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If you want the fuel economy and eco-benefits of a Prius without its staid family image, the Lexus CT 200h might be the perfect fit. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) again, if you think Lexus' entry-level compact is merely a tarted up Prius, it's time to shake up that misconception.

Toyota is expanding its Prius lineup, as you probably already know, with a new larger Prius v wagon/crossover and soon a smaller compact Prius C, but it's been sharing the Prius love over at it's Lexus division for some time now. First was the somewhat conservative but nicely sorted HS 250h sedan, followed up last year by this marvelous little CT 200h liftback. I drove it on the launch program and once again at home in inaugural 2011 guise, and thought it was high time to bring you up to speed with the 2012 model.

News flash: Being new last year, not much has changed for 2012 other than a cool new F-Sport trim level, a new storage compartment with a 12-volt plug that comes as part of its option packages, and

The CT 200h has a nice, sleek, sporty profile. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

a new colour, Ultrasonic Blue Mica that's exclusive to the F-Sport.

First realization that the CT 200h is unique from the Prius is styling. This is a great looking little hatch, 100-percent Lexus up front, sleek and low at profile and particularly good looking from its squat, racy rear.

Its good looks are backed up by much better handling than its utilitarian cousin, the torsion beam rear suspension replaced by a double-wishbone setup with special sport tuning applied all-round. The front suspension remains MacPherson strut, while coil springs and a stabilizer bar benefits each end for impressive handling.

The CT's agility makes up for a powertrain that's

The CT's rear vantage might be its most distinctive and sportiest angle. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

not exactly awe-inspiring, at least until factoring in fuel economy. That's brilliant! Lexus leads the pack with best-in-class mileage at an estimated 4.5 L/100km city and 4.8 highway using regular unleaded. There isn't a German competitor that comes close in the city, let alone gives you that extra 10-percent savings at the pump, all rivals needing pricier premium fuel. As for acceleration, do a little figuring and you'll see that the CT 200h is 40 kilos (88 lbs) heavier than the Prius it pulls its powertrain from and you'll be able to appreciate it won't exactly light up its front tires. Then again, during regular driving it never felt slow. The Prius hits 100 km/h in just a hair under 10 seconds, and all spec sheets I could find place the CT 200h at a tenth of a second slower at around 10 seconds flat. Yah, not exactly the stuff of performance car legend.

The cause of this rather nonchalant lope

The CT 200h is very well equipped, and this Technology model is over the top with features. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

up to highway speeds, as well as its superb fuel economy and Tier 2 Bin 3 SULEV super clean rating, is a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a 60-kW electric motor and a 201.6-volt sealed NiMH battery for a total net output of 134 horsepower and about 142 lb-ft of torque. A CVT with Drive Mode Select, incorporating EV, ECO and Power modes, puts torque down to the front wheels. You can bet I had my test CT set up for "power" nine times out of ten.

But let me be clear here, I enjoyed driving the CT 200h. It fits my new style of driving perfectly. Ever since fuel prices escalated up and over a buck a litre my right foot has become a lot lighter and smoother. As long as a car takes to the corners well once it's up to speed, I'm satisfied. Off the line performance can be fun, but let's face it, the tickets for this type of hooliganism are just too steep. In reality,

With the Technology package comes this award-winning computer mouse style controller that works brilliantly. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

most of us are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic much of the time anyway, and this reality is exactly where the CT shines. I witnessed it running in electric-only mode quite often during my weeklong stint, and the fuel savings were reward enough.

And it wasn't like I was suffering. My tester was equipped with the Technology package, which ups the sticker from a base of $32,845 including freight to its highest price point of $41,245, while adding the 17-inch rims and moonroof from the Touring package, the leather upholstery, driver's seat and mirror memory, auto-dimming rearview and exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, 10-speaker 6-CD audio system upgrade and more from the Premium package, plus LED enhanced headlamps, backup camera, navigation, and Lexus' ultra-cool award-winning Remote Touch computer mouse-style interface. And all these goodies get added to a

Even base CT's come equipped with USB and AUX connections as well as a 12-volt outlet. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

car that already features standard proximity sensing keyless entry with pushbutton ignition, auxiliary input, USB port, XM satellite radio, Bluetooth, an 8-way powered driver's seat, plus all the usual luxury features expected in this class.

I've also got to mention some eco-innovations that set the CT 200h apart from even the iconic Prius, such as its standard Bamboo charcoal-based resin diaphragm speakers, said to be 10- to 15-percent lighter than conventional speaker diaphragms, yet 20-percent stiffer and with 10-percent greater sonic speed for improved weight savings and sound quality, respectively. Additionally, the base car's NuLuxe upholstery looks and feels like leather but costs less to manufacture and is eco-friendly. It weighs about 50-percent less than leather, reduces

Rear seats are roomy for the class. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

CO2 emissions by about 65-percent during manufacture compared to producing synthetic leather, and uses no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). What's more, the CT is built from 30-percent plant-based ecoplastic components; specifically the floor, floor mats, and the rear deck trim sides. Additionally, 85-percent of the CT is recyclable, while 30-percent of its components are made from recycled materials. Pretty impressive, huh?

Of course, it's a Lexus so all of the key safety features come standard, with a few things you might not expect thrown in such as driver and front passenger knee airbags, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and Smart Stop Technologies (SST) that automatically idles the engine if the throttle gets pressed hard while braking quickly,

The CT has plenty of cargo capacity, and under the loading floor is this handy hidden compartment. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

eliminating any chance of unintended acceleration.

The CT is practical too, with more than four hundred litres of cargo capacity behind its 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and more than nine hundred when you fold the seats flat.

Lexus backs up all this goodness with a 4-year or 80,000 km basic warranty and a 6-year or 110,000 km powertrain warranty, much longer than the class average from a builder highly respected for dependability.

For a sporty looking city car loaded with luxuries, quality and mind-blowing fuel economy, you can't go wrong with a Lexus CT 200h.

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