Lexus UX 200 Sports Luxury 2020 Review

Today, there are more than 20 versions of the Lexus UX on offer, including three trim grades, two engine options (petrol UX 200 or hybrid UX 250h) and front- or all-wheel drive systems, as well as several optional Enhancement Packs.

The 2020 Lexus UX model range opens at $46,500 plus on-road costs for the base-spec UX 200 Luxury and tops out at $64,000 for the hybrid all-wheel drive UX 250h F Sport.

It’s worth noting that an updated MY21 Lexus UX was recently announced and is now available in showrooms, bringing a range of running changes and price reductions of up to $2000 or so.

Lexus says changes to powertrain software, extra sound deadening and the addition of two illuminated USB-C rear outlets improve throttle response, cabin refinement and rear occupant amenity respectively, and there’s also slightly more boot space.

Here, we’re testing the petrol-powered MY20 Lexus UX 200 in flagship Sports Luxury grade. It’s front-wheel drive, as is every petrol UX 200 (hybrids come with the option of AWD), and is priced from $55,500 plus ORCs. The MY21 will cost you $250 less.

Our tester is optioned up with a $3500 Enhancement Pack which adds a sunroof, head-up display and smart key card. It’s also lathered in a $1500 premium paint job, bringing its total price up to $60,500 (plus ORCs).

It’s not cheap, but it does come with a four-year/100,000km warranty and plenty of quirk to set it apart from European rivals like the Audi Q2 (priced from $41,950) and BMW’s X1 (from $46,900).

Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear tinted windows, a 7.0-inch infotainment display, wireless phone charging, heated and ventilated front seats with 10-way electric adjustment for driver (eight-way for passenger).

Other features include an electric tailgate, heated door mirrors and a power-adjustable (tilt and reach) steering column with memory function, making ingress and egress a breeze, plus a decent audio package.

A 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system comes standard in Sports Luxury grades and is complemented by a 10.3-inch infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, Bluetooth, navigation and an in-dash DVD player.

It also comes with the dreaded touchpad system to control the media, however, this time the UX’s was notably easier to live with than those that’ve come before it. That could be due to the fact the UX we tested was handed over to us with less 20km on the odometer – so the touchpad wasn’t as worn-in as others we’ve tried.

Think of a bit like coriander: some love it, some hate it.

Because our test car was so fresh, it skipped the Lexus run-in procedure that would usually adjust the intrusiveness of its safety systems. Ours (literally) had all the bells and whistles when we first hopped in.

The perpetual speed warnings and ‘Please obey all traffic regulations’ alerts were quickly switched off with some fiddling around in the car’s settings, so music could continue uninterrupted – as us youngens like it to be.

As you’d expect, top-spec Sports Luxury UX comes with Lexus’s entire safety and driver assistance suite. That includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, brake assist, blind spot monitoring, lane trace assist, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure warning and hill start assist.

What’s not as great, is the voice recognition system, which doesn’t allow the use of smartphone commands such as Siri, when your phone is plugged in. So it’s really only for controlling the vehicle’s functions, and even then it’s generally quicker to just do it yourself.

The centre console can be opened from either the driver or passenger side and is home to two USB ports and an auxiliary, while rear seat passengers get another two USB ports and air-con vents.

A unique touch, which you probably won’t notice until you drive at night, are the illuminated air-vent control knobs on top-spec UX models.

In typical Lexus fashion, the cabin feels premium, with good quality materials throughout. Even the few cheap-looking plastic sections around the dash remain nice to touch.

The colour head-up display is handy and has plenty of adjustability, as well as an on/off button to the right of the steering wheel for quick use. Love that.

Every Lexus UX is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, however, hybrid models are helped along by the addition of an electric motor.

Our non-hybrid test car serves up 126kW of power and 205Nm of torque from its naturally aspirated engine, which is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic – a combination that, while adequate, tends to deliver a rather noisy ride at high revs.

Under foot, the UX 200 doesn’t have a lot of punch and at times even feels a bit dull. Compared to its rivals – most of which are now boosted by turbocharged powertrains – the UX undoubtedly sits at the slower end of the segment in terms of performance.

As for fuel consumption, our test car used averaged 7.1L/100km during our time with it – that’s a little more than Lexus’ combined consumption claim of 5.8L/100km. Our driving included a few highway trips, plenty of semi-rural trips and lots of suburban driving.

The CVT is smooth once you’re on the move, but it can also feel slow and flustered during some low-speed driving.

Acceleration to 100km/h is covered in a rather uninspiring 9.2 seconds – Lexus’ claim, not ours. Then again, the UX isn’t about speed. It’s about getting from A to B with ease and in comfort, luxury and style – all things it delivers in spades.

If there’s one thing you can be sure of about the Lexus UX 200 Sports Luxury, it’s that you’ll be treated to a comfortable cabin that oozes class.

The leather-clad seats are soft and inviting, the carpet feels like you’re resting your feet on a bed of fluffy lambswool and no matter which part of the cabin you touch, nothing feels tacky or cut-price.

These are likely all things you’d expect when you’re forking out more than $60K for what is arguably a pumped-up C-HR decked out with high-class materials.

But it’s more than that. Like all luxury items, you’re paying for exclusivity, and in the case of Lexus Australia, you’re joining a club with exclusive member offers and benefits.

The Lexus UX doesn’t get shift paddles behind the steering wheel, despite its Sports Luxury moniker. There is, however, a manual mode (as well as three driving modes: Eco/Normal/Sport) to fiddle around with if you’re feeling playful.

On the road, the smallest Lexus SUV lives up to its price tag in terms of comfort, delivering a composed ride over most surfaces, soaking up bumps and potholes as it goes. Where it feels most as home though is in the streets of suburbia.

It’s easy to manoeuvre and park around town, and getting in and out is easy thanks to that raised ride height. But those buying a UX in the hope of being able to sit higher on the road and see over traffic will probably end up disappointed. It’s still a small car.

Where storage is concerned, the UX seems better suited to the minimalist type. The centre console is shallow, the glovebox isn’t overly large, and the boot is the only other covered storage area.

Sports Luxury grades don’t come with a real (or space-saver) spare tyre – that job is left to the tyre inflator kit in the boot. The only positive there is that, as a result, luggage space of 371 litres is bigger than in the Luxury grade (327L).

Even still, the odd-shaped boot doesn’t manage to hold a great deal of gear at the best of times (although the MY21 version increases boot volume to 424L thanks to a lower boot floor).

There are door pockets with moulded bottle holders up front, but rear passengers only get a fold-down centre armrest with cup holders; no door bins for them.

Speaking of which, rear seat passengers aren’t treated to as many niceties as those up front. There’s little leg and toe room, even for average-sized adults, and head room isn’t much better.

With four young adults and a small canine on board, everyone (including the dog) agreed a larger car would’ve been more comfortable for lengthy drives.

Having said that, most buyers won’t be purchasing a UX to haul around car-loads of people, so it gets the job done and is probably fit for most purposes.

So, did Lexus manage to shake up the small premium crossover segment as much as it would’ve liked? Judged purely on its sales figures, perhaps not. Unfortunately for Lexus, UX sales are down more than 30 per cent so far in 2020, despite an overall sales increase in the segment and for all of its direct rivals, including the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA and even the Volvo XC40.

That said, the Lexus UX is still more popular than the Audi Q2, BMW X2, MINI Countryman and Jaguar E-PACE.

The cheaper, updated MY21 model – now available just two years after its launch – should help the UX cause, as could the introduction late next year of the all-electric UX 300e, which also marks the Japanese luxury brand’s first EV Down Under.

As it stands, there’s a lot to like about the Lexus UX 200 Sports Luxury. It’s not cheap and it mightn’t be as engaging to drive as some of its rivals, but you certainly get what you pay for – and what’s not to like about that?

*Lexus UX200 Luxury pictured

How much does the 2020 Lexus UX 200 Sports Luxury cost?
Price: $60,500 as-tested (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/205Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 132g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

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