CARS & NEWS

Impressive UX300e brings Lexus’ traditional quality to the EV sector

Lexus has finally taken the wraps off its first fully EV model – and the wait for a premium small SUV has been worth it, says Andrew Walker

Lexus launched its small SUV, the UX, in 2019, bringing a real touch of class to the sector. At the time, an all-electric version was confirmed as on its way to complement the range, and Lexus’s first EV finally arrived this year. Company Car & Van got its hands on one courtesy of Lexus Stockport.

At first glance, it’s impressive. As with the petrol-hybrid UX, the UX300e is an extremely attractive car and makes a fine fist of standing out from the crowd.

Up front, the familiar Lexus spindle grille features a mesh pattern and there’s narrow LED headlights on the front corners, which are standard across the range. It also features large wheel arches and rear lights that span the full width of the hatchback, ending with a bulbous finish at either side. Unique aerodynamic alloys and some electric badging are all that mark the UX300e out from the rest of the range.

Battery and charging

The UX300e, of course, is heavier than its siblings, as there’s a 54.3kWh battery located under the floor and rear seats, with a 201bhp electric motor in the engine bay. Lexus claims a range of 196 miles with models fitted with 17” wheels and if you can charge at home on a standard 7.4kWh charger like the Rolec system we use, a full charge will take approximately 7.5 hours. Utilise a 50kWh charger and you can charge the battery to 80 per cent in just 55 minutes.

Model range

To keep things simple, the UX300e is offered as a single model which retails at £41,745. This comes very well equipped with 17” alloys, Lexus Safety System +, premium fabric upholstery, 7” media screen with remote touch interface, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, bi-LED Headlights with Auto High Beam and eight-way electrically adjustable front seats. If you want to upgrade your model to the next level it’s then up to you. You can add equipment via two packs. A Premium Plus Pack gives you smooth leather upholstery, a wireless smartphone charger, smart keyless entry, a card key, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and privacy glass. This takes the price tag up to £45,245.

To this you can add the Takumi Pack, which adds 18” alloys, 10.3” Lexus Navigation, a 13-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound system, a sunroof, 360” panoramic view monitor, Head-Up Display, a hands-free power back door with kick sensor and a Blind Spot Monitor. This model costs £51,345.

Interior and tech

The interior oozes class. The steering wheel and clock have been lifted straight out of the £50,000 LS saloon and it’s not the part of the interior that’s finished to the very highest standard. Every surface you can see or can’t see is top notch, as is the switchgear, and it’s clear that no corners have been cut.

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The Lexus infotainment screen sits in the centre-top of the dashboard and allows access to all of the car’s main functions. It features a touchpad control system, which is a little fiddly, especially when you’re moving. Design details include two cylindrical buttons above the steering wheel which jut out like horns from the dash, one of which controls the driving functions, Normal, Eco and Sport.

The automatic gear lever features Neutral, Reverse, Park and Drive with a brake regeneration function alongside. Simply push the gear stick to the left and back to engage. As far as this goes, it’s very unobtrusive compared to many regen systems we’ve encountered and works as it should, slowing you down as you approach junctions or roundabouts and re-charging the battery.

There’s also some function buttons located at the front of the opening armrest, though they’re a little awkward to reach. Luckily, the climate controls are separate and are located underneath the screen for easy access.

The Lexus SatNav is pretty good, but as the UX range now offers Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, utilising Google Maps and easier hands-free phone use is available, too. Bluetooth connectivity means that accessing music or podcasts from your phone is easy as well.

Practicality

Interior space up front is great, with the wraparound dashboard still leaving plenty of knee and legroom. You don’t sit as high up in the UX as with many competitors and it doesn’t feel like you’re in an SUV. Rear passenger space is a little compromised, especially if you’re sat behind a tall front passenger. The centre rear seat suffers the most as it’s higher than the outer seats and is only large enough

for a child up to a small teen.

Cabin storage is also average. There’s a smallish glovebox, twin front door bins, a decent cubby under the central armrest which cleverly opens both ways and hides the USB connection, plus a couple of cup holders. Rear seat passengers don’t fare as well, as they have only two rear seat pockets. The rear seats spit 60:40 and the flat boot floor means loading or unloading is easy. The UX300e offers 367 litres of space which is 47 litres more than in the hybrid version.

You also get a bag in which fits two charging cables, and this eats into some of that extra space.

On the road

The best thing about the UX300e is its handling. The UX, although a crossover/SUV, sits quite low to the ground and even with the heavy battery, its small stature means it’s actually fun to drive. It hugs corners tightly and springs out of them quickly, putting a smile on your face. In the confines of metropolitan driving it’s also a hit. The cabin is well insulated from outside noise and in the city, especially at lower speeds or stuck in traffic, the car is amazingly quiet. At anything under 20mph progress is serene and the UX’s size makes it easy to park as well.

As a motorway cruiser, longer distances are eaten up with adaptive cruise control a real bonus when traffic gets heavier. You’d struggle to find a better quality cabin in the class. As with other EVs, though, driving steadily at anything in excess of 70 mph means that battery range runs down quicker than you’d like. When fully charged, Lexus claim a range of around 190 miles for the UX300e. We’d say that driving conservatively , 160-170 miles is more realistic.

If you are looking for negatives, the rear passenger space is tight and the boot is a little small. The other issue is price: mid and range toppers are expensive. We’d suggest that leasing the entry level model as your company car makes the most sense.

BIK and fuel savings

For company car drivers looking at premium electric cars, the UX330e comes with zero CO2 emissions and a BIK in year one of 0%. Factor in the reduced cost of EV charging compared to buying petrol and a substantial saving per annum can be made. Set up a discounted night time electricity charging rate, such as Octopus Go and you can charge your UX300e from 12.30 am to 04.30 am at just 5p a kWh.

Finally, thanks again to Lexus Stockport for the UX300e loan.

“Its small stature means it’s fun to drive. It hugs corners tightly and springs out of them quickly, putting a smile on your face...”

Lexus UX300e, supplied courtesy of Lexus Stockport.

The new model features a state-of-the art dash. The touchscreen is a little fiddly to use but does offer an excellent SatNav system

CC&V VERDICT

The first electric Lexus may have been a long time coming but have no fear, it’s great to drive, brilliantly put together and looks the part. Furthermore, the lack of a direct electric competitor means that in its category, it’s actually a first.

CC&V RATING:

N N N N