I love driving Lexus vehicles.

But in the past years, I’ve categorized most of them as perfectly able and nice cars, but a little on the unexciting side.

The all new Lexus CT 200h really woke me up from my usual Lexus driving reverie.

It’s small, a great hybrid and fun to drive – not three descriptions you usually put together for a Lexus vehicle.

There are other hybrids on the market (Honda Insight, Toyota Prius) in the same size category as the CT 200h, but none with such premium appointments. The CT 200H is the first of its kind.

This five door hatchback hybrid is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a pair of electric motor/generators. Combined output is 134 horsepower. Power is sent to the front wheels through a specialized continuously variable transmission.

Mileage is listed at 43 mpg combined, but I actually got about 46 mpg the week I was test driving the 200h.

There are three driving modes to select from: Eco, normal and sport.Eco gets the best mileage, but is the least fun to use. Normal decreases your mpg slightly but adds a world of difference to the throttle response. The sport mode is what makes the 200h the life of the hybrid party. With sharper steering and throttle response, the 200h excels as its handling gets sharper and more willing as you rev down the highway.

Those looking for a hybrid will pay more for a 200h than a Prius or Insight – but it’s the only luxury hybrid on the market right now. Our premium test model was priced at $37,024.