Lexus UX review

There’s no magic potion to guarantee success with a new car but the Lexus UX combines two ingredients that usually help: an SUV body and hybrid tech.

The UX is a regular hybrid so you never have to plug it in (just fill it with petrol) and it can do short distances on electricity alone. It's also available as a fully electric car – to read about that see our Lexus UX 300e review.

Size wise, the UX is bigger than the latest SUV addition to the Lexus car range – the What Car? Award-winning Lexus LBX – but smaller than the Lexus NX and Lexus RX.

In terms of rivals, there are plenty, ranging from the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 to the Kia Niro and Mini Countryman. Read on to find out how the Lexus UX stacks up against the best family SUVs...

There are two versions of the hybrid Lexus UX to choose from: the 250h and the 300h. Both use a hybrid system comprising a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, and are available with front or four-wheel drive.

Neither version is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) so there's not enough juice in the battery to cover the whole of a short journey on electric power. However, if you're gentle with the accelerator pedal it will run on the electric motor alone in stop-start traffic and at low speeds.

The UX 250h has 181bhp, and is not particularly quick when running on electricity, but is plenty fast enough for town driving. On the open road, when the petrol engine cuts in, there’s plenty of poke – 0-62mph officially takes 8.5 seconds (or 8.7 seconds with optional four-wheel drive).

That's slower than most versions of the BMW X1 but a match for the Volvo XC40.

The UX 300h adds more punch, getting 196bhp. The four-wheel-drive version is the quickest, with 0-62mph officially 7.9 seconds, against 8.1 seconds for the front-wheel-drive car. We reckon it’s worth choosing over the 250h.

The petrol engine is smoother and quieter than diesel rivals, but the standard CVT automatic gearbox contributes to an increase in engine noise if you ask for a burst of acceleration. To be fair, the UX's gearbox is better than some, and it sets off from stationary with a bit more pep than other cars with a CVT.

The UX – like most hybrid cars – has regenerative braking and, in some models, that makes it tricky to judge how hard to press the brake pedal. The Lexus set-up is pretty good: the brakes occasionally feel grabby, but generally it's quite easy to stop calmly.

There's more wind and road noise at motorway speeds than in the best family SUVs. While it's quieter than an X1 fitted with big alloy wheels, even the UX in Takumi trim (which gets laminated front side windows) can't match the Evoque for peace and quiet.

The UX is reasonably comfortable on motorways but there’s a greater degree of fidget over rippled surfaces than in an XC40. It's also much less able to absorb the kicks and knocks around town from sharper-edged potholes and ridges than the XC40. On the plus side, the UX isn't very tall for an SUV so it feels more stable and doesn't rock from side to side as much as the XC40 – or indeed the Evoque. 

The steering is smooth and light, but while it’s fine around town, it doesn't inspire that much confidence at higher speeds. Body roll is quite well controlled, but the UX runs out of front-end grip in bends comparatively quickly. F-Sport trim features sports suspension with performance dampers and an adaptive suspension system, which Lexus calls Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS).

AVS allows you to select sportier driving modes that firm up the springs. That helps the UX lean less in corners but doesn’t make it particularly inspiring to drive quickly. The BMW X2 is much more agile and rewarding on a country road, and there are cheaper options that are just as nimble, such as the Seat Ateca.

The optional four-wheel-drive system – branded E-Four – is available with most trims, but isn't intended to turn the UX into a hardcore off-roader like, say, the Land Rover Defender. Instead, it provides a bit more bite as you pull away on low-traction surfaces such as icy roads. You’re unlikely to feel it on a dry day.

If you need an SUV that's capable off road, the Range Rover Evoque could be a better choice. The Evoque also makes a better towing car and can tow up to 2,000kg, against the UX's rather weedy 750kg.

Behind the wheel of the Lexus UX you'll find an acceptable rather than excellent driving position. Some drivers will find that the steering wheel doesn't extend out far enough for comfort, for example.

Entry-level Urban trim comes with six-way manual seat adjustment, while Premium Plus trim gives you eight-way electric seat adjustment with variable lumbar support. If you want seats that hold you in place during quick cornering, you'll need F-Sport trim.

The UX's driving position is lower than in many family SUVs – including the Volvo XC40 – and a combination of that and the rising rear window line means visibility isn't the best. Fortunately, you get a reversing camera and rear parking sensors (higher trims get front parking sensors too).

The interior feels well made with soft-touch materials on the dashboard and doors. However, for a premium car in this price range, there's too much scratchy plastic on display lower down.

The UX's 2024 update did, though, fix one gripe we had about the model: the infotainment system. The newer 12.3in touchscreen you get in upper trims is much easier to use than its predecessor. The display is bright, sharp and clear to read. On lower trims, you get an 8in screen, which is a bit more basic.

On both systems, some of the sub menus are hidden away and tricky to find initially on some functions, but the main lay-outs are otherwise easy to deal with.

You get proper physical controls for the climate control, making easier to adjust the temperature than in the BMW X1 and other rivals that force you to use the touchscreen. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, allowing you to connect your mobile and use its navigation apps and other functions.

There's plenty of head and leg room up front in the Lexus UX, but passenger space in the back is woeful for the family SUV class.

Indeed, it's hard to think of a rival that offers rear-seat occupants less room or makes it as difficult to get in or out. The door openings are narrow and the footwells tight on space. 

The BMW X1 and Volvo XC40 all serve their rear-seat passengers much better – and that's with two adults in the rear. Try fitting three in the back of a UX and it'll be a real struggle, especially for the person on the raised middle seat. There's precious little room for feet under the front seats.

On the plus side, the UX's boot is a usefully square shape, has no awkward load lip at its entrance, and has some reasonable under-floor storage (except on versions with four-wheel drive). However, that's completely undermined by the fact that the main compartment is so small, with just 283 litres of storage volume.

How small? Well, we managed to fit three carry-on suitcases in the boot – which is pitiful for a family SUV. The Audi Q3 PHEV took six case, and the Volvo XC40 seven. Even the Range Rover Evoque – which we class as a small SUV – took five case when we tested it.

Passenger storage in the UX is reasonable but not superb. There's a smallish glovebox and front door bins, along with a decent cubby under the central armrest and a couple of cup holders. Rear-seat passengers are served with a couple of map pockets but, disappointingly, no door bins.

The Lexus UX in entry-level Urban trim starts off looking like good value for a premium family SUV but the level of standard equipment isn't anything to write home about. You get an 8in infotainment touchscreen, 17in alloy wheels, a reversing camera and a six-speaker sound system, but many rivals give you more.

Premium trim is more generously equipped, and adds keyless entry, front parking sensors, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. We reckon it's the version to go for if you buy a UX.

F-Sport Design gives you sharper styling and larger 18in alloy wheels, plus a few more features such as privacy glass and a wireless phone-charger. To get adaptive suspension you’ll have to go for the standalone F-Sport trim.

Premium Plus trim adds a few more goodies, including a 12.3in infotainment screen and an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Takumi trim – which is much too expensive to recommend – is focused on luxury, and is equipped with a Mark Levinson sound system, a 360-degree reversing camera, ventilated front seats, a head-up display and driving position memory (for both steering wheel and seat adjustment).

Every UX comes with a good amount of safety kit, with adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane-keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and road-sign detection offered as standard. All trim levels except Urban and Premium come with blind-spot monitoring, plus a system to warn you of anything crossing your path as you reverse.

The UX was awarded five stars out of five for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2019. The Volvo XC40 did better for pedestrian safety but by and large all modern family SUVs are very safe cars. 

In terms of reliability, Lexus has been unbeatable for the past few years. It came top out of 32 brands in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. Plus, the UX's three-year/60,000-mile warranty can be extended to 10 years or 100,000 miles if you have your car serviced regularly at a franchised dealer. The hybrid tech and battery are covered for five years with a 60,000-mile cap.

The UX also deserves some praise for its relatively affordable running costs. In our fuel-economy test, the 250h managed 47.7mpg, which was much better than a diesel XC40 could achieve. That was on a mix of roads, but if you drive mainly around town – where the hybrid tech comes into its own – it will do even better.

Another benefit of being a hybrid is low BIK tax bills if you get one as a company car. Official CO2 emissions of just 113g/km for the 300h and 120g/km for the 250h mean it will cost you substantially less than any diesel or petrol rival of a similar price and size. The electric car version will be even cheaper though – to read about that see our Lexus UX 300e review.

The UX is expected to depreciate more quickly than the XC40 and other rivals, which will make PCP finance payment higher. To make sure you get the best price if you do get one, see our new Lexus deals page.

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