Lexus CT200h Coming Stateside After All

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Toyota has long insisted that the Lexus HS250h would be America’s luxury “dedicated hybrid” model, while the smaller CT200h would be a Europe-only model. That decision was an presumably based Lexus’s desire to match its US sales success in Europe by offering a unique model that was more attuned to European tastes, hence the CT’s trim, five-door-hatch packaging. But with Toyota and Lexus sales suddenly in trouble in the US, attracting “a whole new buyer to the Lexus brand,” as Lexus flacks put it to Automotive News [sub] suddenly took on a much higher priority. And so, the 1.8-liter Euro-hybrid will bring its “2.0-liter performance with class-leading CO2 emissions” to the US market beginning early next year. As a Euro-market model brought stateside to add youth-upscale appeal that its similarly-positioned US-market brand-mate is struggling to establish, the CT200h’s parallels with the forthcoming Buick Regal are intriguing. That Toyota is taking a page from GM’s product plan-thrashing playbook is just plain troubling.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

More by Edward Niedermeyer

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 23 comments
  • Imag Imag on Mar 08, 2010

    I actually think bringing this car over is a great idea. And as an urban 32 year-old, I am probably directly in their target market. While I wouldn't get it myself, I have friends (and possibly a wife) who would love it. I do love the idea that a small car doesn't have to feel like a cheezy econobox, and I'm glad that all manufacturers are starting to support nice small cars. After all, no one buying an LS is going to feel like it's less of a car because of the the 200, just like no one buying a 7-series minds the fact that BMW makes the 1-series, or MB the A-class. They are buying the top of the heap. What people do care about is that the brand has no respect, or that it is seen as dowdy. Appealing to youngsters and non-enthusiats may not appeal to those on car sites, but it does sell cars and elevate the brand. If gas goes up, Lexus is going to be looking brilliant. GM's mistake was selling downmarket, as in crap. Crappy cars, not small cars, are what will do in the luxury car manufacturer.

  • Brettc Brettc on Mar 08, 2010

    Based on the picture, I'd take a look at it if I was looking for a fuel efficient wagon. It might steal some sales from the A3 TDI or the Jetta TDI wagon.

  • Emro Emro on Mar 08, 2010

    I guess they didn't learn anything from the IS300 SportCross...

  • Meefer Meefer on Mar 08, 2010

    If they have this and the HS and the IS all within the same price range, it feels like it would be too crowded. I think they should hold off and see if HS sales are good. They can afford to experiment a little because they have the cash cow RX to hold things together. That being said, introducing new models rarely boosts sales for long. They need to update the ES and GS and trickle down some of the tech from the LS.

Next