Lexus to end production of CT hybrid

Do you still remember the Lexus CT? It was one of the first hybrid models offered by the Japanese luxury marque. While it was discontinued in the Philippines a few years back (along with several other countries), the hatchback continued sales in Japan. After more than ten years on the market, the production of the CT will come to an end.

Lexus announced that the production of the CT will end in October 2022 after being on sale since 2011. Throughout its life, the automaker says a total of around 380,000 units were sold in 65 different countries and regions. It’s not a lot compared to the brand’s other models. But remember, there was only one variant available – CT200h.

The Lexus CT underwent several facelifts throughout its life. The first was in 2013 when it incorporated the brand’s signature “Spindle Grille”, followed by the final update in 2017 featuring new headlights and a mesh-type grille design. However, the powertrain remained the same – a 1.8-liter inline-four with electric motors. The combined output is rated at 136 PS and 207 Nm torque.

To give the CT a proper sendoff, Lexus built a special edition model in Japan called the Cherished Touring. It’s based on the CT200h “Version C” exclusive to the Japanese market, and it comes with a unique two-tone color scheme. The automaker says there will be 6 colors to choose from, including 2 exclusive to the vehicle. In addition, the grille and front fog lamp bezels are painted silver.

Inside, the seats and door cards are wrapped in black leather with red patches. More red accents can be found on the sport steering wheel, knee pads, and instrument cluster.

The Japan-only CT200h Cherished Touring retails for JPY 4,223,000 or PHP 1,888,000. It’s a bit pricier than the standard CT, but this is a send-off model. Lexus has yet to announce what model will replace the CT, or whether a next-generation model is being considered.