Lexus UX

On the inside, the Lexus UX has got a very thoughtful looking layout for the dashboard. While it looks clean and simple, it by no means look boring, and catches one’s attention with clever placement of all the bits.

The three-spoke multifunction steering wheel of the Lexus UX is a boring unit to look at, however, the full 7-inch TFT instrument console with a centrally placed rounded unit for speedometer certainly isn’t. The UX gets a tucked-in themed wide 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is placed alongside the wraparound side extensions of the instrument console. 

The layered theme for the center console beneath the infotainment system housing too looks simple yet purposeful. It accommodates AC vents in a brushed aluminium finish, the layer of which extends towards the co-passenger part of the cabin. Beneath the AC vents, the center console gets aircraft like toggle themed switches for various functions, including that of automatic climate control.

While the Lexus UX gets premium features like heated, ventilated and powered front seats, wireless charger, 8-speaker premium sound system and powered steering wheel, we would have loved to see more segment-first features here.

Lexus surely knows a thing or two when it comes to automotive designing. The Lexus UX, like all of its other siblings, has a very sharp-looking design, which looks quite aggressive and appealing, but not over the top. However, the overall stance of the UX is a bit low, which robs off the traditional SUV flavor of it, and gives it an impression more of a raised hatchback on stilts.

The front profile of the Lexus UX gets the company’s trademark spindle-shaped grille, the lower half of which gets chrome surrounds. The angular wing-like all-LED headlamps too get the upswept daytime running LEDs that all the Lexus models are known for. 

The smooth flowing lines of the front bonnet give way for a couple of more prominent creases on the side profile of the Lexus UX. The thick body cladding over the squared wheel arches does make the UX look a bit rugged. The rear fender here has a flared touch to it, while the rearview mirrors look excellent with their nice curved design.

The rear profile of the Lexus UX has got a simpler look as compared to that of the front, but it manages to grab one’s attention with the sleek LED light bar that joins the huge and sharp-looking LED tail lamps. The sharp tapering creases emerging from the inner edges of the tail lamps to the rear bumper too enhance its overall sharp personality.

The Lexus UX is targeted at a younger audience, so a spirited and dynamic driving experience is given a higher priority here. The UX gets a slightly stiffer setup Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link setup at the rear, which along with drive modes on offer, makes the driving experience of the UX quite engaging by Lexus’ traditions.

All three variants of the Lexus UX have got their own set of powertrain options.

The base Lexus UX 200 gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine good enough to make 170 PS of power and 204 Nm of torque.

On the other hand, the more sophisticated Lexus UX 250h has got the same 2.0-litre engine paired to an 80 kW electric motor and a nickel hydride battery. The maximum power and torque outputs of this hybrid powertrain are 143 bhp and 188 Nm respectively. A CVT is the common transmission option for both of them.

The range-topping Lexus UX 300e is an all-electric variant with a traditional battery and motor setup, with the latter producing 201 bhp of power and 300 Nm of torque.

Being a premium crossover, the Lexus UX is armed with sophisticated safety features like eight airbags, lane departure warning, pre-collision system, lane tracing assist, 360-degree parking camera, blind-spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, front and rear park assist and head-up display.

With its extrovert youthful styling on the outside and contrasting understated elegance shown by its interior, the Lexus UX offers the best of all worlds when it comes to offering a premium experience.