When did Lexus stop making the CT?
The CT 200h was discontinued after the 2017 model year, with production winding down in 2017.
The CT 200h was Lexus's compact hybrid hatchback, launched in 2011 and built on technology shared with Toyota Prius. It continued in production for several years across global markets, but Lexus ultimately shifted its focus away from compact hatchbacks toward crossover/SUV models, leading to the CT’s retirement in 2017. There wasn’t a direct successor in the same form, and the closest contemporary replacement in the lineup is the UX hybrid crossover introduced mid-decade, with ongoing growth in Lexus’s crossover range.
What was the CT 200h?
The CT 200h was Lexus’s compact hybrid hatchback, designed to offer better fuel economy in a small, stylish package. It debuted in 2011 (for the 2012 model year in many markets) and shared hybrid technology with Toyota’s Prius family. Over its production run, it received occasional updates but did not undergo a full redesign, and it remained a niche model as consumer demand increasingly favored crossovers and SUVs.
Discontinuation timeline
Below are the key milestones that mark the CT’s exit from the market. The list captures the main dates and context for how the model ended its run globally.
- 2011–2012: Global introduction of the CT 200h as Lexus’s first dedicated hybrid hatchback.
- 2014–2015: Incremental updates and continued availability in multiple markets, with no major redesign.
- 2017: Official end of production for the CT 200h in most markets; the model year 2017 was the final stand for many regions.
In practice, production ceased in 2017 across the majority of markets, and deliveries of new CTs largely ceased thereafter, with dealer stock varying by region.
What replaced the CT?
Lexus did not introduce a direct hatchback replacement for the CT. Instead, the brand shifted focus toward crossovers and small SUVs, using hybrid technology in those models. The closest reference point in Lexus’s current lineup is the UX 250h, a compact hybrid crossover that began to appear in 2019–2020 model years and has since become a core part of Lexus’s hybrid strategy.
- UX 250h as a substitute in spirit: a compact hybrid crossover rather than a hatchback, introduced around 2018–2019 for 2020 model year in many markets.
- Other hybrid/Lexus options (IS Hybrid, ES Hybrid, NX Hybrid) fill different segments, but there is no direct CT-style replacement.
Overall, the CT’s retirement marked a shift in Lexus’s product strategy away from compact hatchbacks toward a broader, more SUV-oriented lineup, with the UX serving as the closest contemporary anchor for the brand’s hybrid footprint.
Summary
Lexus stopped making the CT 200h after the 2017 model year, ending production in 2017. There was no direct hatchback replacement; the brand pivoted toward crossovers, with the UX 250h representing the closest successor in the hybrid lineup as Lexus expanded its SUV offerings.
