If you’ve been thinking of owning a new Lexus for under 200 grand, well, here’s some cheery news. The soon-to-arrive Lexus CT 200h hybrid will go for just RM168,000, on the road without insurance, according to the Lexus Malaysia website, which has put up the pricing for the hatchback. That’s for the standard CT 200h, with a Luxury version slated to pop in as well at RM196,500, also OTR without insurance.
The vehicle – in either guise – is powered by the same powertrain combination as found on the ZVW30 Prius: the 2ZR-FXE 1.8 litre Atkinson cycle petrol block – which develops 98 hp at 5,200 rpm and 142 Nm at 4,000 rpm – and permanent magnet synchronous motor/168-cell NiMh electric drivetrain, which offers 80 hp and 207 Nm, together offering a combined total output of 134 hp.
Specifications-wise, common to the two CT 200h variants coming into Malaysia are perforated leather seats (with seat heaters), dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control as well as a six-speaker Lexus Premium Audio system for the basic and a 10-speaker one for the Luxury model, among other things.
There’s also the usual host of safety assist kit, these being ABS, BA, VSC, TRC and EBD, along with eight airbags and rear seat Isofix points, and the car will come wearing 16-inch wheels with 205/55 series tyres.
In what might be an effort to get the price to where it’s at, there’s a bit of fare that’s been omitted in the stock CT 200h – the headlamps are halogen units (the Luxury gets LED lamps), and the driver and passenger seat adjustment is of the manual variety (the driver’s seat on the Luxury is powered).
Elsewhere, there’s no smart entry, Electro Multi Vision (EMV) screen, rain sensing wipers or rear reverse camera on the basic CT 200h, all of which are of course to be found on the Luxury variant, and the additional RM28,500 for the latter also bags you a Lexus navigation system and remote touch controller on top of the above items.
Nonetheless, it’s an achievement, a Lexus for that price in its standard guise. More when the car is launched, undoubtedly, but one can sense some hamsters running already.