The Lexus CT 200h is an interesting vehicle that never really caught on. It's a sporty Prius in sleeker hatchback clothing and was aimed at the Audi A3 when it hit the market in 2011. Since then, though, the CT has averaged a meager 16,000 sales per year. For that reason, the hybrid hatch won't be redesigned at the end of its life cycle. And according to Lexus' European brand boss, Alain Uyttenhoven, it could be replaced by a crossover.

While you may lament yet another CUV hitting the market, Lexus needs a small car that sells in big numbers. Uyttenhoven told Autocar the brand aims to move 100,000 units per year in Europe to "give us visibility in the market." For 2016, European sales are on pace to hit just 70,000 units, with 10,000 of those coming from the CT 200h. He sees an opportunity for the right little Lexus based on the recent nature of the European luxury market.

According to Uyttenhoven, "a full 50 percent of the European luxury car market exists below the [$44,600] mark," and the only model Lexus has at that point is the CT. Put another way, the company has a remarkably slow seller as its sole representative for half of an entire continent's luxury market. Enter the crossover.

Replacing the CT with a crossover makes a great deal of sense. The body style is getting more and more popular by the day, especially in the sub-compact and compact markets. Adding a smaller model – below the current NX crossover but larger than the LF-SA concept shown in Geneva – would allow Lexus to challenge the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the BMW X1, and the Audi Q3.

We're betting the small crossover would use the Toyota C-HR as its basis and add a Lexus-correct heavily creased skin. Hybrid power is a given for the European market, where almost all Lexuses sold are gas-electric, but a conventional gas variant could join it in the US. That would give Lexus three hybrid CUVs in three popular sizes, alongside the NX and RX. With a forthcoming RX-based three-row on the horizon, the brand would have a full lineup of crossovers ready to take over the world. We'll miss the quirky CT when it goes, but it's hard to stop volume-driven progress.

Lexus has trademarked both the UX 250 and UX 250h nameplates in Australia, giving us the first concrete evidence that a new crossover is coming.

As it stands, there are two crossovers that have been rumored for some time — a large three-row model that will slot above the RX, and a smaller sub-NX model that is reportedly based on the CT.

Judging from the engine codes, the subcompact crossover seems more likely — let’s break it down:

UX 250: Likely a 2.5L four-cylinder engine, perhaps the 178 horsepower 2AR-FE used in multiple Toyota applications.
UX 250h: The 250h designation is a mystery, as the 2.5L 2AR-FXE hybrid engine is classified as a 300h in the Lexus lineup. The 2.4L 2AZ-FXE engine found in the HS 250h is an option, but seems unlikely. We could be looking at a new hybrid engine with this trademark.

I don't mind the styling or the hybrid drivetrain but the hard and noisy ride go against the Lexus brand character.