流言:雷克萨斯CT To Be Revived As SUV With Hybrid And Electric Powertrains

Lexus is reportedly considering reviving the defunct CT model name from the dead as early as 2024 as a new compact crossover similar to theLexus UX.

If you don't remember the Lexus CT, you're not alone. While handsome, the mediocre hybrid drivetrain and uninspiring driving experience made it a less-than-popular choice of a premium hatchback, and after an 11-year run, Lexus managed to sell just 380,000 examplesbefore it was culled earlier this year.

According toBest Car Web, the new model will eschew the hatchback design and evolve into a compact crossover SUV with a variety of new powertrains. Unlike the original CT - sold only with a 1.8-liter hybrid engine - the replacement will be offered with a 2.0-liter hybrid, 2.5-liter gas engine, and an all-electric powertrain.

The CT200h may have left the US market in 2017, but the vehicle remained in several key markets until early this year.

This rumor echoes the sentiments shared by Lexus Europe's Pascal Ruch. In 2018, the company official said Lexus would not exit the hatchback segment, and noted that theCT is important to the brand. "It's useful [for] bringing new people to the brand. People buy the CT for efficiency; with the UX, we're looking for a different customer."

At the time, hybrid and fully electric models - based on the new TNGA architecture - were rumored to replace the CT hatchback.

It seems the CT will be a more upmarket alternative to the UX. The newcomer will reportedly cost around 4.3 million yen ($29,320). In Japan, the entry-level UX is slightly cheaper, at just over four million yen ($27,200).