In-depth reviews

Lexus CT 200h (2011-2020) practicality & boot space

Rear space is restricted by the location of the Lexus CT 200h battery pack

Lexus CT 200h
Overall rating

2.5 out of 5

Practicality & boot space rating

3.0 out of 5

LengthWidthHeightBoot volume (seats up)
4,355mm1,765mm1,455mm375 litres

Front-seat passengers are well catered for in terms of space and storage options, but adults travelling in the rear might feel hard done by. The location of the battery pack results in a high-set rear bench, while legroom is also compromised. Boot space is par for the course in the class, but rivals offer more luggage capacity with the rear seats folded down.

Lexus CT 200h interior space, storage & comfort

Hybrid technology was come a long way in the seven years since the Lexus CT first hit the streets, especially in terms of battery size and interior packaging. So, while the likes of the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid offer good interior space and storage, the Lexus CT 200h is found wanting. The front-seat passengers should have little cause for complaint, with decent space and plenty of storage options throughout the interior, but the main issues are to be found in the back.

The battery pack is located under the rear seats, which results in a high-set seating position, affecting the headroom for tall passengers. Legroom is also an issue, especially if there are tall people sitting in the front. It can feel a touch claustrophobic in the back, with a high window line and a low and sloping roofline two contributing factors to the feeling of being closed in.

Boot space

The Lexus CT 200h offers 375 litres of boot space, extending to 985 litres with the rear seats folded down. While not as commodious as some of its conventionally engined rivals, it’s more than you’d find in the Volkswagen Golf GTE (272 litres) and Audi A3 e-tron (280 litres).

However, fold the rear seats down in the A3 e-tron and the luggage capacity swells to 1,120 litres, while the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid offers 443 litres of boot space with the seats up and 1,505 litres with them folded down. This demonstrates the advances in batteries and packaging since the CT was launched in 2011.

In the CT 200h’s favour is the fact that the boot floor is flush with the lip, making for easy loading, and there’s a very shallow storage cubby beneath the boot floor. A Protection Pack, comprising boot liner, bumper protection plate, cargo net and rubber floor mats, is available as an optional extra.

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