Prius V & Lexus CT200h= Same vehicle?

The HS250h, Camry Hybrid, RX450h, GS450h and LS600h would disagree with you. It scales pretty well. You can add the Ford Escape and Fusion hybrids as well if you want. (The Fusion gets better economy than the HS and Camry.)

The CT, Prius v and Auris are pure and simple about reusing as many parts from the Prius as possible, to amortize their development and production costs over a greater number of vehicles. I believe there may be differences in programming to change the performance, which also affects the fuel economy, and I suspect the Lexus probably has more aggressive suspension geometry (better grip and stability, but more frictional loss). Otherwise, my understanding is that the battery, transaxle, and engine are completely identical. The quoted horsepower figures are exactly the same across Prius, Prius v, Auris Hybrid and CT200h.

If it's based on anything, the CT probably has closest links with the Corolla/Auris. Both have a 2600mm wheelbase and are 1760-1765mm wide. The Prius models have a longer 2700mm wheelbase and the regular Prius is narrower, only 1745mm wide.

 

Only you can answer that question if folks at work, etc poke fun at the Pri

 

I hear ya CD !!

Actually ... my buddies busted me about it for awhile ... I just shrugged it off and laughed with them about it. Now that gas is $4 a gallon, a few have asked my if the incentives are still available. Who'd a thunk that ?

It's definitely fun to show up at my gun club in a Prius surrounded by a bunch of pickups and SUVs. I'd almost feel intimidated if I didn't know I could out-shoot almost every one of them.

You can haul a lot of toys, ammo, and targets, in that little hatchback.

REV

 

Agreed. Those are variants indeed but none of these HS250h/GS450h versions does as well as the Prius in maximizing fuel economy and finding the sweet spot for the HSD drivetrain.

Yes, the CT200h has an upgraded everything else other than the HSD over the Prius.

 

And here I thought it was emissions.

 

HSD scales from 1.5 liter (Gen1+2 Prius) to 5.0 liter (LS600h). That's from a small 4 cylinder to a big 8 cylinder hybrids.

We'll see if the Prius c shrinks the ICE further.

The same hardware but different software. You can cook different dishes with the same ingredients.

 

I considered the Lexus CT200h before purchasing my 2011 Prius IV. The Lexus has an analog speedo and more traditional dash. As I recall the final drive ratio was higher on the Lexus which may account for lower MPG and quicker 0-60mph time.. The Nav system had a joystick on the center console and Prius a touch screen = easier to use. But the deciding factor was interior size, With seats down I can get a bike in the back of the Prius, not in the Lexus.

 

Next generation CT200h plans already disclosed by Toyota...

http://priuschat.com/forums/lexus-h...plug-in-hybrid-versions-ct-200h-new-post.html

 

How different is "slightly different". One person'st subjective view might be that the Camry body is slightly different than the RX.

 

I would say that the CT is a "luxury" version of the Prius. I went last week to see it at a local dealer, and it is essentially a Prius drive train in a different dress. Better materials, better plastics, and therefore higher price.

Same engine functionality and performance. According to EU tests the fuel consumption is essentially the same - the minor difference is due to slightly weight difference and is honestly neglectible (real life MPG is what counts) - so on paper at least according to EU tests both car have the same fuel efficiency potential.

The space at the back is much more cramped than the Prius - no doubt. The Prius has a much more rear space - period, and a clearly higher roof/head space. But somebody buying a CT is not likely looking at the back seat space, more for a car with a "status" like an Audi/BMW, which the Prius does not have. Toyota here is more VW. Lexus more Audi/BMW. If I am wealthy, know what Hybrid means, and I like technology in a somewhat "compact" design, live in town, and I am not prejudiced against non-German/EU brands, I would consider the CT. Clearly overall economy of the car will not play a role, since the price delta will "destroy" any fuel saving I can get from the HSD drivetrain on the overall lifetime costs of the car, compared to a Prius, or for that matter a cheaper car...

Power/Sport mode in my opinion are simply the same thing with a different marketing name. It is very hard to demonstrate that they do different things if you cannot compare side to side with gauges and measure what really happens in the engine. Absolute performance of the Prius and the CT is *exactly* the same.

The fact that the CT is, supposedly, kept at higher RPM needs to be confirmed with numbers. The Prius ends up in high RPM range as well, because the gas pedal is mapped differently...

There were also rumours that the voltage on the electric motor of the CT would go up from 500V normally to 650V under sport mode, but it still has to be verified on the CT *and* on the Prius. In my opinion, Power/Sport mode are therefore same thing. It is very unlikely that Toyota changes the software for a mode - too risky. Remember that the automotive industry is *very* conservative - if it works, don't change it. Especially Japanese companies.

Moreover, Power mode on a Lexus doesn't sound cool enough as Sport mode (the CT is clearly sportier than the Prius and addressing a younger/single somewhat wealthier type of audience, at least in EU, although the Prius does not come cheap at all...). By changing the name we tend to believe that there is a difference with the Prius - I personally doubt it. The same way I find it interesting as well as not that useful, but "sporty", that the dash will show in Sport the RPMs, which on the 1.8L HSD drivetrain are limited to 5200rpm and often are not directly related to the acceleration of the car, especially in the lower RPM range and due to the lack of a mechanical gearbox.

That said, I will test drive the CT in the near future and will be able to make a direct , albeit subjective, comparison. I don't think I will see any big difference between the 2, especially in the performance/drivetrain compartment...

PS: the Prius v, or as called in the EU, Prius +, is simply a Prius with the *same* HSD drivetrain in a bulkier, bigger body. Performance and fuel consumption will be affected accordingly. Even here I don't expect any change in the HSD, in same way the HSD is the same in the Auris Hybrid. The difference among these models is simply due to the size/weight of the cars.
What will be interesting is the Yaris HSD, whenever it will come out. I doubt they will have the space to fit the 1.8L HSD in that body - likely it will be a smaller engine... very intrigued in seeing what the Toyota engineers are coming out with....

 

I dont really understand the point "same powertrain, different package"...

Is Auris 2.0D4D same as Avensis, just different package? Is Rav4 same as Verso, just different package?

Throughout the industry, powertrains are shared among cars, just like 2.2 D4D is shared between Auris, Verso, Avensis, Rav4, so will 1.8l HSD be shared among multiple cars... that doesnt make every car "just prius with different package".

 

even Prius+ is reported to drive very differently from Prius... I dont expect it to be "Prius, another package"

 

Do that and you will appreciate the diferences.

Giora.

 

You drive through a skid pad every day to work? Very neat. Although most people.. actually all people don't drive through a skid pad every day to work, that doesn't mean a skid pad doesn't provide a quantitative value for how a car behaves around corners and emergency situations. Whether or not the buyer feels that it is important is really up to them.

With springs, sway bar, and tires that I already installed on my Prius, it is slower than the CT200h because it is subsequently heavier, and it still doesn't handle as well as the CT200h. Also, because of the weight I only achieve 43mpg anyway. How can you be absolutely certain that the .08Gs are only because of the tires? .08Gs is quite a large difference. You should sell the idea to Toyota, that way all their cars can become better at handling than most sports cars.

Truth is, center of gravity, suspension, tires... it's all different on the CT200h. If you can't tell a difference then it wouldn't matter to you.

For a car forum that consistently cares less about 0-60 times (and justifies the Prius' 0-60 time as irrelevant in normal driving compared to other cars), I'm surprised that a few tenths of a second really matter to you.

 

My wife and I drove a Lexus CT200h at Longo Lexus in the Los Angeles basin, and I'm here to tell you it is NOT the same vehicle as my Prius v (3). While it is more of a sports-oriented vehicle - electric hybrid hot rod is a more apt description - it sits much lower to the ground than does the Prius v, and getting into and out of the Lexus is a real contortion act. The seats, admittedly higher quality than those in the Prius v, felt like Recaro racing seats. However, the driver and passenger sit so low to the bottom of the car that you get the feeling you are peering over the dashboard at the bottom of the windshield. Far and away the worst aspect of the Lexus is the cramped driver's seat: I'm 6'1" and weigh about 220 and I felt like I needed a shoe horn to get into and out of the driver seat. It looked like and drove like a Lexus (we previously owned a '94 ES300) once you managed to get into it, but no thanks on this one!
Contrast the claustrophobic cockpit of this Lexus to the Prius v...no contest. We also drove several "regular" (not v's) 2011 Prius vehicles and I had the same problem with a cramped driver seat although to a lesser extent: the Prius v was far and away the best ergonomically for me.
If the Prius v is a 5-place vehicle, the Lexus CT200h should fairly be called a "2 adults plus two very small children" vehicle. The front seats are cramped in the Lexus, but cramped isn't even an entry-level description for the back seats!