2020 Lexus UX 250h Hybrid Luxury - Re-Driven in Top Trappings

IN MARKET FOR : Luxury Personal Crossover Utility Vehicle?

DON'T MIND: Sizable Spindle Beak?

READY FOR FIRST FOSSIL FREE STEP: in segment exclusive gas electric hybrid?

TREAD SNOW SEASONALLY?

WANT MORE LUXURY AMENITIES: than in the previously reviewed 2019 Lexus UX 250h F-Sport?

Time for a Roadblazing.com re-drive in the 2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury gas-electric hybrid personal luxury crossover utility vehicle.

Driving Hits:

• Only gas-battery electric hybrid luxury personal crossover SUV available in U.S.
• 1.4 kWh charge capacity, 24 kW power regenerative recharging Ni-MH battery
• More powerful and quicker off the line than non-hybrid UX 200

• Only way to get all-wheel drive in a Lexus UX
• Plenty around town zip in Sport Mode
• Lexus solid build
• Lexus contemplative cabin isolation from road and powertrain
• 10-step CVT with fixed ratio planetary first gear, manumatic step shifting
• Pure battery electric mode
• No need to fuss with charging cord
• 39 miles per gallon combined driving fuel economy
• 403 miles estimated highway range
• Generous road compliance on 18" run-flat Bridgestone tires
• Taut body responses and steering weighting

Driving Misses:

• Gas engine strains and buzzes during hard motorway acceleration
• Pure electric operation limited to parking lot speeds
• All-wheel Drive rear axle electric motor only to 43 miles per hour during front wheel slip conditions
• Numb steering road feel
• Regenerative braking dims brake pedal response

What It Has Got:

• From $35,525 (incl. destination) for a gas-electric hybrid, all-wheel drive, CVT automatic  2020 Lexus UX 250h. The tested fully outfitted 2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury lists for $44,555.
  
• Luxury personal cute ute with edgy look

• Instrumentation derived from LC grand touring coupe
• Precision finished positive action switchgear, with artful cabin panel shapes, soft materials throughout
• Seating for 4 + 1 child rear seat center position

• Acceptable small family expandable cargo space
• Tall aperture, low load liftover to hatchback cargo area

• 60:40% split flat folding 2nd Row seat backs
• Plentiful standard feature set
  • Heated mirrors, front seats, headlamp washers
  • Keyless comfort entry, ignition
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Power windows full express x 4
  • Power liftgate
  • 2-zone automatic climate
  • 10 way/ 5-way power adjust driver / front pax seats
  • Bluetooth wireless communications and music stream
  • 7.0"-inch TFT variable color analog/ digital gauge cluster w/ MFD
  • 10.3"-inch touch LCD infotainment display w/ Remote touch interface control

• 6 speaker , 180W CD, FLAC streaming audio
• Inductive wireless device charging (SE trim and up)
• Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa
• Real time traffic, weather
• Enform Remote vehicle services
• Wi-Fi
• Stand-out safety features & grades
  • 10 SRS airbags
  • IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus
• Safety System Plus 2.0
  • Forward Collision avoidance w/ pedestrian & cyclist detection braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, park distance warning, surround camera, and auto high beams headlamps
    • Available blind spot & rear cross traffic warning, (on higher trims)
• 4 year / 50,000 miles bumper to bumper, 6 yrs / 70k mi. powertrain. 10 yrs. / 150k mi. hybrid component warranty includes 1 yr. / 10k mi. maintenance

What It Has Not (or Not Preferred):

• Lexus Spindle grille takes getting used to
• Lower cabin contrast & panel finish compared to higher pecking order Lexuses
• Obscured, circa 1984 personal cassette player audio control thumb wheels
• Blunt lower dashboard corner hampers vehicle ingress, egress
• 2nd Row cramped for knee space
• Folding 2nd row seat backs requires manually folding head rests
• 21% less nominal cargo space (due to EV battery)
• Long liftgate challenge to reach when open
• No 2nd Row seat heating
• No cargo bay 2nd Row seat back fold remote release
• Becoming accustomed to touch-pad infotainment display control
• Lexus Enform free infotainment apps have been gutted

NEW for 2020 Lexus UX 250h Hybrid:

• Android Auto phone projection ****

• Color palette additions

Standout Cool Features on tested 2020 Lexus UX 250h:

• Heads Up Display (HUD)
• HDD navigation, dual pane infotainment display

• Tilt and slide power moonroof
• Power tilt/ telescoping steering wheel
• Driver seat easy access, 2-position memory
• Power folding wing mirrors
• Automatic variable cooling front seats (supplementing heating)
• Heated steering
• Rain sensing windshield wipers w/ de-icing

ROADBLAZING.COM's SUMMATION:

2020 Lexus UX 250h Hybrid AWD = still the only all-climate hybrid option for luxury personal crossover utility travel, and available with most imaginable trappings.

2019 Lexus UX 250h Hybrid - Quick Spin Review

IN MARKET FOR : personal urban luxury crossover utility vehicle. READ and LIKED : Roadblazing.com’s Bottom Line Review of the 2019 Lexus UX 200 F-Sport cute ute. HAVE ADDRESS : either above 35° north or below 35° south of the Equator, making all-wheel drive preferable. WANT SEGMENT EXCLUSIVE GAS ELECTRIC HYBRID ECONOMY

RoadBlazingGeorge Straton