Lexus UX

Lexus UX at a glance

The UX was the smallest Lexus crossover until the LBX arrived in 2023, and it now sits between the LBX and the larger NX. Its design team included Tetsuo Miki, Hideaki Iida, Nobuyuki Tomatsu, Shunsuke Sudo and Tatsuya Iwai. German deliveries started in March 2019, and North American sales began in December 2018 for the 2019 model year. Other models of the brand are in our Lexus catalogue.

Generations and model history

So far there is one generation. Lexus has changed it through the powertrain range rather than with a new body.

The main steps were:

• 2018-2019: launch with the UX 200 petrol and the UX 250h hybrid; Launch Edition models in Germany from March 2019.
• 2020: the electric UX 300e, Lexus's first battery-electric car, unveiled at the 2019 Guangzhou show.
• 2022 update (2023 model year): new 8-inch or 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, no more touchpad, a digital key for the phone, a larger wireless charging pad and ambient lighting.
• 2023: the UX 300e gets a 72.8 kWh battery.
• 2024: the UX 300h replaces the UX 250h. ADAC lists the last German UX 250h versions until May 2024 and the UX 300h from May 2024.

The UX 200 left the German price list in December 2020, so in Germany the UX has since been sold only as a hybrid or, until 2025, as an electric car.

Engines, transmissions and performance

All combustion versions use the 2.0-litre M20A four-cylinder. The petrol UX 200 drives the front wheels through a Direct Shift CVT. The hybrids pair the engine with Toyota's power-split system and an electronic CVT; with E-Four, a separate electric motor drives the rear axle.

In the UX 300h the engine makes 112 kW (152 PS) and the front motor 83 kW (113 PS); the 146 kW figure is the combined output quoted by ADAC. Wikipedia gives the 250h's system output as 132 kW (177 hp) for other markets, while ADAC lists 135 kW (184 PS) for Germany. The hybrid is sold as the 260h in China and was called the 300h in the United States and Australia even before the 2024 update.

The UX 300e had a 54.3 kWh lithium-ion battery at launch, with a WLTP range of 299 km. The 2023 update fitted a 72.8 kWh pack and raised the WLTP range to 450 km. Charging was limited to 6.6 kW on AC and 50 kW on DC.

Dimensions, space and boot

The UX is shorter than most of its premium rivals, and the low roof shows in the boot figure.

The UX 300e weighed about 1,900 kg. Mirrors take the width to 2,078 mm, a number worth checking with our garage fit tool if your garage is tight.

Fuel economy and running costs

ADAC lists the front-drive UX 300h at 5.0 l/100 km (56.5 mpg imperial) and 113 g/km CO2 in the WLTP cycle. Lexus gives three years or 100,000 km of vehicle warranty in Germany, unlimited mileage in the first year, five years or 100,000 km on hybrid components, three years on paint and 12 years against rust-through (ADAC). All petrol and hybrid versions run on standard Super petrol.

Trims and prices

German trims have followed the usual Lexus ladder: base, Comfort, Executive Line, F Sport Design, F Sport and Luxury Line, with E-Four on the upper grades. Prices in Germany, from ADAC:

• 2019: UX 200 from EUR 33,950 and UX 250h from EUR 35,900 (March 2019).
• 2024: UX 300h from EUR 43,700 (May 2024).
• 2026: UX 300h Comfort from EUR 45,200 (from December 2025) up to EUR 63,100 for the UX 300h F Sport E-FOUR (from July 2025).

Safety: Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP tested the UX in 2019 and gave it five stars: 96% for adult occupants, 88% for child occupants, 82% for pedestrian protection and 83% for safety assist. ANCAP adopted the same result. Early cars came with Lexus Safety System+ 2.0; Wikipedia states that the 2022 update moved to version 2.5, but that claim is marked as unsourced there. In the United States the IIHS rated the UX Good in the small and moderate overlap frontal tests, side impact and roof strength. Euro NCAP ratings older than six years are treated as expired, so check the safety ratings section before comparing with newer cars.

Reliability and known issues

None of the sources used for this article documents a recurring fault or a large recall on the UX, so we do not list any. The drivetrain is the M20A hybrid used across the GA-C family, and the long hybrid component warranty is part of the case for a used UX. For the UX 300e, the small 54.3 kWh battery of 2020-2023 cars limits range more than any reported defect.

Rivals

Auto Express introduced the UX as a hybrid crossover to take on the BMW X1 and Audi Q3; the Volvo XC40 belongs to the same group. Within Toyota's own range, the C-HR uses the same platform for much less money.

German prices for the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40 are not in our sources, so they are left out of the table; line the cars up in our comparison tool.

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