• Interior space more limited than in its rivals 
• Boot space is well-shaped
• Quite dark in the back 

If you’re looking for a car in this class then the amount of room on offer won’t be a major selling point, but the CT 200h does perform well. At 375 litres, the luggage room is almost on a par with the Audi A3’s 380-litre boot. 

Drop down the rear seats – these split 60:40 – and this space expands to 965 litres, with a flush floor which makes loading items much easier. Added storage compartments through the cabin are minimal and you get the usual cup holders, central storage and rather slim door pockets. A Mercedes A-Class and VW Golf have far more useful storage areas throughout.

Unfortunately room in the rear is a little tight and best reserved for small adults or children, which doesn’t help. Sitting behind drivers who are six foot in height or more will make the rear a very cramped space especially in terms of legroom, while the middle rear-seat is incredibly uncomfortable and offers very little space.

How safe is the CT?

• Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating
• But that was tested in 2011
• Rating has since expired 

If you’re wondering about the Lexus CT200h safety record, the first thing to note is that it scored a maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests, but that was back in 2011 before more stringent tests came into effect. As such, the rating expired in January 2018, but that doesn’t mean it’s unsafe.

All models come with eight airbags as standard including driver and passenger front, side and knee airbags as well as curtain airbags. You also get front seats designed to limit whiplash, EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and traction control.

As standard on all cars is Lexus’s Safety System+, which incorporates autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.