The ride is neither hard nor soft...just right.
Ride is similar to VWs in stiffness.
If it helps I own a 2005 prius that goes through harsh canadian winters, the hybrid battery is still going strong at 200,000 miles. The small 12v battery will have to be replaced every 5 years or so, but thats only a 200 dollar part.
I have a 2017 luxery. The mark levinson is amazinf
I wish mine had that audio setup.
I am going to test drive one in two days. Same color, no navigation tho, clean title no accidents, single owner good maintainance so far at a Lexus dealership 1,50k kms for 15 grand, is that a good deal when fuel prices and car prices are shooting for the stars?
Agreed that this is a solid price. With increased gas prices, fuel economy minded vehicles (like the CT200h) have certainly increased. Good luck with the test drive and potential purchase.
@@autoobsessivegarage I got it for 14 grand with almost 4grand of work done by Lexus to do the safety. Been a month now, with 3000 kms. I get an average of 5.5L/100km (42 mpg). No problem at all. I like everything about the car except the ride quality. We have a GS in the family which is waaayy more comfortable but whenever I go to station, I don't complain about it.
i got mine for 11k a few years ago. its a 2011, had 62k at the time. Well worth it. I do wish it was roomier. I have a 2010 Prius too, i do appreciate the noise damping in the ct00h. I cant go back to ICE after using hybrids, so much more sensible.
mine allows music to be played through blue tooth as well as calls
Uhh, hybrid has ICE.
@@MintyFreshTurds woops, you know what i mean, standard gas only car
How many miles u got on it now??
@@brownhippy about 125k
I heard there is a gasket problem with models older than 2014? Is this true? Because im lookin at 2013 for 6k and 2014 is for 9k
Which gasket? I’ve not heard this. My 2012 is at 120k Mike’s with no issues.
I’ve had my 2012 for nearly 10 years and never experienced a gasket problem. I mostly put on highways miles and haven’t hit 100k yet but all is well. Keep everything clean, balance and rotate tires and all should be great.
I play music through bluetooth in my 2012 ct. Does yours not work?
Heard it doesn’t play streaming music but can play songs loaded on your device.
@@autoobsessivegarage plays my both CZcams music streaming and downloaded just fine.
What about road/wind noise on the highway? I have read a lot of Prius owners complaining about having too much noise on highway speeds. Does Lexus do a better job?
There’s a good amount of wind buffering with the windows down. Windows up, the interior sound is not bad at all. I’m sure the design difference and Lexus attention to interior quality also has some impact on this.
How does the cargo space compare with the Prius?
I’d say it’s very similar.
Sucks they don't make them for the US market any more. I love my 2011
Agreed.
My wife has a White 2011 with about 26k miles on it, yes 26k.
Looks like it just rolled of the assembly line.
If she could get it through the front door she would take it to bed with her.
I checked out a used Japanese imported CT200h today that had done 76,000 miles. I was told by my mechanic that the HV battery was at 60% capacity and would need replacing in 2 to 3 years. Does this seem normal?
Seems very premature for that low of mileage. Example...mine has 115k miles and regularly gets 45 mpg per tank. Not exactly sure in overall battery health, but I do a ton of stop and go in EV mode. Think of all the Prius examples out there with over 200k miles. Not saying that it’s impossible for the batteries to be weak...but that seems very early on.
That isn't normal, but it is also possible. The HV battery should last a lot longer than that in most cases but occasionally (like any other part on any other car) there is a small minority that would fail early.
@@devoidbmx1 Thanks for your response. I wound up selling that car because the seats weren't comfortable for me. I now drive a Mazda Axela Hybrid and I'm getting 56MPG
I’m looking at a 2011 f sport with 70000km, r these super reliable and does battery go by km travelled or Last like 10 years??
From what I’ve heard mileage will vary but usually last quite an extended time. Look how many older Prius examples with higher mileage are still on the road.
@@autoobsessivegarage True. We’re still out there.
I’m nearly ten years in and no problems now. I had an early issue while under warranty actually but hasn’t happened since 4K miles.
@@citesinjrnl
What was the earlier issue?
Can anybody tell me what is the use of a rev counter in this car with a CVT auto box ?
The engine still increases RPM with acceleration. So it’s still measuring something.
@@autoobsessivegarage Thanks for your reply . I think rev counter is purely aesthetic and highlights the fact that the driver is not directly in control of the engine speed limit , which might annoy drivers who enjoy a manual box , i,m from the U.K . Enjoyed your video btw and the CT200H has a lot going for it.
Appreciate that! It’s definitely more an aesthetic touch to display “sportiness.”
Does it have an aux cord or anything to play music from your phone?
It does...but I just found out that you can set your phone as Portable BT Device and play that way!
You can BT phone for calls, and your tablet to play music at the same time
I have same car like in this video but black pearl metallic and black and white interior
Love it to the bits
I use it for city most and i was thinking of planning a holiday of 1000km outside uk plus 1k back wold the car make it
I don’t care about consumption just I’m thinking of the car is a hybrid and is not made for this road trips
Did anyone done long trips on a car like that
Lexus ct200h se-l premier brought it with 25k miles
Tnx
TheBullet Rider it should have no problems whatsoever making any road trip. Just check your fluids and tires first and it should be good to go.
You'd have no problems doing long road trips. I did a 4500km road trip in canada and the USA in the winter no problem in a 2005 Prius that had 250,000 kms on it. Sure, these small hybrids arn't quite as comfortable for a long road trip as a large luxury car, but they will get great fuel economy and are very reliable. I find with the prius I get tired after about 8-10 hours of straight driving, with a more comfortable car perhaps you could do 10-14 hours a day.
Looking at one of these from a dealership for about $11k, 134k miles on it. Is there anything you'd say to look out for when purchasing one? This will be my first hybrid, so this is like an entire new world for me lol. Thank you for any advice you can offer!
The electric water pump, if the original, is getting quite old at that point. Mine failed around that mileage but it’s an easy job to replace. Hybrid battery should still be fine, your fuel economy will indicate if it’s still operating well. I’ve seen an average of just over 43mpg during my four years of ownership.
Premium package is worth it for the sunroof, nav, and backup camera. Sounds like a very fair price.
@@autoobsessivegarage alright awesome, thank you for the heads up! I may have room to negotiate, because there's a good sized ding on the driver's side door and a couple bumper spots. It was declared totaled/a loss from one of the owners via carfax, but it looks like it wasn't a terrible accident. Something to inquire about for sure. The other options would be having a car shipped in for a much higher price!
Edit: also it is the premium, so those features might take my mind off the other issues lol.
@@Hyper-Linkman Always negotiate down. Good luck to you and keep me posted.
@@autoobsessivegarage unfortunately it didn't work out, may have been for the best with this particular car! I'll keep an eye out for others, because I'm super curious to try one out now. Thank you for the informative video!
@@Hyper-Linkman you're very welcome. good luck hunting, they are quite plentiful and available in cool color combos. Let me know what you end up getting.
How many miles does this CT have on it? Im looking at one with 69k
Mine has 125k miles now and is running like a champ.
I got a 2015 with 30k miles for 15K
What about the battery longevity?
So far mine is still running strong with around a 45mpg average. I’ve seen some go over 200k miles with healthy batteries still. Plus since it’s a Prius basically, it’s not that expensive to replace.
The 2 dislikes comes from Prius owners regretting not buying this luxury sports car.
Hahahahah this comment killed me.
My brother bought a Prius a year before I got my CT.
I told him he “could have bought a cool car for $10K more”. 😂
"sport"
Lol I have the same car it’s slow as hell, 0-60 is like 9-10 secs probably
@@north-shoregcs3894
At a combined HP of ~100, it’s not meant to be a drag car.
But it does handle like it’s on rails.
7:10 Isn't the front-rear balance 59/41? 51/49 is left to right.
Great catch. Looks like I was in the wrong setting on my scales. I will actually re-weigh it to check the f/r balance. Your number may be pretty close.
@@autoobsessivegarage I calculated it from the percentages on each wheel. So 30.5% + 28.1% = 58.6% at the front and 20.6% + 20.8% = 41.4% at the rear.
But it's easy to miss! The 900lb on both front wheels and 600lb on the rears happened to catch my eye. Nice review btw, having the car on the scales and all.
Lauri Levälehto math checks out, and thank you.
I've got a black one and it is gorgeous compared to a prius. I drive mine in sport mode and don't care about the gas mileage much.
So much much much more better looking than a Prius.
Damn bro you’re unleashing the full 90hp
Looking at 2012 with 125k miles, would the battery be at the end of it's life? Thanks
Some can go to 200K but replacement cost of 3K , changing the battery would be a one time event. Gargage told me they are changing Prius batteries now of 2007s
@@theresarez thanks, that's the info i need
If this is the same as a prius.. go watch hoovies garage vid on doing the prius battery
I just replaced my battery at 100k miles for a 2012
@@lauraz2896 what was the cost?
that 0-60 time is 4 seconds fasterthan my smart car lol.
Wergrun hahahah pairing them up would make for an awesome drag race!
muppet watcher spot on.
Almost as quick as my zero turn.
This car makes me feel really good about my old 2008 Camry 😂😂. It says it weights 3,263, so your Lexus is actually pretty heavy for it’s size, only around 30 and some change pounds heavier than my longer and large Camry.
Yeah those hybrid batteries are not light…but that fuel economy…oh yeah.
@@autoobsessivegarage haha I hear that. I get 25mpg from my 08 Camry LE, had the engine overhauled, many parts replaced cause of the oil consumption issue, luckily we bought a warranty on the car when I bought it from a Honda dealership. Cars been driving great ever since those major issues were fixed. But see your car isn’t very powerful at all, and I have a lead foot 🦶🏾 😂😂, I need at least 150hp minimum to merge onto traffic where I live in the south. I like that Lexus tho, very stylish. If someone gave me one I’d drive it, hell I’d maybe buy one just for cruising around.
Why is this car not good for 80mph highways? I drive 25,000 a year and my shopping good mpg cars now.
It gets fine fuel economy results at 80mph…but the Hybrid really returns its best fuel economy at slower speeds mixed with stop and go as the full electric doesn’t kick in until speeds drop below about 45mph.
I just got beat over the head and bought a 2011 with 50k for $20000. Used car prices are ridiculous right now 😩
That mileage is exceptionally low! So that’s a plus. Used car prices, especially fuel economy focused vehicle prices, are certainly out of control.
I hear ya! I’m seriously thinking of buying one for 14k with 140k miles though! But it looks brand new inside and out. Probably got another 100k miles left for the hybrid battery !
So I can't play my music off Bluetooth?
Not sure on later models, but on the 2012 no. I have to use an AUX cable to listen to music.
@@autoobsessivegarage thanks for the info
Tropical VEVO you can. i have a 2011 works with my iphone xs
@Tropical VEVO. I have a 2011 CT 200h and I can connect my 11pro via Bluetooth.
Yes you can just got one and hooked mine up
I was to buy one 2017 in early 2020 before the pandemic star in $20k with only 17k miles on it but there was a big problem… I don’t fit in that vehicle 😂😂 I bought a 2018 kia niro ex touring
Haha yeah that’s a big problem! That was a fantastic price though.
I’m 6’ and fit well, but I know what you’re talking about. There are plenty of sports cars where I barely fit.
I am in london got ine last week same as your but cream lather 39000 miles for 9 000 pounds 2012 model
manish kayasth wow, that’s a fantastic deal. This thing loves city travel.
Whats the total mileage on it??
At the filming of this review…around 130k miles.
I have bluetooth capacity for music and more than calls
Yup figured that out too. Had to set up my phone as a Bluetooth device and works great.
Great car...1st one here!!
Roserie Vandross thanks!
pretty prius
lol@ you really wanted the navigation? I hope you use your phone for navigation and not that old arse lexus system.
Hahaha I actually like the screen for its other displays (fuel economy, phone calls, etc).
A vw tdi is a good deal too I get 70mpg