What kind of car is the 2021 Lexus UX? What does it compare to?
The 2021 Lexus UX is a five-seat crossover SUV that’s on the small end of its competitive class, but offers a hybrid option that dramatically boosts its gas mileage. Its rivals include the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Benz GLA.
Is the 2021 Lexus UX a good car?
Review continues below
We think it stands out as much for styling as for its hybrid efficiency, though rear-seat space isn’t as accommodating as it might be. We give it a TCC Rating of 6.3 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2021 Lexus UX?
Blind-spot monitors are standard across the lineup for 2021. Lexus offers base, Premium, and F Sport trims. All wear a crisply folded and wedgy shape that bears almost none of the hallmarks of Lexus cars from just a decade ago. This one’s blunt, hard-edged, dramatically detailed, and endowed with a big hourglass grille. It’s more muted inside where a big display screen caps the dash and piano-style controls, surrounded by high-grade materials.
The UX200 taps a 169-horsepower inline-4 and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) for its drivetrain, while the UX 250h adopts a different inline-4 with a battery pack and with electric motors on each axle for slightly more power, slightly stronger acceleration, and great fuel economy upwards of 40 mpg. Handling’s fine, but the ride quality can be brittle when shod with F Sport wheels and tires and a tauter suspension tune.
Three inches shorter than the original Lexus RX from the 1990s, the Lexus UX has good front seats that get more snug and supportive in F Sport trim. The back seat’s more narrow and confining, and cargo space, while not as deep and square as you’ll find in most other small crossovers, is decent once rear seats have been folded down and out of the way.
Crash-test scores put the Lexus UX at the top of its class, and automatic emergency braking is standard, along with power features, synthetic leather upholstery, and an infotainment system that isn’t touchscreen-enabled. Instead, a touchpad serves as the input device with redundant voice and steering-wheel controls; it’s a kludgy setup that we’d swap out for a touch-friendly screen any day.
How much does the Lexus UX cost?
Prices start at $33,925 for the UX200, which comes with power features, synthetic leather upholstery, and touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Where is the Lexus UX built?
It’s assembled in Japan.