UX 250h Kickdown

[Pauly C]

The 2023 courtesy car I had for about a month (F Sport Design) had a kickdown feature which effectively shifted down by up to 2 gears, depending how far I put my foot down, and then taking off like a turbo diesel. Should my 2020 UX go the same way?  I don’t think it does….when I asked the technician about this, he told me the newer cars had a different engine management system set up.  Can I get mine to go like that I wonder🤔 Any thoughts?

[stepppy]

The Lexus/Toyota Hybrid's do not have a gearbox in the traditional sense with actual gears. 

They have an e-CVT which uses among other things a planetary gearset to give an infinitely variable ratio of 'gears' and therefore does not have any traditional gears to kick down. Some models have an S mode which can give the impression of changing gears using either the shifter or steering wheel paddles, but it is just software trickery and pretty much a waste of time in my opinion.

Your Technician was probably correct in saying the later models have a different engine management system.  If it was a later 2023 model i.e. 300h, then it would have the 5th generation hybrid drive system which has more power as well as the electronic shifter and you would definitely notice that difference.

I hope this helps.

[Pauly C]

Yep, understand all that Stephen, and know all about the CVT system🙂 But when I put my foot down in the  courtesy car (a 2023 UX 250h, not a 300h) the effect was exactly like it had dropped down a cog or two.  Maybe the newer engine management systems effectively pitch the revs higher & quicker, and the newer cars effectively catch up quicker?  

[Tony1313]

I just use the paddle's to drop the gears when going down hill.

[wharfhouse]

If it's the same as other Lexus hybrids then planting your right foot fully to the floor (in any mode) delivers full engine and hybrid Battery power to the car (effectively a kick down for the e-cvt).