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What to check: Lexus CT

ABy age

BBy miles

Ranked across all years of the Lexus CT, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 4.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

WheelsLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 0.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

DampersLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 0.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Handbrake holdStop on a hill and put the handbrake on. It should hold the car firmly within a few clicks, or straight away on the button if it is electronic. Roll-back means adjustment at best, new cables or a caliper motor at worst.Recorded on 0.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

A binding brakeAfter the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 0.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 19.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 10.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Turn on the headlights and compare both low beams for brightness.A dim or recently-replaced bulb points at the voltage harness issue on 2011-13 halogen cars.

Check the service book for any oil top-ups between changes.Frequent top-ups signal the known oil-consumption problem on the 1.8 hybrid engine.

Ask whether the car has sat unused for more than a couple of weeks at a stretch.That's when the 12V battery drain tends to show up as a no-start.

Ask for or arrange a hybrid battery state-of-health check.A reading much below 70% means a costly pack replacement is coming.

Lift the boot floor and check the spare wheel well and battery tray for damp or rust.Staining or corrosion there points to the sunroof drain leak.

Try the sat-nav and Remote Touch controller while moving.If it already feels painfully slow, that's normal for the car, not a fault to negotiate on, but factor it into your view of daily usability.

Pull the full MOT history, not just the pass/fail line.Repeated lighting or electrical advisories match this model's measured weak point.

Full Lexus CT reliability report