Lexus CT vs Hyundai Veloster
What's the difference?

Lexus CT

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2018 price

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Hyundai Veloster

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2020 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Summary

2018 Lexus CT

2020 Hyundai Veloster

By Tim Robson

By Peter Anderson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 1.8L

Turbo 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

4.1L/100km (combined)

7.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Looks terrific
Sensible price
Wonderfully weird

Dislikes

Some cheap plastic
Transmission a bit dithery
Could be a bit sharper

2018 Lexus CT Summary

There are two ways to look at the Lexus CT200h; as either the cheapest model in the Japanese company’s range, or as a planet-saving hybrid.

Either way, the four-door, five-seat CT200h hatch – which has been updated for 2018 – differs from the rest of the Japanese luxury brand’s lineup for a number of different reasons.

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2020 Hyundai Veloster Summary

Giant carmakers seem like pretty sober sorts of places. Everything goes through endless committees, every decision has to be signed off, sent in, sent back, subjected to endless scrutiny to make sure it will make money.

Sometimes, a brand will do something odd like BMW's i3 which is like sending up a flare to get people talking.

Hyundai, for many years, seemed to be trying to emulate Toyota. After a brief flourish in the '90s when it did for curves on cars what Kim Kardashian did for curves on grubby internet sites, the company lost its bottle and tried to go full mainstream. Never go full mainstream, that's for the old folks.

Then, out of the blue, came the Veloster. It's probably one of the most wilfully weird cars in decades (apart from various Citroens, but that's a special case).

One long door on the driver's side, two shorter doors on the passenger side. When BMW did something similar with the Mini Clubman, right-hand drive markets didn't get their own version of the kerb-side door, but Hyundai isn't like that.

Making the Veloster properly in right-hand drive is a wonderful gesture from a company that worked out being itself was a better idea than being Toyota.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Lexus CT 2020 Hyundai Veloster

Verdict

The cheapest Lexus of them all isn’t chasing badge snobs with the CT200h as blatantly as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi do with their entry level cars… but it’s perhaps not quite the Lexus you’d expect it to be.

It has a lovely front-of-cabin, for example, but there’s a lot of last-gen Prius in plain sight in the rear of the cabin.

The hybrid powertrain, too, is noble in concept, but the day-to-day reality is that it’s not as nice to drive, especially town to town, as a regular petrol-powered car of similar size.

The foot brake, silly multimedia joystick and odd gearshifter also spoilt the party a bit.

Empty nesters who are looking for a nice city runaround with a tinge of greenwash about it will love it… and if the current Prius is anything to go by, the next CT will be a very good thing indeed.

Verdict

Another good bit of Berry wisdom was the idea that the Turbo is the sweet spot of the range. While the Premium is indeed packed with goodies, they're not must-haves - the Turbo has everything you need while the Premium adds the wants.

So, at its core, this Turbo Premium is good warm hatch fun in a wacky, head-turning body, wrapped around a good cabin that could be a little less plasticky. Best of all, the fun design matches the fun-to-drive personality. It's a thoroughly modern Hyundai and I want (even more) to drive the full-fat bonkers N version we look like we're not going to get.

Lexus CT vs Hyundai Veloster What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Lexus CT vs Hyundai Veloster
What's the difference?