New Car Reviews: 2012 Lexus Hybrid
2012 Lexus Hybrid – Introduction
Due to the constant rise in fossil fuel prices, hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular these days. A hybrid vehicle uses the combination of the traditional internal combustion engine powertrain with an electric powertrain. The result of this combination is a vehicle with better fuel economy and even better performance compared to conventional vehicles. Hybrid vehicles exist in the form of hybrid cars, trucks, and buses.
Lexus is one of several car brands that have implemented this green technology in their cars. Lexus is a luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Corporation, which happens to be the world’s largest automaker. The first Lexus hybrid car was introduced in 2004. Since then, this brand has been committed to producing more hybrid cars for the automotive market. In fact, in 2009, Lexus sold more hybrid cars than conventional oil-based cars on the European market. Shortly after that, the company announced plans to become a hybrid-only brand in Europe.
According to Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Company, the company plans to launch six new hybrid vehicles by the end of 2012: four from Toyota and the other two from Lexus. The 2012 Lexus CT 200h sports compact hybrid over 40 mpg is anticipated to be one of these two Lexus hybrids.
2012 Lexus Hybrid – Features
First introduced in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show as the 2011 model year, the CT 200h is one of Lexus’ latest petrol / electric hybrid cars. However, the 2012 edition of the CT 200h will not present any major changes from its predecessor. This compact hybrid car is smaller than Lexus’ other hybrid, the HS 250h. The 2012 CT 200h is classified as a compact 5-door hatchback with a front-engined, front-wheel-drive engine design. It comes equipped with a 1.8-liter VVT-I 4-cylinder petrol engine, the same engine used by the very popular mid-size Toyota Prius hatchback. This engine can generate up to 98 horsepower and 142 Nm of torque. When combined with the hybrid rive system’s electric generator, both engines can produce 134 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque. According to a study carried out in Australia, the CT 200h 2012 only consumes 4.1 liters for 100 km of use. Imagine how much money you could save!
A driver can choose whether to drive the car with one or with the gasoline / electric engine combination. Each option contributes to the balance of acceleration and fuel economy. This car does not require plug-in charging, because the electric motor recharges as the car moves. A driver can choose one of four different powertrain modes: normal mode for daily driving, Eco and Sport modes for sporty and high-performance driving, and EV mode that allows the car to run at 28 mph for 1 mile using only power. electrical.
Standard features include keyless access and engine start, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and wireless cell phone link. Adaptive cruise control, sunroof, leather-trimmed seats, navigation system and backup camera are optional. On the other hand, the safety features include traction control, ABS, anti-skid system, side curtain airbags, front side airbags and front knee airbags. The 2012 CT 200h is priced at $ 30,000, making it the cheapest hybrid on the market.