2022 Lexus UX

The Lexus UX compact crossover has a stylish shape, high fuel economy, and good safety equipment, not to mention Lexus’ luxury cachet. It’s front-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive, with an available hybrid model that delivers 40 miles per gallon.

For 2022 the UX only gets some new colors and cabin trim choices.

The base engine is a 2.0-liter inline-4 making 169 horsepower. The hybrid drivetrain in the UX 250h is not only more efficient, it’s quieter and smoother. Hybrids are EPA-rated at 41/38/39 mpg on regular fuel; the base front-drive UX 200, at 29 mpg city, 37 highway, 32 combined.

Both versions get excellent safety ratings, with five stars from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Standard safety equipment is more than most compact crossovers offer, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control.

Model Lineup

Made in Japan, the base UX with FWD is about $35,000, and comes with synthetic leather, power front seats, and infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All-wheel drive adds $2,000.

There’s an F Sport package for another $2,000 with some eye-catching exterior bits, including larger wheels, plus seats with more bolstering. The Luxury package costs $5,000, and brings a hands-free liftgate, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, and navigation.

For value, go for the Hybrid. The UX 250h with Luxury trim costs a bit less than $45,000, and brings not only the smoother engine with 40 mpg and all-wheel drive, but also LED headlights, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, and more.

The standard Lexus warranty is excellent: 4 years or 50,000 miles with the first two maintenance visits free.

Exterior

With sharp lines and a squat stance, the UX’s styling is contemporary, not traditional like the German compact crossovers, although it does keep a version of the traditional Lexus spindle grille, There’s not much that’s smooth about the hatchback-ish lines, from the sharp headlights, down the edgy sides, to the angular hips followed by a fast stop at the tail. Even the vertical taillights are like fins, with a thin red band between them.

Interior

The instrument panel continues with the contemporary theme, with the touchscreen high-centered and flanked by gauges and secondary controls. The infotainment touchpad interface can pose a steep learning curve on its users.

The attention to detail shows, with a high grade of cabin materials and great fit and finish.

The synthetic-leather front seats are shaped well, with the F Sport’s extra bolstering being unnecessary, especially since they raise the seating position toward the headliner.

The interior space on the compact footprint is used well, although there’s still only 33.1 inches of leg room in the rear, so the UX is a bit small to be considered a family SUV. Two medium-size passengers in the rear will fit, and will find the UX’s standard USB ports useful.

Cargo space checks in at about 17 useful cubic feet, but cabin noise and rearward vision are less helpful for long drives.

Driving Impressions

The UX 200’s 2.0-liter inline-4 makes an adequate 169 horsepower. The Hybrid has a different 2.0-liter inline-4, coupled with two electric motors and a big battery pack to reach a combined 181 horsepower. It’s somewhat quicker, but significantly smoother.

The UX transmission is unique, with a fixed first gear and a continuously variable transmission trading off shifting duties. It’s almost invisible in its operation, and hardly any driver will notice a difference from a conventional automatic.

The UX’s ride is comfortable and its steering is reasonable. It has a front-strut and multi-link rear suspension tuned for a comfortable ride, which it delivers in most versions; F Sport UXs have bigger wheels that can render the ride somewhat choppy. With its electric power steering tuned for quick responses, the UX picks and hunts its way through traffic with ease, and a Sport drivetrain mode shifts with more eagerness.

The UX driving experience isn’t about precision cornering, though: it’s about pain-free commuting, from its high fuel economy to its compact, city-friendly size.

Final Word

The quirky but stylish 2022 Lexus UX has an urbane appeal, with a high-tech interior and the sky-high fuel economy of the Hybrid model—our pick of the lineup.

—by Sam Moses with driving impressions by The Car Connection