The Lexus UX is an unusual small luxury crossover - it's an appropriately classy and surprisingly sporty car. Need a UX towbar to take your bikes along?

The Lexus UX is an unusual small luxury crossover - it's an appropriately classy and surprisingly sporty car.  Need a UX towbar to take your bikes along?

The Lexus UX is a compelling alternative to the best compact SUVs you can buy. The styling is daring and different, the interior is finished to the usual Lexus high standards, and it’s packed with an impressive array of safety equipment.

The UX offers quite un-Lexus-like levels of driver engagement, with tight body control and punchy powertrains. With a seating position lower than other SUVs, the UX feels more car-like to manoeuvre. Combine that with lightweight aluminium and composite panels and Lexus claims the UX has the lowest centre of gravity in its class. 

Compact SUVs aren’t renowned for their sharp handling and gutsy performance, but Lexus uses words such as ‘exciting’ and ‘attitude’ to position the UX in its segment. And, based on our experiences, Lexus has managed to create an SUV that’s enjoyable to drive.

In front-wheel-drive hybrid models, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is mated to an electric motor delivering a total system output of 180bhp and 190Nm. This translates to a 0 to 62mph sprint time of 8.5 seconds.  All hybrid models have a top speed of 110mph. 
This is more than quick enough for a compact SUV, with the CVT transmission delivering smooth and relatively rapid acceleration when required. Equally impressive is the way the UX settles down to a refined and comfortable cruise when the performance isn’t wanted.

One thing’s for certain: you’re not going to mistake the Lexus UX for any of its rivals. While the exterior design is filtered down from the larger Lexus SUVs, it’s refreshingly different in a segment filled with me-too designs.

The now unmistakable Lexus ‘spindle’ grille features at the front, while LED headlights are standard across the range. The wheel arch mouldings are designed for the rigours of the urban jungle, rather than strenuous off-road challenges, while the rear lights start at the top of the rear wing and span the rear of the vehicle.

An interior that’s rich in quality and highly individual gives the UX genuine standout qualities in an overcrowded segment. Lexus has worked hard to give the car the feel of its larger saloons and SUVs, adding little touches to give the UX showroom appeal.

Attention to detail, together with the use of quality materials and a unique approach to cabin design, means that the UX sets a high benchmark in the segment.

The Lexus UX doesn’t present an entirely convincing case as a serious family car. There’s an overriding sense that the car was designed with front seat passengers in mind – it feels more like a raised hatchback you sit down into rather than a high-riding SUV that you have to climb up into. This will appeal to some, while others might prefer something with a little more versatility.

Having said all of the above, the amount of space isn’t too bad, especially given the styling. The driver and front-seat passenger get the best deal, with ample headroom and a pleasant feeling of being cocooned behind the wraparound dashboard.

In the back, headroom and legroom would be best described as adequate, with the low-set seats managing to offset the effects of the sloping roofline.

All-wheel-drive models have the smallest boot – rated at 401 litres with the rear seats up and 1,194 with them down. Front-wheel-drive hybrid models promise 438 litres with all seats up and 1,231 litres with the rearmost ones folded. 

Need to take your bikes along on your next weekend away.  Why not fit a bike carrier towbar for the Hybrid? The standard UX200 is rated at a max of 750kgs(double-check  your owners manual)   We now have an Invisible towbar that ensures your UX looks as the designers intended.  Order your Lexus UX towbar today.