Overview

The Lexus UX was once the firm’s baby compact SUV – the smallest in the line up. After a quick family reshuffle this year though, it’s now the middle child in the range, and so a few revisions were deemed necessary by the team to justify its position. There isn’t a great deal to split the UX and the new, slightly smaller LBX in terms of size, and so Lexus has uprated the UX in various other departments for 2024 to differentiate the two and establish it as the more premium model.

At first glance, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the new UX300 and the old 250 apart. The styling changes are negligible, but the power unit has been significantly upgraded for faster acceleration and improved performance, thanks in no small part to an all-new battery pack.

It’s still a striking-looking vehicle, no doubt, but it’s up against some very well-rounded competition. Not only will it have to fend off the LBX from its own stable, but also some mightily strong rivals in the BMW X1, the Mercedes-Benz GLA and the Audi Q3. You could even make a case that it counts the latest premium hatchbacks as adversaries, but these compact crossovers pose the biggest threat. If it’s an electric UX crossover you’re after, check out the full Parkers review of the UX300e

So, what has Lexus done to assert the UX’s place in a very strong market? Well, as already mentioned, it has a new power unit but also a raft of new safety systems, a slightly refreshed interior and a revised list of trim levels.

 They kick off with the base-spec Urban cars, then into Premium, Premium Plus and finish with Takumi. A sportier line of F-Sport trims runs in tandem with the basic grade list, topping off at F Sport Takumi AWD. That’s right, the UX is available with Lexus’ E-Four AWD system, too.  

Over the next few pages will dive into the Lexus UX in much greater detail, with our verdict based on scores that cover everything from practicality to performance, running costs to interior quality. Keep reading.