Lexus CT200h

Lexus CT200h

Average. Lexus has entered the premium hatchback market with the segment's first full hybrid, but the CT200h doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.

The CT200h is Lexus's first foray into the premium family hatchback sector - a segment it believes is poised to surpass small executive saloons as the key battleground for sales of its upmarket cars.

The stakes are high then, and in an effort to ensure the new model is a success (particularly amongst company drivers) the brand has flexed Toyota's technical muscle by introducing what it reckons is the first full hybrid in a sector currently dominated by Audi and BMW.

The CT200h shares the petrol-electric powertrain already made famous by the current Toyota Prius. That system twins a 1.8-litre VVT-i engine with an electric motor and nickel-metal battery to produce a combined output of 134bhp, while also allowing the car to run on electric power alone for short distances at up to 28mph.

With CO2 emissions of just 94g/km, the CT200h claims to be the class leader and boasts exemption from both road tax and the London congestion charge. Driven (incredibly) patiently the car should be capable of returning 68mpg.

Of course the Prius returns slightly better figures for less money; but what differentiates the CT200h is the packaging and driving experience. The hatchback sits on a new platform with a better-appointed (although not particularly good-looking) interior, and, according to Lexus, it has been tailored to meet customer expectations of the brand.

Consequently, the driver is given the choice between EV, Eco and Sport modes. The first restricts the CT200h to operating solely on its electric motor (although it can only do this for 1.2 miles before the engine kicks in), the second aims for an economical mix of petrol and electric running, while Sport remaps the throttle and supplies the maximum amount of voltage to supplement the engine with.

Switching between the modes changes the 'mood' of the instrumentation; switching the display between charge indicators and a rev counter depending on whether Eco or Sport is selected. While that change is readily noticeable, the shift between the electric motor and petrol engine is virtually seamless.

Predictably, the 'silent' running suits the CT200h down to the ground. Lexus already prided itself on delivering whisper-quiet drivetrains and at low speeds the car is as somniferous as a feather duvet.

The issues arise when the CT200h is required to step up the pace. It's nigh on impossible to leave the car in Eco outside of town thanks to an appreciable lack of grunt, while switching to Sport replaces the EV karma with the irksome presence of a strained internal combustion engine.

The CT200h's 1.8-litre lump - even with the help of the electric motor - can't hope to match the accessible torque band of its rivals' direct injection diesel engines, and its uninspiring delivery is hardly helped by anesthetized steering, and tendency to follow its nose through tight corners.

The result is a car which impels you with statistical logic rather than any concerted attempt to tug at the heart strings. The CT200h's finish, low-speed refinement, economy and favourable emissions ensure that it'll garner plenty of attention from London-based fleet buyers and premium downsizers, but a high starting price and other deficiencies are unlikely to pry a significant number of punters out of their Audi A3s.