Review: 2019 Lexus UX
First teased in futuristic conceptual form at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the Lexus UX subcompact SUV has become a reality with the arrival of both a naturally aspirated and hybrid model.
Short for urban crossover, the UX is the first vehicle built on Lexus’ new Compact Global Architectural Platform (GA-C). GA-C is lightweight, exceptionally strong and possesses a low centre of gravity and unique suspension tuning yielding an agile and comfortable ride.
The Design
While the bodylines have been smoothed over a bit, the UX remains quite faithful to the angular styling of the concept. The spindle grille sees its first block-shaped mesh pattern containing different shapes together creating a truly 3-D aesthetic. The chunky black wheel arches remain — crafted to channel airflow for better aerodynamics — and the rear end features full-length tail lamps comprised of 120 LEDs that looks particularly dazzling when illuminated at night.
At first glance the interior may seem fairly standard, but there are a few cool design tweaks. The instrument hood purposely sits low to increase the driver’s spatial awareness, and media controls are placed in front of the armrest so tuning the radio station or changing the volume can be done without looking away from the road.
The Experience
Two flavours of the vehicle are offered: the front-wheel-drive UX 200 utilizes a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine making 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque The other, the UX 250H, is a hybrid combining a 2.0-litre four cylinder with two electric motors putting down 175 net horsepower on all four wheels via electric all-wheel drive. Both are mated to direct-shift manual transmissions. In addition, customers may opt for F-SPORT series packages bundling in bigger wheels, LED fog lamps, heated steering wheel, signature front grille and more.
Experience the Lexus UX for yourself with a personal test drive. Schedule your test drive at an OpenRoad Lexus location or check out our available 2019 Lexus UX inventory at OpenRoad Lexus here!
