Hooray the Sport is going.

[Stormchaser]

I'm on my 42nd car at 31 years old. There's no such thing as a perfect car I'm afraid.

I really wanted to like the CT, had a 24hr demo through work, but found the suspension unacceptably hard. Might I suggest a 2nd test drive over some bumpy roads?

Didn't find it hard at all. Compared to the Swift Sport the Lexus is soft and much better on my back.

[Hyphons]

Enjoy the Lexus Paul!

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[Stormchaser]

Thanks David [emoji106]

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[Stormchaser]

A few dealer pics of the interior. I like the typical Japanese look and feel.

A lot of leather in perfect condition. It's been well looked after previously.

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[tweenster]

Well after 6 months I'm having to part with the Swift. The ride is just too harsh on my back. It's starting to niggle it again so it's got to go. Shame really as its great fun to own/drive. They are a very firm ride but it's beating the hell out of my back. It'll probably be ok for a younger person but obviously not for me at 50 years old.

I've now done a deal on a Lexus ct200h and they're taking the Swift too. Just fell in love with all the leather and top spec of the Lexus and the hybrid is a great drive.

 

Easy on the 50-year old bit! I'm 52 and still enjoy running around in our Mk2 Fabia vRS on Eibach springs!

 

Seriously though, back issues are not funny and finding a car/seats that support not aggravate must be a priority. Did you try Volvo? They have a reputation for excellent seats.

[pinkpanther]

A few dealer pics of the interior. I like the typical Japanese look and feel.

A lot of leather in perfect condition. It's been well looked after previously.

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Lexus do interiors very well  

 

Very much enjoyed the toys in my old GS300, especially the heated / cooled / ventilated / electrically adjustable seats (both driver and passenger) and electrically adjustable steering column, with the ability to code it all to the individual keys.  I also remember both mirrors being photo-chromic, in addition to the rear-view mirror. The 245 BHP V6 was also a joy, albeit a costly one

[Stormchaser]

Easy on the 50-year old bit! I'm 52 and still enjoy running around in our Mk2 Fabia vRS on Eibach springs!

Seriously though, back issues are not funny and finding a car/seats that support not aggravate must be a priority. Did you try Volvo? They have a reputation for excellent seats.

I didn't try Volvo no because I don't like any of there cars these days. The Lexus was the first I looked at. I've planned getting one for sometime after I've read about them on forums. I really do like Japanese cars so decided to return to them after Skoda ownership. The seats are superb in the CT.As said they certainly know how to do interiors.

[eyegr]

Oh my god, these ugly buttons... It will be the year 2100 and the japanese will still fit the same ones in their cars!

[Stormchaser]

Which buttons are you referring to?

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[pinkpanther]

Oh my god, these ugly buttons... It will be the year 2100 and the japanese will still fit the same ones in their cars!

 

I actually quite like buttons, especially when they are all illuminated.

 

The new IS300h has a touch pad (like a laptop), which I found distracting to use. Likewise the i-Drive in a BMW - far prefer a few buttons scattered about the place

 

Each to there own I guess

[pinkpanther]

Oh my god, these ugly buttons... It will be the year 2100 and the japanese will still fit the same ones in their cars!

 

The only thing I found especially dated in any of the Lexus I've recently driven / owned is the clock / radio / climate control displays - they persist in using what appears to be an LCD type display from a 1980's digital watch.

 

Otherwise exquisite, and quite unlike anything else!

Edited 26 March, 2016 by pinkpanther

[eyegr]

Which buttons are you referring to?

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The PWR/VOL and TUNE knobs, the SEEK buttons, the steering wheel ones, even the digital clock are the same all the way back to my uncle's pickup truck of 19something!

Don't get me wrong, Toyotas are great cars (no. 1 here in Greece in fact). But why don't they bother with things such as a more modern interior?

Edited 26 March, 2016 by eyegr

[Stormchaser]

I actually like them. Yes they're dated but typical Japanese of the 90,s.

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[Tom_vRS]

I love the interior on these for sure, a nice place to sit.

[Nels]

It looks a bit BMW especially the dash. How typical Japanese are the buttons on the door though, straight out of 1985!! If you stay happy with it then it looks like the sort of car that will just keep on going forever. Good luck.

[Stormchaser]

Thanks.

Yes it's typical of the Early Japanese cars but I like it. Picked it up today. Fully loaded interior is just excellent. Has a 10 speaker Mark Levinson sound system which only the Premier edition gets. The sound is out of this world. It was a great drive back to Bournemouth (30 miles). In town it was on full electric with occasional engine to get up to speed. On the motorway it was both because of 70mph but it was showing an instant mpg reading of 60.6. When I got back ( that was staying in normal mode). I did give it a quick try in Sport mode. The throttle response is sharp and instant and the steering stiffens up,quite a good drive especially for overtaking. Nice full leather interior and the seats are very comfortable. Still no noticeable hard suspension on this. Just trying to get to know what all the switches and buttons do at the moment. Trying to pair my iPhone with it was a bit confusing but did it in the end. There's a lot of menus on the flip up screen. Otherwise pleased.

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[Wardy]

So far so good then

[Nels]

Keep us informed.

[Stormchaser]

Quick photo when I got to work tonight.

Travelled to work tonight solely on electric in Eco mode (9 miles). Throttle response is very poor as in you need to push it half down before anything happens. Great for round town and the regenerating brakes is good too. Also very quiet. Does have a sound generator fitted to warn pedestrians although I can't hear it(yet). Showed an instant of 69.3 mpg on the display.

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[Stormchaser]

On the way home earlier I only achieved 58mpg in Normal mode.

And what it looks like when you change to Sport mode.

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[Tom_vRS]

Dials are great aren't they!

I think of you average a genuine 50mpg you'll have done well. My experience of hybrids is that you have to work bloody hard to get good returns.

[RickTT]

THE RAPID IS A BUDGET CAR!!! No doubt whatsoever at all, it is and that's a fact, end of. It does however look good from all angles except dead front on, where it looks like a narrow boat. I wish in the brief test drive I'd known that it doesn't tell u when it's low on screen wash, the constant noise from the drivers door creaking, the increasingly louder noise from the suspension as it goes over speed bumps, the dreadful notchy gear change, that the boot doesn't always unlock dispute hitting unlock 27 times on the remote. I could go on but it's too depressing . It's a s#!£ car!

 

Where as from a build quality point of view and feel, i think the Rapid is a really good one... (my background is Audis, BMW, Merc, etc)

 

When you compare it to other brands on par its such a better car/spec.. (If i had a basic spec one i would not be saying this, but our SE Sport My16 seems to disagree with your comments.)

[Stormchaser]

Dials are great aren't they!

I think of you average a genuine 50mpg you'll have done well. My experience of hybrids is that you have to work bloody hard to get good returns.

I agree Tom you have to be light right footed to keep it in EV mode.

[Stormchaser]

Valeted the car today then the sun went in and drizzled. Typical.

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[Nels]

Where as from a build quality point of view and feel, i think the Rapid is a really good one... (my background is Audis, BMW, Merc, etc)

 

When you compare it to other brands on par its such a better car/spec.. (If i had a basic spec one i would not be saying this, but our SE Sport My16 seems to disagree with your comments.)

It's all personal opinion and everyone has different standards. In truth I still quite like it and it looks quite good, apart from head on, too narrow. I have the mk1 Rapid so build may have improved by the time they made yours. Stormchaser that's a good looking car, Lexus do make great cars.