[BostonGTR]

I'd like to hear from current and former Gen3 Prius owners who are considering, or have already purchased a CT. We have a Gen3 Prius and test drove the CT. We liked it very much although a test drive is hardly enough time to understand the CT. We would be keeping the Prius but adding the CT for my wife. Interested in hearing from those owners who have had the car for 2-3 weeks and learning about the pluses and minuses, especially vs. the Prius. We have a deposit an a Premium car; although it doesn't have any additional packages or options. Don't need the Nav or upgraded stereo; am I missing any "must have" options? Thanks.

 

[Kostamojen]

All the important things are standard with this car. Most all of the options are Luxury related.

 

[Quentin]

All the important things are standard with this car. Most all of the options are Luxury related.

Yup. Go on truedelta.com and the car comparison section. You can select the two cars and what options are important. It will show you how much of a premium you are paying for the CT and then a feature adjusted premium. That will at least give you an apples to apples cost comparison.

Personally, I"m hoping the CT handles as well as I've heard so that it is an easy choice.

 

[Bob259]

The wife has a Gen3 Prius IV and I have the CT

Plus's for Prius

• Higher mileage
• More rear seating room

Plus's for the CT

• Quieter
• Better seats
• More options available (toys)
• Better handling
• Better looks (subjective)

Could be more, but that's a quick list off the top of my head.

 

[Kostamojen]

Better rear visibility in the CT too, better driving position/comfort all together versus the Prius.

 

[corrado_mr2]

And to add to the above, for the CT:
- better interior and exterior fit and finish
- better quality of materials and tighter construction feel
- Lexus panache and top-ranking dealer service (however, if one cares)
- more car, yet insurance costs the same as Prius (in my case)

Negative
- trunk space is smaller
- service will cost more at Lexus. Hmmm...perhaps we should go service it at Toyota after the complimentary first oil change...
- Prius is distinct and recognizable a mile away, CT can blend in with the Mazda 3s (subjective)

 

[dgstan]

Better rear visibility in the CT too, better driving position/comfort all together versus the Prius.

Not just rear visibility. The "A" pillar in the CT is much smaller than in the Prius. I'm having a hard time switching back to my Prius without getting killed.

 

[BostonGTR]

Great points from everyone. I appreciate the input. Is the standard stereo adequate? Do the heated seats have variable settings i.e. low, medium, high? Are any of the options "must have"?

 

[cenix]

^ regarding the standard stereo, it's adequate (not good but not bad) but there are people who are looking to even upgrade the premium stereo. the heated seats have a wide range of settings--it's a turn knob so there isn't a set low, medium, high. in my opinion, i would've gotten the led headlamps and the rear backup camera as additional options, but i'm living without them right now.

 

[Hey Gurl]

Awhh, my favorite subject. ;-) CT vs Prius hehe I completely agree with everything mentioned. However, I personally don't have any cons at this time. (maybe later)

Here are a few more reasons why I jumped on the CT bandwagon, after looking for a hybrid that we could both agree on:

1) The CT is 100% smoother and handles bumps 100% better than the Prius.

2) The cabin is much more insulated. (you probably noticed during your test drive.) As a result, the engine noise is a lot less pronounced in the CT. In fact, under the hood there is a large insulated pad attached to the hood. The Prius does not have that. It makes a difference.

3) When the gas engine shuts off after warming or between stops... it has much less shutter. It's far less noticeable.

4) Parking & turning corners is sooo much easier in the CT. In the Prius, seeing past the long space shuttle dash makes it difficult to judge how close you were to things. (for me at least) Whenever I parked I was always at least 5 ft from the cement block, yet I felt like I was parked perfectly. I can't tell you how many times I had to get back in the car and pull up closer. (annoying) I could never get used to the feeling of a super long front end... yet it was actually so short.

5) The steering in the CT is sooo much easier. It turns on a dime! In the Prius, I felt like I was getting a work out at times. I distinct difference in how much LESS effort it takes to turn the wheel in the CT.

6) FUN...FUN...FUN....AND MORE FUN TO DRIVE!!!


After, much kicking & screaming (damn near), my husband & I sold our Gen 3 Prius to Car Max yesterday. (oh happy day!) He will be the proud owner of a silver CT next week. Yes, he had some of the same concerns, but has since become a believer after driving & riding in my CT for the past 2 weeks.

 

[QuietCT]

I agree with Bob259 on the key differences and Hey Gurl on the suspension and steering. They have done a nice job with the suspension, and with it's low center of gravity, it handles well - nothing like the Prius. For a sport suspension, it absorbs bumps pretty well. They did a good job with the dampening. The car is extremely quiet and really rides like a Lexus. One issue I had in my Prius test drives is I could never get comfortable with the seat. The seat bottom was too short and pushed against my hamstrings. The CT has great front seats.

Here's a link to a technical description of what Lexus has done to the design of the car. This article is written by Lexus, and so there is some marketing techno-babble and descriptions that sound like innovation but are actually commonplace now; however, it provides good detail. Bottom line - they were successful with a quiet, well-handling car design.

Lexus CT 200h: Details on U.S. version arrive - Autoblog

 

[909trauma]

Awhh, my favorite subject. ;-) CT vs Prius hehe I completely agree with everything mentioned. However, I personally don't have any cons at this time. (maybe later)

Here are a few more reasons why I jumped on the CT bandwagon, after looking for a hybrid that we could both agree on:

1) The CT is 100% smoother and handles bumps 100% better than the Prius.

2) The cabin is much more insulated. (you probably noticed during your test drive.) As a result, the engine noise is a lot less pronounced in the CT. In fact, under the hood there is a large insulated pad attached to the hood. The Prius does not have that. It makes a difference.

3) When the gas engine shuts off after warming or between stops... it has much less shutter. It's far less noticeable.

4) Parking & turning corners is sooo much easier in the CT. In the Prius, seeing past the long space shuttle dash makes it difficult to judge how close you were to things. (for me at least) Whenever I parked I was always at least 5 ft from the cement block, yet I felt like I was parked perfectly. I can't tell you how many times I had to get back in the car and pull up closer. (annoying) I could never get used to the feeling of a super long front end... yet it was actually so short.

5) The steering in the CT is sooo much easier. It turns on a dime! In the Prius, I felt like I was getting a work out at times. I distinct difference in how much LESS effort it takes to turn the wheel in the CT.

6) FUN...FUN...FUN....AND MORE FUN TO DRIVE!!!


After, much kicking & screaming (damn near), my husband & I sold our Gen 3 Prius to Car Max yesterday. (oh happy day!) He will be the proud owner of a silver CT next week. Yes, he had some of the same concerns, but has since become a believer after driving & riding in my CT for the past 2 weeks.

Totally agree with point 5. I have driven many cars but the prius is by far the most difficult car i had to park. 2 weeks ago i even scratched my rear-bumper, wich will cost me 150 euro

And also: In holland we have a lot of people on bike (not just people who are driving for fun) and 2 times I missed a biker because off this "A" pillar. Fortunatly I was driving slowly and i could quickly brake.

This is absolutly a big disadvantage in my opinion.

 

[MarkDerail]

I've only had my G3 for year, parting with it to buy a CT would could me thousands.
I'm like the worst case scenario.

However anyone looking to buy either one, the CT is the "better" buy. I find the CT priced too low, or, the G3 Prius is priced too high.

Cargo space, I measured side-by-side at the Lexus dealership, after taking a CT for a test run. 3 inches depth difference, width is the same, when the back seats are up.
Back seats down flat, Prius gains an additional (subjective) 5 inches.

IOW, cargo space is NOT a factor between the G3 Prius & the CT, for most people.

 

[aridon99]

Well I'll throw in my $0.02 on this topic. I drove the Gen II Prius for 5 years and a Gen III for the last year. The Gen III was a big improvement in almost every way over the Gen II. Better handling, better engine, better power, and better mileage due to the new batteries and software. However, with the introduction of the CT200h and the 2012 Camry Hybrid, I thought I go test drive them and see if I'm missing out on much.

2012 Camry Hybrid
Pro: Wow, 2.5 liter engine w/200HP and near 40 MPG rating? The is the future folks! Very smooth ride, quiet, and comfortable. Good visibility. New apps for the Navi is a plus. More low end torque than my Prius.

Con: While I enjoy the better sound isolation, the slightly floaty ride and disconnected driving experience pluse size of the car isn't quite my style. This might not be a con for you. Also since it is so new, dealers were only taking 100 to $200 off MSRP. A joke IMO.

2012 CT200H
Pro: Love the interior fit and finish. Feels like a grown up car. The chassis is tight, so bumps don't upset it like the Prius. Precise handling makes it easy to drive and park. Much quieter than the Prius. The Nuluxe feels better and will wear better than the leather in my Prius. Keyless entry sensors in the driver, passenger, and trunk (like my Gen II Prius)! Boy how I missed them!

Con: Smaller car over all. Carries less in the back. Not great visibility out the high back hatch. Backup camera is a must IMO. Garbage stereo in the base model, Navi Premium sound is a must IMO. Not great visibility out the side C pillar as you turn to check blind spot. They should have included the Blind Spot Sensor from the 2012 Camry in this car IMO. Need to work the side mirrors more when making turns.

I had the unusual chance of driving a CT200h for a full week while my wife's 450h was in for service at Lexus. I would drive the same route back to back with my Prius and then the CT. Boy did I fall in love with the CT. After 500 miles of back to back testing here are my thoughts. I noticed that while it is quieter than the Prius, it's not a hushed silence like in a LS460. It is quieter because its chassis is much stiffer and suspension is much more sophisticated than the Prius. When I hit a pump in the Prius, I notice not only do I hear it, I feel it, but it seems to shake the whole car all the way up to the roof. In the CT200h, I hear that pump less, and the suspension pretty much soaks it up without it spreading up the car, very similar to my last BMW 330i. As a result, the car tracks very well on the freeway. Also the higher frequencies (road/tire noise) in the CT are much more hushed than the Prius. This made hearing my clients on the bluetooth (and them hearing me) much easier. Also talk radio was easier to understand at much lower volumes. (so my ears don't ring at night) Most of all, in my Prius, when traveling above 60 MPH, the A pillars were increasingly noisy with the rushing of wind. This was not a problem in my Gen II. And I was also very happy to see that like the Gen II, the CT200h has keyless entry sensors in the passenger handle as well as the rear hatch door. A huge convenience factor IMO.

I picked up my CT last week and really enjoying it. I do miss some of the space of my Prius, but the shorter length is a plus in my case. I never have passengers in the back and parking in SF is now easier. I'm happy to answer any other questions.

 

[Rsy320]

I went and test drove Prius first (2011 IV) and realized how much noise was in the cabin on a hwy. Everything felt cheap (dash covers, seats, etc.) Then went and test drove CT. Dealer had an SE version with LED light. Signed and drove home with it. No comparison. I can actually use handsfree on the hwy without yelling...

 

[Tonic]

Aridon99

Yeah you really made me wanna to buy one! I just sold my Prius g3 also and I'm ready to make the move. I know I would loose some nice aspect of the Prius( better mpg, space and utility ) but for more driving entertainment it's a good move.

 

[aridon99]

I went and test drove Prius first (2011 IV) and realized how much noise was in the cabin on a hwy. Everything felt cheap (dash covers, seats, etc.) Then went and test drove CT. Dealer had an SE version with LED light. Signed and drove home with it. No comparison. I can actually use handsfree on the hwy without yelling...

The cheap feeling interior of the Prius was my GF's #1 complaint. It never bothered me, but now that I've driven the CT for a while, going back to the Prius is quite a stark contrast. Once again, I'm reminded of how much wind noises I hear cruising down the freeway in the Prius. Also, backing out of the drive way I'm instantly aware of the soft Prius chassis as it bends and flexes just rolling backwards down the cut curb. There is no going back.

 

[midcow3]

The wife has a Gen3 Prius IV and I have the CT

Plus's for Prius

• Higher mileage
• More rear seating room

Plus's for the CT

• Quieter
• Better seats
• More options available (toys)
• Better handling
• Better looks (subjective)

Could be more, but that's a quick list off the top of my head.[/QUOTE


I have both: 2010 Gen 3 Prius model five with advanced technology package leather and 2011 CT premium with nav and nuluxe.

I agree with Bob's assessment, a couple more items:

The Prius audio is a lot better than premium CT audio; not sure about ML Prius audio, the Prius has a lot more space period.

The Prius seat adjustment , even the driver's seat is terrible manual.

With the model V Prius with 17 inch tires the handling of both is pretty close. The model I,II, II, IV Prius has worse handling.

Prius doesn't have auto lights, but does have some technical features the CT doesn't : park assist and lane keep assist.

With leather , interior is pretty good and with model five the sound is not much louder than the CT.

 

[Joe166]

I had the 2010 Prius V with the 17 inch wheels and leather interior, premium radio and put lots of little gadgets on it, but I like my CT200 FSport much better. It just feels better. I think it is quieter, smoother, and just generally better quality. The best part of it is the dealership experience. Much nicer. I did get better mileage in the Prius, but not that much better. I am glad I made the switch. I did miss that "trunk" space on a recent trip, but I put down the small part of the back seat and it worked out just fine. It is also MUCH harder to store the roller shade that covers the back area when you have high junk there. You need to do it before you put anything in there. On the Prius I could just move stuff around and get it under the floor. On the CT you pretty much have to empty the back before you can fit it in.

 

[Mr.Whizbang]

I too am looking at trading from a 2011 Prius IV to a CT200H. We have had the Prius for 14 months and have logged 33,000 miles. We are looking for more comfort in the CT200H. From what the replies say on this forum, we will get more comfort. But we are trying to decide if the increased comfort (seats, noise, etc) is worth the extra money. We will be making that decision next week but would like to hear from a few more on the forum. Phil