WHEN makeover time arrived for its smallest model Lexus knew exactly what to do - call for a woman's touch.
Enter Chika Kako, the Japanese car maker's first female chief engineer.
Under her stewardship a team of more than 1,400 technicians have transformed the CT 200h hybrid hatchback giving it a new look inside and out and turning it into the most economical compact luxury car on the market.
It is also £1,000 cheaper than before with prices starting from £20,995 and when shod with 15-inch wheels Lexus claims it is good for 78.5g/km with ultra low emissions of just 82g/km.
Bigger wheels make it slightly less frugal but even sitting on 17-inch alloys the latest CT 200h is said to be capable of almost 70 to the gallon with a CO2 figure of 94g/km keeping it in the tax free zone for private buyers.
That is a significant improvement over the original CT launched only three years ago and on the road the new versions is much more composed and even quieter inside.
Lexus prides itself on the smoothness and refinement of its cars and although the CT is the baby of the range it does not disappoint.
Even on poor road surfaces the ride is above average and definitely in the executive class.
The new CT has a thicker steering wheel similar to the one fitted to the larger Lexus IS saloon and that has improved the feel of the car by some margin.
The dash has also been freshened up with stitching around the leather trim on the instrument cowl and the centre console, cleaner looking switchgear and decorative metal inserts across the facia.
In mid range Advance trim the CT 200h has sat nav as standard and priced from £23,995 costs the same as before but comes with some £1,000 of added equipment including heated front seats and parking sensors.
Across the six model CT range all versions now feature a digital radio, two USB ports, hill start assistance and a tyre pressure warning system as well as a spare wheel instead of a tyre repair kit.
There is also a ‘shark fin' aerial mounted on the roof which fits in with a more angular design that includes a bold front grille and deeply recessed fog lamp nacelles giving the latest CT much more road presence.
As a hybrid it is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor which gives a combined power output of 134bhp.
The CVT gearbox has been reworked and under acceleration it now feels much more at one with the engine. There's less rush from the transmission as the power comes in which has improved the quality of the drive considerably.
Top speed is a claimed 112mph while 0 to 60 takes 10.3 seconds and in sport mode - where the TFT instrument panel glows red and the dials change to include a rev counter in place of a power meter - there is some noticeable extra urge.
In traffic the hybrid power system comes into its own and the CT 200h frequently runs purely on the electric motor using no fuel and eliminating emissions.
However, we managed only half a mile in pure electric mode before the petrol engine kicked in to recharge the batteries.
Overall we averaged 55mpg while Lexus' official economy figures for the Advance model with 16-inch wheels are 74.3mpg with emissions of 88g/km.
Compared to rivals such as the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class the lower tax banding of the Lexus thanks to its lower emissions makes it very appealing for company car users.
Some peculiarities of the original CT 200h remain such as the foot operated parking brake and the boot at 375 litres is not over generous but it will take three good sized flight cases. The rear seats do fold flat if required increasing capacity to a handy 985 litres.
Head room when getting into the back seats is also on the tight side and space in the rear is relatively tight for seating three.
Lexus has shunned diesel engines in favour of the cleaner petrol/electric powertrains and the CT is aimed well and truly at younger drivers with an environmental conscience.
It is a philosophy not confined to the mechanics either and a variety of organic materials are used throughout the car including sugar cane fibres in the boot mats and bamboo in the hi-fi speakers.
They all help make the CT 85 per cent recyclable and in every way this is a car that is on message for modern eco drivers.