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Lexus CT200H Prestige |
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What a difference 12 months makes in the Australian Automotive market, as last year's winner, the Mini Cooper D received a price reduction and courtesy of that sweetener for prospective buyers , the Cooper D found itself in the ultra competitive Small Cars under $35,000 category for the first time. That left the door open for a couple of new- comers to put their stamp on the class and just as the Mini CooperD raised a few eyebrows, this year’s winner, the Lexus CT200H Prestige is sure to create some discussion. The “H” in the badge adorning the rear hatch of the Lexus stands for hybrid, and for Lexus, with hybrids available throughout their lineup, it made sense that the new baby of the stable received the hybrid treatment. The Prestige is the entry level model in the line-up, priced at $39, 990, and whilst prices climb through the four- model range to $55,990 for the Sports Luxury, the CT200H Prestige is the cheapest Lexus to buy by a long way. Featuring a 1.8L four cylinder petrol engine and a permanent magnet electric motor, the two combine to deliver 100kW of power and 142Nm of engine torque. It’s matched to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The technology is well- sorted and talk of the petrol/electric hybrid system being some sort of stop gap strategy until something better comes along clearly doesn’t wash with Toyota as they have been pioneers of the technology since 2001 and they have used the same combination in their third generation Toyota Prius models launched back in 2009. Strong performance isn’t the CT200H’s forte, with the CT200H it’s more about refinement and the hybrid power-train delivers seamless power from take-off, right through its rev range, albeit at a more leisurely pace than some of the other finalists. If you feel the need, there is a sports mode that sharpens things up electronically, and the combination impressed the judges with an above average score for smoothness and quietness. The other on road scores for the CT200H reflect a similar theme, measured and capable, and the chassis could easily handle the demands of a much more powerful drive-line combination. The package in the Lexus delivers an outstanding fuel consumption figure of 4.1L/100km so you definitely won’t be making friends with the attendant at your local service station. When it comes to Scoring a perfect ten is never easy for an Australia’s Best Cars finalist and at its first attempt the CT200H achieved this feat not once , but four times with perfect scores for running and repairs costs, fuel consumption, safety and environment. It’s a rare feat and since the inception of the Australia’s Best Cars awards only the cream of the crop can achieve such a distinction. Attracting a nine out of ten for build quality and finish is a Lexus hallmark, and with the same score for standard features the Lexus CT200H built a score that was hard to pull back.
Finalists
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