REVIEW | Well-specced and frugal 2022 Lexus UX 250h F Sport marred by high price

The Lexus UX was launched here in 2019 to attract more youthful buyers — or what the company’s PR puff refers to as young urban explorers — to Toyota’s premium brand.

Sharing its platform with the Toyota CH-R and Prius, the UX is the smallest Lexus and competes against premium crossovers such as the Audi Q3, BMW X2, Mercedes-Benz GLA and Volvo XC40.

Lexus was an early adopter of hybrid technology and the UX fully embraces the fuel-saving ideal; in SA you can no longer buy a non-hybrid UX. All three variants employ a 2.0l petrol turbo engine paired with an electric motor, and the car is able to run in pure electric mode at times.

The only difference between the three derivatives is their number of toys, and the 250h F Sport was recently added as the fully loaded flagship of the line-up priced at R883,500, above the 250h EX (R752,600) and the 250h SE (R832,200).

Like the rest of the range, it has all-LED headlamps with L-shaped daytime running lights, but the F-Sport visually proclaims its range-topping status with an exclusive grille design that has a vertical mesh pattern, resculpted front and rear bumpers and unique 18-inch alloy wheels.

It’s quite the head-turner, especially in the test car’s bright red, and combined with its relative rarity on the roads, the UX makes an attractive proposition to buyers seeking to stand out from the herd.

The less expensive UX models already come well-specced, but the F-Sport really goes to town with all the frills. It adopts a more premium interior with exclusive F Sport front seats, leather-covered steering wheel with paddle shifters, aluminium pedals, and a digital instrument meter with a movable virtual ring inspired by the Lexus LFA supercar.

I liked the sporty and upmarket look of the cabin, but less impressive is the infotainment system, which goes against the grain by not offering a touchscreen. I get that Lexus is trying to avoid ugly finger smudges on the screen, but the mouse pad-style haptic controller is oversensitive and you often find yourself accidentally scrolling past icons and then backtracking. After a week with the car I still found it a challenge to use.  

The cabin is sufficiently spacious for four adults, but the car’s holiday practicality suffers as a result of a boot that is almost laughably small at 265l, even with a hidden compartment in the floor. And there’s no spare wheel.

Where this compact Lexus impresses is its fuel-sipping and relatively punchy drivetrain. With total system outputs of 135kW and 180Nm of torque, Lexus claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.5 seconds and a combined consumption of just 4.5l/100km.

That fuel figure remained out of reach in our week with the UX but the test car’s 6.2l was still impressively frugal. The low thirst was achieved in normal driving, without being especially light-footed.

The performance is pleasantly sprightly. You don’t get any unsatisfied power cravings in urban jaunts or open-road cruising, and the car overtakes briskly.

The power delivery is lag free due to the combined petrol-electric power, and the continuously variable transmission ensures there are no major power pauses. On the open road the CVT can get a little drony at times, especially when driving uphill, but it’s one of the better transmissions of its ilk. In general the car’s very refined, and does justice to the Lexus badge with its smooth and silent vibe.

Though it’s classed as a crossover, there’s nothing about the UX that beckons exploration of dusty trails. Except for some black plastic cladding on the wheel arches and a slightly raised ride height, there is no off-road flavour to the vehicle. It looks and feels like a regular hatchback and its limited 160mm ground clearance, front-wheel drive and low-profile tyres further underline its role as a tar-focused car.

It handles like a regular car too, and sweeps through fast curves without any top-heavy feel. Bespoke F Sport suspension tuning in this model includes Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) that reduces roll when cornering but softens the damping when driving in a straight line. The car delivers a plush ride most of the time, but the suspension gets unsettled by potholes and large bumps.

The UX 250h F Sport is great to look at, is bursting with luxury features, and runs on the smell of a fuel rag. Those above-mentioned young urban explorers may balk at a price that is R100,000 more than the price tag of rivals, but the F Sport comes standard with many toys that cost extra in the competition.

_{Tech Specs}

_ENGINE

_{Type: Petrol-electric hybrid}

_{Capacity: 2.0l}

_{Power: 135kW}

_{Torque: 180Nm}

_TRANSMISSION

_{Type: Continuously variable transmission}

_DRIVETRAIN

_{Type: Front-wheel drive}

_PERFORMANCE

_{Top speed: 177km/h}

_{0-100km/h: 8.5 sec}

_{Fuel consumption: 4.5l/100km (claimed), 6.2l/100km (as tested)}

_{Emissions: 103g/km}

_{STANDARD FEATURES}

_{Electric windows, keyless central locking, LED daytime driving running lights, auto on/off headlights, rain sensor wipers, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats, front seats with heating and cooling, dual-zone climate control, seven airbags, ABS brakes, stability control, park distance control with camera, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitor, lane keeping assist, adaptive variable suspension, keyless entry and starting, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Mark Levinson sound system}

_{COST OF OWNERSHIP}

_{Warranty: Seven years/105,000km}

_{Maintenance plan: Seven years/105,000km}

_{Price: R883,500}

_{Lease: R18,866 a month* at 10% interest over 60 months no deposit}

_{Lexus UX 250h F Sport}

_{WE LIKE: Styling, fuel economy}

_{WE DISLIKE: Small boot, price}

_{VERDICT: Packed with features but expensive}

_{Motor News star rating}

_{Design * * * * *}

_{Performance * * * *}

_{Economy * * * *}

_{Ride * * * *}

_{Handling * * * *}

_{Safety * * * * *}

_{Value For Money * * *}

_{Overall * * * *}

_{The Competition}

_{BMW X1 sDrive20i Msport, 141kW/280Nm — R736,152}

_{Audi Q3 Sportback 40TFSI quattro S line, 132kW/320Nm — R769,000}

_{Volvo XC40 T4 R-Design, 140kW/300Nm — R750,418}

_{Volvo XC40 T5 AWD R-Design, 185kW/350Nm — R820,722}