My small review of the UX

Deathstar · February 21, 2021

My Lexus IS250 was in for a service this weekend therefore it was a perfect opportunity to try out the UX. As my IS has just passed the 9 year service I'm looking at options and thinking about changing the car. The IS has been amazing, brilliant in fact. Comfortable, not bad on fuel and dependable.

The UX feels a little bigger than the CT and feels a bit more planted on the road. This loan was an F Sport which came with a few little extras which made it a bit more pleasant to drive. The size of the car is great with a nice foot print and more than enough room in the front, however, rear room is a bit more restricted. I would say that there was less room in the back than in my IS.

The boot is another matter. As with all Hybrids the boot space is a reduced due to Battery storage. There's a raised floor which will make sliding things in and out of really easy, as well as a small compartment under the floor for a bit more storage. The luggage cover was not in the car however, with it, I think the boot would look a little smaller. The boot seems a lot deeper than the CT, and big enough for most needs / requirements. The seats do fold down too, although not flat, it does allow you to add to your cargo space should you need it.

The main instrument cluster is clear and easy to use. If you have driven any other hybrid Lexus in the last few years you'll notice a lot of similarity between gauges and read-outs. I found the 'floating' / moving gauge cluster a nice touch, although I do worry about the longevity of things like this, similar to the virtual cockpit found in VWs. It is great when new, but what will they be like in 10/ 15/ 20 years time. The layout of the UX is similar to that of the ES with similar knobs and switch gear all felt nice to use with a tactile feel

One thing I noticed about the UX was how hard the driver's seat was. Admittedly, the car only had 2000 miles which means it might need to be 'worn in'; my wife had no such complaints about the passenger side. By contrast my IS's seat is lovely. As this is the F sport there's a nice F Sport emblem embossed into the headrest of the seat as well as the little f sport logos on the steering wheel and on the wings of the car.

The interior is a very pleasant place to be, with one thing to note, it's dark with the black leather and black interior trim. It wasn't something I noticed straight away, however when I jumped into my IS with black leather and grey interior it's a bit brighter. It's not necessarily bad, its just something to think about. The back seats are comfortable, and there's two USB sockets in the back for charging. As previously mentioned, rear leg space feels less than my IS, however I was able to sit in the back with my seat position in its normal mode (i'm 5,11 for reference).

In terms of driving, it was very good. The large monitor on the dash would show the Battery usage if set to show 'information' which always entertains us. I did notice that the Battery didn't seem to charge up as much as it does on the NX. Usually with the NX, it would regularly charge the Battery to 7/8 bars and then run down, this seemed to hover between 3 and 5 the whole time. It didn't make much of a difference to my driving style. I will say that I do prefer the larger screen on these newer models.

Economy was good. Coming off the motorway from Cardiff to Swansea, the trip computer was indicating around 50MPG. I can usually get this very close to 50 with my IS (yes it is a 2.5v6 petrol) on the same run. Where this little UX was impressive was pottering around from local village to village. The trip computer was indicating around 45 to the gallon after a reset. This is better than my IS which usually sits at around 27 - 30 depending on how cold it is outside, as you would expect. Driving around it did have a bit more kick if pressed, you can feel the electric motor push you if you needed a sudden surge of power to overtake or leave a junction quickly.

As I'm looking to move on from my IS the wife has been asking... are we going to get one? I'm honestly a bit torn. The drive train is good and feels generally responsive, however I might need a bit more space in the next few years. 4 services works out to be around £35 cheaper than an NX with the warranty coming in at £495 for 2 years vs the NX at £795, again not much in it. I think it will come down to space. If you need a larger boot, and more rear space, then the NX would be the way to go. If you like the elevated driving position, then again an NX might be the better option, however if you are looking for something which is smaller, a bit more efficient, and overall a bit cheaper to run, then the UX could be an option.

ALAW · February 21, 2021

Excellent post Dylan. Ive just done 2000 miles in my UX. Obviously mine isnt run in as yet but my mileage is no where near as good as you got but hopefully that will change especially in warmer weather. I too often wonder how long these infotainment head units screens etc will hold up for. The UX suits our demands and needs perfectly for space and comfort. We do a couple of trips to Cornwall every year so this year we will be lowering the rear seats to get more gear in. It will be interesting to see how it does on fuel, its only a small tank 44ltr. I can usually get down on a fill see how it goes in the UX. Like you say its what you require on the demands and needs. In general a good car and enjoyable to drive.