Revitalised Lexus UX range touches down in Mzansi

The updated Lexus UX crossover has finally arrived in South Africa. While its edgy looks remain more or less unchanged, the luxury Japanese carmaker has increased the vehicle's structural rigidity by adding an extra 20 spot welds to the body. The shock absorbers have also been treated to a recalibration while those 18-inch alloy wheels are now shod with specially designed run-flat tyres with a quieter-rolling tread pattern. 

The active safety features inside the UX have also been upgraded. The Lexus pre-collision system now benefits from an increased response range and is capable of detecting cyclists during the day and pedestrians in lowlight conditions. At intersections it can also detect oncoming vehicles before right turns. Other new safety features include Lexus emergency steering assist, which assists steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver.

Moving inside the cabin and it's no surprise to see that Lexus has used this opportunity to improve the multimedia experience. As such the revamped UX now comes fitted as standard with the firm's latest 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system — the flawed touchpad version of old is no more. It's compatible with Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired) and offers two USB-C ports and over-the-air software updates. 

Other cool nuggets of additional tech include heated seats, wireless charging, Lexus Connect and an HD panoramic view monitor with a transparent ground surface image display that shows road surface conditions and tyre position underneath the vehicle.

On the aesthetic front Lexus has refreshed the UX line with a set of revamped headlamps, restyled tail light clusters and exterior mirrors with a dark finish. The interior and exterior colour palettes have also been updated. Customers can also look forward to a wider choice of bi-tone finishes, with six colours available in combination with contrasting black roof and black roof rails on the F Sport models. The new bi-tone colours include White Nova, Sonic Iridium, Sonic Chrome, Madder Red, Blazing Carnelian and Poseidon Blue.

The new UX 250h comes in entry-level EX grade, mid-tier SE grade as well as flagship F Sport grade. The latter sees the introduction of an adaptive variable suspension system with specially tuned performance dampers for sharper handling and a more engaging driving experience. The cabin of this sporty range-topper benefits from aluminium sports pedals plus exclusive F Sport seats, steering wheel, shift knob and instrumentation. 

All UX model derivatives are powered by a 2.0l four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 107kW and 180Nm of torque. This is partnered with a hybrid electric motor that boosts total system output to 135kW. Sent to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox, Lexus claims a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 177km/h. Fuel economy measures in at an impressive 4.5l/100km across the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of just 103g/km.

Pricing for the new Lexus UX range is as follows:

250h EX: R792,700

250h SE: R874,300

250h F Sport: R928,900

250h F Sport Bi-tone: R939,300

Pricing includes a seven-year/105,000km warranty and maintenance plan as well as an eight-year/195,000km hybrid battery warranty.

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