RUNNING your father down is not the way to ensure receipt of inheritance.

I made a mental note of that after he almost found himself beneath the wheels of the Lexus.

The act was not a deliberate one, I hasten to point out.

Nor was it his fault really either, despite his advancing years and selective hearing issues.

No, this was down to the so-called ‘quiet revolution’ that is the CT200H.

Designed to take on the likes of the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series, the Lexus attempts to score points over its rivals by being the first full hybrid in this highly competitive sector.

That means that on start-up and until you reach around 25mph, the task of hauling the car is down to its electric motor. In my day they were the preserve of milk floats and could be heard from a good hundred yards or more as they whined their way through the streets.

The Lexus’ motor, however, is as quiet as the proverbial grave, hence my father’s near miss.

Once underway, the 1.8 litre petrol engine kicks in, helping power it to 62mph in 10.3 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 112mph.

While the batteries alone are only good for a couple of miles, because of the way the system switches off the main engine when it is not required, the electric motor still plays an integral part in the running of the car in the vast majority of journeys.

As a result, it can return just shy of 69mpg on the combined cycle and has class leading figures of 94g/km CO2 emissions.

The CT200H’s environmental credentials are enhanced still further with the inclusion of energy-efficient air conditioning, stereo system, LED lighting and the use of bio-materials.

Externally, the car exudes sportiness and it even has a Sport mode as one of its three engine settings, the others being Eco and Normal.

However, it has to be said that, apart from its ride, which borders on the harsh, this is not a sporty car. Looking through the press kit that accompanied the car, the only mention of the word is in reference to the aforementioned setting, everywhere else Lexus prefers to use ‘dynamic’, which I would say is something that is open to interpretation.

Acceleration, via the automatic gearbox, is fairly leisurely and planting your right foot can sometimes result in a none too pleasant noise from the direction of the engine bay. In addition, if you do opt for the more ambitious mode the dials’ transformation from blue to red serves as a visual admonishment.

Inside, the CT200H is typically Lexus. High grade materials, plenty of kit and very much up with, if not exceeding, the Jones’.

The seats are well shaped and extremely comfortable, although I am not sure the beige material in our test car would stand up to the challenge thrown down by my two children for too long.

There’s plenty of silver trim and the cowling around the instrument binnacle, for example, is covered in leather.

Modern in its layout, the cockpit instruments are within easy reach of the driver and the mouse which controls the audio equipment and the pop up satellite navigation system, among other features, is novel and easy to use.

Space isn’t expansive in the front or the rear, but average sized people, among whom I count myself, should get by without much complaint. The boot is small and high, thanks to the battery that’s stored beneath, so on several occasions I had to use the 60:40 split folding seats to carry bulkier items, like my childrens’ bikes, something that meant they had to get up close and personal with each other, which is not always to be advised.

The CT200H won’t appeal to everyone and there are those who will no doubt prefer to stick to the tried and tested offerings from Audi and BMW, but Lexus should at least be applauded for bringing hybrid technology to the masses. Whether the quiet revolution will become more raucous, though, is open to debate.