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...

Choosing which Lexus UX to go for is easy, because the 300h is now your only option. It uses a hybrid system comprising a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, and is available with front or all-wheel drive.

Unlike the BMW X1, you can’t have the UX as 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.

Despite having a total of 196bhp, the UX doesn’t feel particularly quick when driving on electricity alone, but once the engine kicks in, things pick up. Indeed, its official 0-62mph sprint of around 8.0 seconds is slightly faster than the equally-priced BMW X1 sDrive20i and the Volvo XC40 B3. 

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 lean is quite well controlled, but the UX runs out of front-end grip in bends sooner than the X1. F-Sport and F Sport Takumi trims feature 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, helping the UX to lean less in corners, but that still doesn’t make it particularly inspiring to drive quickly. The X1 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 all-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. 

“Being a hybrid has reduced the UX’s towing ability to just 750kg, which is pretty disappointing when the Range Rover Evoque can tow up to 2,000kg.” – Oliver Young, reviewer

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.

The entry-level Urban trim up to F Sport Design Tech come with six-way manual seat adjustment, while Premium Plus and above 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. To make parking easier, Premium trim and above come with rear parking sensors (they’re optional on entry-level Urban) and a reversing camera, while going for Takumi and above adds front parking sensors and a 360-degree view camera.  

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 that 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, the menu layout isn’t the easiest to navigate, with many functions being hidden in hard to find sub-menus. Luckily, you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, allowing you to bypass the Lexus system altogether.  

You get proper physical switches for the climate control, making it easier to adjust the temperature than in the BMW X1 and other rivals that force you to use the touchscreen. 

“I found it quite hard to find my usual driving position in the UX, largely because of the limited steering wheel adjustment. That’s not a problem I’ve had in the UX’s rivals.” – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor

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, with the BMW X1 and Volvo XC40 both serving 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 315-litres of storage volume. That’s way less than the BMW X1 (500-litres) and Volvo XC40 (452-litres), the latter of which managed to swallow seven carry-on sized suitcases, compared with just four for the UX.

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.

“I found the rear door openings really narrow and the footwells tight, making it more difficult to climb into the back of the UX than its rivals.” – Stuart Milne, Digital editor

Buying a Lexus UX outright will cost you around the same as premium rivals, including the entry-level BMW X1 and Volvo XC40, but more than the Kia Niro and Seat Ateca. The thing is, it doesn’t get all that much equipment to justify the extra that you’ll pay. 

You see, entry-level Urban trim comes with an 8in infotainment touchscreen, electric climate control, 17in alloy wheels and a six-speaker sound system. Premium trim is far more generous and worth the upgrade if you can afford it – adding 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 is mainly a style upgrade, with larger 18in alloys and few extra bits of kit, but Premium Plus is the next real step up in equipment. That trim adds the larger infotainment system, driver display and 8-way electrically-adjustable seats. 

The final four trims – Takumi, F Sport Design Tech, F Sport and F Sport Takumi – add such niceties as a head-up display, a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, ventilated front seats and the adaptive suspension, but all four are a bit too expensive to recommend.  

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 claimed top spot in the manufacturer category of the What Car? Reliability Survey. In 2024, it was finally dethroned but still sits up in second place. Better still, every Lexus comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, providing that you service regularly at a franchised dealer. The hybrid tech and battery are covered for five years with a 60,000-mile cap.

Thanks to its hybrid system, the UX should be relatively affordable when it comes to running costs. Indeed, official figures promise up to 56.4mpg, more than the BMW X1 and XC40.  

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 means 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. 

“Despite having loads of trim levels, Premium is the only one that really makes sense. That’s because the entry-level trim is under-equipped and the higher trim levels are really expensive.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews editor

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