Lexus UX250h Offers Economy, Spirited Performance, Says ‘Record Star’
Lexus UX hybrid offers a surprisingly comprehensive list of benefits in a hot segment for very little money.
Compact crossovers are arguably the hottest segment in the automotive world today. Automakers simply can’t produce enough of them to satisfy demand, so these offerings just keep multiplying. Thus, it’s obviously critical to crank out a well-rounded, segment-topping offering in this world of tiny SUV-like machines. And judging by the Record Star‘s recent test drive/review of the UX250h, Lexus has done exactly that.
Lexus has expanded its UX to an entire family of offerings, but the hybrid offers up a couple of distinct advantages. The first, “a fuel mileage benefit over and above most of the competition,” as the Record Star puts it. EPA ratings are excellent, coming in at 41 miles-per-gallon in the city and 39 on the highway. The other advantage of this hybrid drivetrain is a “very peppy, spirited performance” thanks to the 181 combined horsepower coming from the UX250h’s 2.0-liter gas and electric drive pairing.
Those numbers place the Lexus UX250h at the top of the UX family. It’s more powerful and more efficient than the gas-only UX200, offering buyers a very compelling reason to go electric. Especially when you’re facing a paltry price difference of $2,200. But no matter which UX you go for, Record Star points out that you’re getting a whole array of attractive options and features.
“Lexus delivers excellent safety with superior impact performance in front, side and rollover test evaluations,” they note. “On the road, you’ll enjoy nimble handling and one of the quietest cabins in the compact SUV class.” The UX’s all-wheel-drive system also performed very well amid a snow storm during testing. Inside the cabin, our reviewer was impressed with the optional Lexus Premium Sound System, which “delivers a fine sounding surround-sound experience.”
“The Lexus cabin is first class all the way in that it both looks and feels great thanks to the Lexus touch of affluence,” Record Star noted. Which is a pretty nice thing to have in a vehicle that sells for a very reasonable price. “Overall, the reality is that you can park a brand new 2020 UX or UX Hybrid or in your driveway for $34,500 or less. It makes the reality of owning a Lexus brand small SUV as close as your nearest Lexus dealer. Either way, you’re in good hands.”
In any business, companies win or lose by delivering a competitive product in their respective industry’s most lucrative segments. And it’s pretty clear that Lexus is doing exactly that with the UX250h, a crossover that gives buyers a premium experience for little money.
Photos: Lexus
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