Lexus CT200h vs Prius v trim five

I can't imagine maintenance and repair costs would differ much between the two.

The big differences should be purchase price (which you state is similar), depreciation (which can only be forecase, both are fairly new models), and insurance.

 

I presume routine maintenance will be about the same. I also own a Lexus SC 430--great car--and it's the repair work that can be (a lot) more costly. Several SC owners claim (on Club Lexus Forum) they take their cars to Toyota stores for repair work at lower cost.

 

Maintenance shouldn't be much different other than the fact that a Lexus dealer might charge more on the hour.

That said, it was very clear that the CT, while a fantastic little car, wasn't near what I needed. The back seats are so tight and the cargo area is so small. I'd probably be looking Prius liftback versus the CT as the CT is even a hair smaller than the Liftback.

 

I have to agree. I test drove the CT200h, followed closely by the Prius C, Prius liftback and Prius v. The CT200h is more comparable to the Prius C in terms of size, both in the trunk and in passenger space.

It's a very different beast from the Prius v (not worse, just different!)

 

I also did the comparo on the CT before finalizing on the V. I absolutely love the styling and the front row seating area. The back seats completely killed it for me. If you have anyone to put in the back seat it is going to be tight. Multiply the crampiness (is that a word??) if the front occupants are larger. Not even a cup holder in the rear. The Lexus dealer said they should have just made it a two-seater. Anyways, I know you know that and you are asking about maintenance, but when it comes to resale, I have to think that the V and its functionality will have a wider audience than the CT which should help it hold its value better in the long run IMO.

 

I doubt maintenance is different, but I'd be amazed if the cost at the Lexus dealership is the same as a Toyota dealership. I have a CTh but perform the routine maintenance myself so I do not care.

If your local Toyota dealer will service the CTh, then this consideration falls away.

 

I just purchased a CT200h about 3 weeks and researched the same exact thing. It does not look like maintenance will be much different. It also looks like the CT200h will have a little better resale value, but that is a tough area to forecast.

I was debating between the Prius v and Prius liftback V. There are plus and minuses to all 3 cars, so makes it tough decision.

 

Yeah, Toyota doesn't make it easy on us. I wanted the looks, interior, and rear suspension of the CT200h. I want the practicality of the v. I want the efficiency of the liftback. I want the power of the Camry Hybrid. In the end, practicality won out thanks to a bundle of joy on the way this summer.

 

Exactly - could not have said it any better myself.

 

My sister found out about high cost Lexus service the hard way. Luckily, she learns from her mistakes and now takes her RX350 to the Toyota dealer for the same high quality service at much lower cost.

 

If Lexus made a CT200h V, I would break out the check book and get one.

 

for those that chose one over the other, what were the deciding factors?

The only change from a V2 to a V3 is the radio; not a whole lot more in a V5. My wife was OK with any of them. Then she sat in the CT200h and loved it - the power seats, toys, ride feel and comfort in the driver's seat. But how to justify $15k+ more to go the CT route vs. the V?

She drives 10 minutes to work and home; I drive a few times a week. We found the front seats in the CT far more comfortable and supportive (compared to current Camry XLE). We rarely have back seat passengers, but the space and flexibility of the back seats in the V (especially putting down the front seat and using the back as a recliner) is terrific.

Both have the room for a mobility scooter in the back (sadly, now a requirement), but the V wins hands down for room.

Both do what we need, but the CT is far more inviting and comfortable. We tend to drive a car 10+ years - go for comfort or be practical and spend $15k less on a V?

 

I don't know about the other models but the Prius v5 has an adjustable driver's seat, including height and lumbar support adjustments.

BTW, have you seen the new Sienna with the "mobility package?" It has a rear seat that lifts out and down to pick up and deposit riders. And it is a modest cost option (about $2,000). We tried it out and it worked great.

We looked at the CT200h and were underwhelmed, mainly due to the cramped interior and lack (absence) of storage space. One short hop in the Prius v and we were ready to write a check.

 

My main consideration was between the V and the plug in. We have a Benz as our luxury car, already, so the Prius was going to be our practical, economical vehicle. When we decided to go with the V, we were originally going to go with the v2.

We ultimately went with the v3 because it was only about a $700 difference with the added benefit of having an in-dash Nav. It just seemed like a small price to pay, and we think we made the right choice.

In addition to the in-dash Nav, Entunes can come in handy especially since your Bing searches can be integrated with the navigation. Entunes also allows up to the minute traffic updates and will warn you if there's a traffic jam ahead.