Lexus UX SUV – Interior & comfort
The Lexus UX looks and feels great inside
The Lexus UX is generally smooth and relaxing to travel in. At higher cruising speeds, its slippery shape helps to keep wind noise at bay, and occupants will find tyre noise far more intrusive than any other mechanical sound. The clever (optional) active damping system is effective at ironing out road bumps, but we've yet to try the standard suspension. The E-CVT gearbox can result in some engine sound that’s slightly at odds with progress, but it’s not intrusive and often the engine cuts out altogether.
Lexus has established an enviable reputation for interior design and quality, and the UX doesn't disappoint. The materials used are from the top drawer, and the layout is distinctive and pleasing to look at. Enthusiasts might even spot a few visual influences from the range-topping Lexus LC sports coupe.
Lexus UX dashboard
The UX's dashboard sweeps around the driver, who's placed right in the centre of the action. The UX 300h brought an upgraded digital driver’s display lifted from the Toyota C-HR, along with that car’s central infotainment screen. Both displays are available in seven or 12.3-inch sizes, with the smaller pair fitted to our test car feeling adequate.
The central infotainment display in early UX models made do without a touchscreen, and drivers had to navigate through menus using a fiddly trackpad on the centre console. Thankfully, all UX models come with a touchscreen as of 2024, making it easier to operate the infotainment system. Major features, such as the climate-control system, are easy to use thanks to piano-style buttons mounted below the screen.
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Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired) have been offered on some high-spec UX250h models since 2020, but they’re now standard-fit for the UX 300h.
Equipment
The UX 250h was available in three trim levels – UX, F Sport and Takumi – but a trim shakeup for the UX 300h has complicated things somewhat.
The entry point is the UX 300h Urban, equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera, seven-inch infotainment and driver displays, sat-nav and a comprehensive suite of safety tech. Next up is Premium spec, adding heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic windscreen wipers, a driver monitoring safety system, LED fog lights and keyless entry.
Step up to Premium Plus and Lexus throws in 18-inch wheels, larger 12.3-inch displays for the driver’s instruments and the infotainment, a wireless smartphone charger, eight-way adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, a powered tailgate, privacy glass, blind spot monitoring, and a ‘digital key’ that allows you to unlock the car with a smartphone app.
Top of the regular UX range is the Takumi. This model gets body-coloured wheelarch trim, adaptive LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera, heated and folding door mirrors, heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, a sunroof, and a Mark Levinson sound system.
Alongside these four models, Lexus offers the UX in four separate F Sport specifications. F Sport Design and F Sport Design Tech trims offer much of the same kit as the UX Premium and Premium Plus, with the addition of sportier exterior styling.
The UX F Sport adds the Adaptive Variable suspension, while top-spec F Sport Takumi is identical to the regular Takumi, plus the sporty styling. The latter is the most expensive UX you can buy, costing around £16,000 more than the standard UX Urban model.
Options
While the UX 250h was offered with a multitude of option packs, these have since been rolled into the aforementioned trim levels for the UX 300h. That leaves buyers with very few options to choose from for 2024 once they’ve picked their trim level.
The only significant option is the £1,300 E-Four four-wheel drive system, available for Premium Plus, Takumi, F Sport and F Sport Takumi models. As mentioned in the driving section of this review, we think this is best avoided.
Other than that, you’ve only got your paint colour to pick. Some models are available with bi-tone paint, while others get a range of special metallic hues to choose from.
