This late entrant faces stiff competition.
Japanese luxury marque Lexus is showing some serious intent on moving into the mainstream, unveiling the all-new UX compact crossover at the ongoing Geneva motorshow. The UX is Lexus’ first crack at the compact crossover segment, and faces stiff competition from all quarters. The UX is the fourth new Lexus to be launched in the last year and a half, too; think about that long and hard, and ask yourself if Lexus will remain a fringe player for much longer.
When the UX arrives, it’ll have to do battle with cars like the BMW X2, Volvo XC40, Audi Q2 (and Q3), and Mercedes-Benz GLA. The compact crossover segment is one that is easily swayed by design and frankly, if you’re into the angular, origami-like designs that Lexus has been putting out of late, then you’ll love the UX (this writer is a fan).
Sharp lines, bold creases, creative approaches to the mundane… the Lexus UX reeks of modernity no matter where you look at it. The spindle grille up front for example, now has elements in it that appear to ‘radiate’ from the badge, while the headlights incorporate the Lexus ‘tick’ daytime running lights above the main beam units, making it look like it has a stern face.
Then you go down the sides and get taken aback by the pronounced creases along the body, all working together to provide some truly complex surfacing that plays with light to a degree that we suspect most carmakers wouldn’t dare apply to their own lineups. Lexus must’ve realised just how much of a design statement the Lexus UX was just going from the nose to the flanks, because the rear is refreshingly simple, though it incorporates the same ‘hourglass’ surfacing at the back as a mirror of the spindle grille up front. And the whole thing is topped off by a full-width LED light bar replete with tips that rise upwards for aerodynamic purposes.
If you think all those edges and creases were solely for show, you’d be wrong (or at least Lexus wants you to think you’re wrong). The Japanese marque claims that the UX is the one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class, though it offered no drag coefficient figure for us to refer to. Also, that sculpted body is claimed to offer “exceptional” torsional rigidity which promises a more hatchback-like driving experience than some of its rivals (except for maybe the Mercedes-Benz GLA, because that’s actually just a hatchback).
Motivation will come from either a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated Dynamic Force engine, or that engine with a hybrid-electric powertrain as well. In the hybrid, expect to find as much as 131kW of power on tap, though both cars will come exclusively with a CVT automatic gearbox (cringe).
Further, the UX will be front-wheel drive as standard (more cringe) while all-wheel drive traction will be provided via an ‘e-four’ system (where the rear wheels will be driven by the electric motor, with no mechanical linkage from the petrol engine to the rear wheels, similar to Volvo’s hybrid systems).
The cabin of the Lexus UX also goes quite a way in displaying a ‘new era’ for Lexus, marrying some new elements with ones that we know and love from the brand. The new aesthetics come in the form of the widescreen infotainment display, which is neatly integrated into the top of the dash (or semi-integrated), which is certainly different from what the mainstream players are doing with their tablet-style freestanding arrangements. As for the familiar, there’s a digital instrument display on the F-Sport models, replete with LFA-esque sliding ring, which slides from one side to another depending on selected mode and display.
As is necessary in a car like this, favoured by young families and empty-nesters alike, the UX comes with a full gamut of safety systems. Available on the UX include things like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, intelligent cruise control, and even an automatic high-beam assistant.
The Lexus UX has already been confirmed for Australia, and will arrive in the first quarter of 2019. Local specifications and pricing have yet to be revealed, but we’re certain that that information will be gleaned in due course, so stay glued to CarShowroom as we bring you more updates as they come.
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