Prius 2010 vs Lexus CT200h

I was lucky to be able to have both a CT200h and a prius on test for a whole day at the same time. I was looking at the top of the range model for each and to be honest I could not really test a difference in performance between the two and this included changing quickly from one to another. Some people say that the Lexus is quieter than the Prius and maybe it is... however on the roads I tested it on both were in real terms... identical.

I did not like the leather interior of the Prius it looked cheap compared to the Lexus. I prefered the size of the Prius for both rear passenger space and also luggage space. Both had good gadgets and both managed did over 64mpg on the same test route in fact the Lexus was 0.2mpg better but that could be down to trip computer differences on both cars.

In the end I bought a Prius because it was a better car for me! a little larger than the Lexus but otherwise the same. The deal killer would have been the Prius leather interior... had my dealer not shown me a Prius 10th Aniversary model in which the hand stitched leather is even better than that of the Lexus. I would have liked the electric memory seats of the ct200h but they are not an option in the UK. That is the only real thing I am missing between the two... oh and I also saved £8K by buying the Prius as I got a £3500 discount from list price with no discount offered on the Lexus.

 

Euro test cycle is a little bit joke. It is based on a dyno. The car is fully heated (30 mins heat up). Then it is accelerated from 0 to 30 kmh, then few seconds of steady driving, then acceleration to 50, then some steady driving (few seconds), then slow down, few seconds of standstill. Whole test is replayed few times (I don't remember numbers now - Toyota in EU gives exact paper number for the test procedure).

All exhaust gases are catched in a big "bag", then taken to the analysis.

Problem with that is that those tests doesn't reflect real life expirience. They don't check what happens if cathalytic converter is cold, what happens if DPF in diesel engines cleans it's contents (when consumption on AlfaRomeo 159 rises from 5.0 l/100km @ 50kmh to 45 - 50 l/100km @ 50 kmh for 10 - 15 minutes).

City driving on the test is considered at 50 kmh max.
Suburban driving is @ 90 kmh max.

No highway speeds test are performed.

This is why nobody is able to reach fuel efficiency quoted by car manufacturers in EU.

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Back to main topic. I've had test drive on lowest grade of Prius (with 15" wheels) and medium grade CT200h (16" wheels).

I like CT shape - it looks like normal car. Better quality interior. Normal dashboard, dual-zone A/C, regulated seat heaters
What I don't like: worse fuel economy, if you look closer (on lower grades) it is still basic Toyota. Same radio, same speakers, front hood with manual holder (in Lexus??!!), same acceleration.

Lexus seems to be a bit quiter (however I've imagined that Lexus should be really quiet - a bit of disapointment) but in Prius I haven't heard electric motors and ICE started without event slightiest vibration. On Lexus I've heard motors while breaking and start / stop of ICE was much easier to feel (a bit of cranking like vibrations).

And Prius have what all other cars (in the same price range) don't have - HUD display (I know that US version is missing this thing - I don't know why...)

Finally - I'm waiting for my Prius to arrive mid November.

S.

 

hm, it is weird that auris spends less fuel at 160kmh but more at 130kmh. Not sure how can that make sense with CVT.

if it was just final drive ratio, auris should have had advantage at 130kmh too.

 

I assume you are comparing the Auris HSD to the CT200h in your comment above. Note that the Auris was tested @ 150 km/hr while the CT200h @ 160 km/hr!

 

I have not driven the Lexus but sat in one and it was no Lexus!

By that I mean the "luxury" side of the CT is barely above the Prius and well below the standard of other Lexi...

To me the interior was a complete disappointment, I was expecting a higher level of "luxury"...

 

i didn't read every posting here, but i can tell you that the built in toyota navi is a real blockbuster (ganz großes kino) when you see its commands/graphics in the head up display. it's simply terrific!
no tomtom can do this...

two other facts on the auris hsd:
- steering is much easier in the auris (more support)
- you can't see i.e. outside temp. and fuel cons. at the same time (reminded me of the first mobile phones with only a single-line display) pretty annoying!
but i liked the ride in the auris a lot!

 

It seems this car is not for you... although judging a car by just sitting in it...

Remember, the prime export market for the CT200h is not the US but Europe, where both BMW 1 series and Audi A3 are selling about 150k per year each.
Here are some stats for the CT200h:
according to this source 7586 units were delivered in Europe in the first 4 months since introduction, as compared to 3768 units in the US.
In Japan, 2296 units were delivered in June, almost back to the volume of before the disaster, so it seems production is picking-up.
July and August will be very interesting months in Europe as well as in the US.

 

Well I'll throw in my $0.02 on this topic. I drove the Gen II Prius for 5 years and a Gen III for the last year. The Gen III was a big improvement in almost every way over the Gen II. Better handling, better engine, better power, and better mileage due to the new batteries and software. However, with the introduction of the CT200h and the 2012 Camry Hybrid, I thought I go test drive them and see if I'm missing out on much.

2012 Camry Hybrid
Pro: Wow, 2.5 liter engine w/200HP and near 40 MPG rating? The is the future folks! Very smooth ride, quiet, and comfortable. Good visibility. New apps for the Navi is a plus. More low end torque than my Prius.

Con: While I enjoy the better sound isolation, the slightly floaty ride and disconnected driving experience pluse size of the car isn't quite my style. This might not be a con for you. Also since it is so new, dealers were only taking 100 to $200 off MSRP. A joke IMO.

2012 CT200H
Pro: Love the interior fit and finish. Feels like a grown up car. The chassis is tight, so bumps don't upset it like the Prius. Precise handling makes it easy to drive and park. Much quieter than the Prius. The Nuluxe feels better and will wear better than the leather in my Prius. Keyless entry sensors in the driver, passenger, and trunk (like my Gen II Prius)! Boy how I missed them!

Con: Smaller car over all. Carries less in the back. Not great visibility out the high back hatch. Backup camera is a must IMO. Garbage stereo in the base model, Navi Premium sound is a must IMO. Not great visibility out the side C pillar as you turn to check blind spot. They should have included the Blind Spot Sensor from the 2012 Camry in this car IMO. Need to work the side mirrors more when making turns.

I had the unusual chance of driving a CT200h for a full week while my wife's 450h was in for service at Lexus. I would drive the same route back to back with my Prius and then the CT. Boy did I fall in love with the CT. After 500 miles of back to back testing here are my thoughts. I noticed that while it is quieter than the Prius, it's not a hushed silence like in a LS460. It is quieter because its chassis is much stiffer and suspension is much more sophisticated than the Prius. When I hit a pump in the Prius, I notice not only do I hear it, I feel it, but it seems to shake the whole car all the way up to the roof. In the CT200h, I hear that pump less, and the suspension pretty much soaks it up without it spreading up the car, very similar to my last BMW 330i. As a result, the car tracks very well on the freeway. Also the higher frequencies (road/tire noise) in the CT are much more hushed than the Prius. This made hearing my clients on the bluetooth (and them hearing me) much easier. Also talk radio was easier to understand at much lower volumes. (so my ears don't ring at night) Most of all, in my Prius, when traveling above 60 MPH, the A pillars were increasingly noisy with the rushing of wind. This was not a problem in my Gen II. And I was also very happy to see that like the Gen II, the CT200h has keyless entry sensors in the passenger handle as well as the rear hatch door. A huge convenience factor IMO.

I picked up my CT last week and really enjoying it. I do miss some of the space of my Prius, but the shorter length is a plus in my case. I never have passengers in the back and parking in SF is now easier. I'm happy to answer any other questions.

 

Note for 2012, the liftback Prius Three will get 3 door Smart key also.

As cool as the CT is, I appreciate the 'Swiss Army knife' character of the Prius. The practicality, small footprint yet good interior space, nice fuel economy, easy insurance rates, hauls four 6 footers, etc...

I have to go bend down and duck a bit to get into my 2011. It would be a good bit lower to get in the CT. Cool car but out of my size and price range.

To each his own though. Sounds like a nice car for those who prefer it.

 

Well just sold my prius gen3 last week to get the Ct! Love the space in the car but I'm alone and the jumpy suspension and plastic inside made me make the move, so now I'm shopping for the Ct! Yes for the same price there is a lot of others cars ( think sonata, optima turbo, Camry SE ) but the lower fuel consumption of the Ct made me stay in hybrid. I love to drive in traffic and knowing that my MPG stay almost the same if not better! I had a Lancer evolution 2008 before and I would cry every time I was stuck in the traffic doing 15mpg!

 

Yes, the CT is a tighter fit. I can see taller drivers having a harder time getting in and out.

 

Before I ended up deciding on a Plugin Prius, I test drove a CT200h and had a few issues with it. I love the look of the car, but the trunk space is.... almost non existant. Forget fitting even a single bag of golf clubs back there without folding down the back seats. I'm 6'1" and felt really crammed into the drivers seat. Although I could manage without feeling too cramped for every day commutes, any long distance driving would be pretty uncomfortable. The back seat also is extremely small when the driver's seat is pushed all the way back.

All in all, if you're looking for a sporty feeling car with better handling and don't mind dealing with an overall smaller car in almost every aspect, the ct200h is a decent choice. I myself though just couldn't see myself using it as my primary vehicle.