What's Wrong With This Picture: Lexus And The Weary Sai Edition

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

While America gets a Lexus-badged Toyota Sai as our first entry-premium hybrid car, the Europeans will get this CT200h instead. In addition to better differentiation from the Prius (to this blogger, the HS250h smacks of old Buick-style brand engineering), the CT200h is said to be more driver-focused than previous Toyota hybrids. But then, we Americans are all used to not getting the smaller, tauter, hatchback-ier models by now, right? Right?



Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Kurtamaxxguy Kurtamaxxguy on Feb 26, 2010

    Lexus may eventually have a problem selling their current hatchback-style RX450h in that it's bigger, much heavier, and somewhat oddly designed inside than the previous 400h series. Why they decided to add 450 pounds to a hybrid eludes me. I'd definitely consider a 200h provided Lexus offers an AWD version (extra rear motor driving the rear axle).

  • Tedward Tedward on Feb 27, 2010

    I actually quite like the look of the CT pictured, and do not understand why Toyota wouldn't bring this hatch to the states and offering a sedan version later. It's not as if there's any sort of correlation between Toyota hybrids and 5 door bodies right? right... I agree with the author on the HS as well. It looks cheap and lazy, even if it isn't obviously badge engineered. If they wanted to make a "cheap Buick hybrid" they should have just slapped the drivetrain into an ES. Instead Lexus gets two embarassing cars, and without the Toyota hybrid hatch I bet most people will never guess what it actually is.

  • 3-On-The-Tree Besides for the sake of emissions I don’t understand why the OEM’s went with small displacement twin turbo engines in heavy trucks. Like you guys stated above there really isn’t a MPG advantage. Plus that engine is under stress pulling that truck around then you hit it with turbos, more rpm’s , air, fuel, heat. My F-150 Ecoboost 3.5 went through one turbo replacement and the other was leaking. l’ll stick with my 2021 V8 Tundra.
  • Syke What I'll never understand about economics reporting: $1.1 billion net income is a mark of failure? Anyone with half a brain recognizes that Tesla is slowly settling in to becoming just another EV manufacturer, now that the legacy manufacturers have gained a sense of reality and quit tripping over their own feet in converting their product lines. Who is stupid enough to believe that Tesla is going to remain 90% of the EV market for the next ten years?Or is it just cheap headlines to highlight another Tesla "problem"?
  • Rna65689660 I had an AMG G-Wagon roar past me at night doing 90 - 100. What a glorious sound. This won’t get the same vibe.
  • Marc Muskrat only said what he needed to say to make the stock pop. These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.
  • SCE to AUX I never believed they cancelled it. That idea was promoted by people who concluded that the stupid robotaxi idea was a replacement for the cheaper car; Tesla never said that.
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