1-Million-Mile Lexus CT200h Hybrid Outlives Its Odometer
The latest exhibit bolstering Toyota's reputation for reliability? This Lexus that ran out of odometer digits.
With Americans' car ownership stretching well past the decade mark these days, you need a car that can stand the test of time and beyond. When it comes to brands that have a reputation for reliability well past the warranty period, Toyota and Lexus enjoy some of the most stories of wild longevity and durability. It’s not unusual to find one of these products with odometers reading well into the six figures and even past the half-million-mile marks while still delivering fuss-free, low-maintenance ownership. Or, you know, driving through fires and still running. There are some that reach a much more significant milestone: 1 million miles. And the latest is a somewhat unexpected model, a 2014 Lexus CT200h.
We call it unexpected because, well, who remembers the Prius-based CT200h, a pleasant and upscale if otherwise short-lived Lexus hybrid? After the CT200h and its sedan-ish relative, the HS250h, went away, most Lexus hybrids were simply variants of core models such as the ES sedan, RX SUV, and others. Another peculiarity? This specific CT200h, which belongs to Nader Assaad, has passed the million-mile marker after just over a decade of ownership. That's averaging nearly 100,000 miles a year.
Or, put another way, you would need drive from Van Buren, Maine, to Border Field State Park in San Diego, California—the northernmost and most easterly point and most southern and western points of the continental U.S.—around 304 times to reach it. Keep in mind that is the “shortest” route that already takes two days of non-stop driving, and you still need to go through Canada for a stretch of it. Astronomically, you would need to be a bit further than either of the Earth’s first two Lagrange Points to be 1 million miles away from the ground or go to the moon and back, twice.
How was Nader able to hit 1 million miles in just 10 years in his CT200h? He’s a long-distance delivery driver that regularly logs 300 miles in a single day but will occasionally top 500 miles or more. The CT200h isn’t the first vehicle to think of for deliveries, but it’s a hatchback—and a fuel-efficient Toyota-based product. And remember, Toyota enjoys that storied reputation of reliability that it has a club celebrating vehicles that hit over 100,000 miles.
Nader’s story is even more interesting considering that this is a hybrid vehicle with the engine dealing with constant startups and shutdowns, at least in city driving, which seems balanced if not overshadowed by his highway miles. Add in the use of a high-voltage battery to propel the CT and you start to realize its hybrid tech still isn't all that old in the grand scheme of automotive technology. The first Prius hybrid model went on sale in America in 2000; the CT200h, which shares some tech with the third-generation Prius, arrived for 2010.
Nader shared his maintenance schedule and other repairs on a Facebook group dedicated to higher-than-normal mileage vehicles like his own. He regularly rotates his tires; performs oil changes with lab reports; and replaces air filters, spark plugs, and other fluids at the recommended intervals at his local service center, Cliff’s Auto Repair in Houston, Texas.
The hybrid system's traction battery has been replaced once along the way, as it had to sit at the shop for an extended period due to a parts shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was there for one of its two head gasket changes done during its lifetime. Unfortunately, the traction battery drained itself past the point of return. Other services outside of maintenance included changing out the water pump and thermostat, the driver’s front wheel bearing, the horns, the oil filter housing, and the dampers, with everything listed having been done twice.
The biggest issue Nader has faced—and continues to face—relates to his odometer. Once his CT200h hit 999,999 miles, the odometer stopped ticking over. (Well, it's a digital odometer, and it doesn't read seven digits, it seems.) According to the local Lexus dealer, the gauge cluster is at fault and either needs to be replaced or reprogrammed. Regardless, Nader has submitted his 2014 Lexus CT200h to a high-mileage club program put on by Toyota and hopefully it will recognize Nader’s million miler soon. How could Toyota not love one of its somewhat obscure luxury hybrids hitting such a significant mark?
Images provided by owner Nader Assaad
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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