Lexus Developing A Successor To The CT 200h, Could Be A Crossover

Lexus has confirmed that it is working on an all-new entry-level model that will replace the aging CT 200h.

Autocar reports that Lexus Europe boss Pascal Ruch confirmed a model smaller in size than the UX crossover is in the works during the recent Geneva Motor Show. However, such a model is still some time away from hitting the assembly line.

Reports indicate that the current CT 200h will remain on the market for a further two years, meaning that when it is discontinued, it will have been on the market for a decade.

It remains to be seen what form the Japanese automaker’s new entry-level model will adopt, but in all likelihood, it will be based on Toyota’s new TNGA platform. The market’s shift away from sedans and hatchbacks to SUVs and crossovers could mean the new baby Lexus could take the shape of a crossover.

By using the TNGA architecture, Lexus will be able to offer its entry-level model with some kind of electrification, too. Beyond being offered as a plug-in hybrid, there’s a good chance that it could also be sold with an all-electric powertrain.

While the automaker is eager to remain at the forefront of the push to electrification, current sales across the brand could prompt the car manufacturer to also sell its entry-level model with conventional, ICE powertrains. In fact, Ruch stated that just 182,000 of the 698,000 vehicles Lexus delivered worldwide last year were petrol-electric, so such a move makes perfect sense.