The Japanese firm has revised its compact exec hybrid for 2014 with a class-leading 82g/km CO2 rating and combined fuel consumption of 78.5mpg. No doubt Lexus hopes the changes will tempt an increasing number of business users to the CT.

The improvements also result in no charge for annual Vehicle Excise Duty, while for business users this also secures the lowest band for benefit-in-kind taxation, at 10 per cent for the first year.

Other changes to the CT include exterior styling tweaks, cabin trim improvements, enhanced sound proofing, equipment upgrades and a bold new grille for the sporty-looking F Sport variant.

The revised range is priced from £20,995, with the car expected to appear in showrooms from March.