2023 Lexus UX

Riding on a 103.9-inch wheelbase, the 2023 Lexus UX250h is a five-seat, pint-sized crossover and the luxury automaker’s smallest model. As tiny crossovers have proliferated, so have luxury versions, and the UX first appeared in 2019, slotting in under the successful compact NX and midsize RX. Although it’s about the same size as most of its luxury-brand competitors on the outside, that short wheelbase costs the little Lexus in rear-seat legroom and in cargo space, where it trails almost all of the pack. It doesn’t do ride quality any favors either.

2023 sees the UX get a light restyling, but the big news is that it now comes only as the UX250h hybrid. The former non-hybrid UX200, which customers ignored, has been dropped. Otherwise, base and Premium models continue, and there are now two F SPORT packages: F SPORT Design (an appearance package) and F SPORT Handling (with six modes of active drive select rather than the standard three, paddle shifters, performance dampers, an active variable suspension and some unique trim). Inside, there’s a new standard 8.0-inch touchscreen and an optional 12.3-inch unit with updated software.

There are now quite a few luxury crossovers this size, but the Lexus UX250h’s direct competitors include the Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3 and BMW X2. The Lexus is the only one with a hybrid. Base models of each are all within $1,500 of each other. But, excluding the two much more powerful AMG versions of the Mercedes, the Lexus becomes the most expensive vehicle in the set when you move up into either the F SPORT Design or F SPORT handling models. Mazda’s CX-30 is a better-performing  mainstream alternative that also warrants consideration.

In prior years the UX200 offered front-wheel drive while the hybrid UX250h was available only with all-wheel drive (AWD), but now that it’s hybrid-only, front-drive UX250h models have been put into the mix. Total system output is 181 horsepower, and 0-60 runs are a slow 8.4 seconds. We spent a week driving the UX250h F SPORT Handling and found that while it was quite maneuverable and nimble on winding roads, the lack of power and the imprecise nature of the continuously variable transmission made it difficult to put to its best use and severely dampened any potential fun factor.

Front seat space in the UX250h is plentiful, but everything aft of that is cramped compared to the competition. Rear seat legroom is a tightest-in-class 33.1 inches and Lexus doesn’t actually quote a cargo volume with the rear seats folded. But it looks rakish, and the F SPORT packages make it look even more aggressive. The style is immediately recognizable as Lexus and fits nicely into that brand’s crossover family design ethos. The updated interior provides a modern, clean, large touchscreen and eliminates the maddening Lexus touchpad on the center console.

Lexus, like parent Toyota, has gone all-in on making a complete suite of active safety features (pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, intelligent high-beam headlamps, blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert) standard. When it comes to infotainment tech, though, you’ll have to pay extra—the all-new 12.3-inch touchscreen with a ten-speaker sound system is only standard on the top-of-the-line F SPORT Handling model, and only available as an extra cost option after stepping up to the Premium trim.

Performance: 7/15

Moving 3,600 pounds with only 181 horsepower is asking a lot. The Lexus UX250h is only saved from dead last place among its peers in the zero-to-60 Grand Prix thanks to the base-model Audi Q3. The Q3 is 300 pounds heavier and has just 184 horsepower, so while the Lexus makes the run in 8.4 seconds, the base Audi needs 8.6. Base models of the Mercedes-Benz GLA (221 horsepower) and the BMW X2 (241 horsepower) get it done in 6.6 and 6.4 seconds, respectively—a difference you can feel.

Widening the gap, both the Audi and Mercedes can be had with optional engines. The Audi Q3 S line Premium and Premium Plus boost the horsepower to 228 and drop zero-to-60 times down to seven seconds flat, while Mercedes offers AMG GLA 35 and AMG GLA 45 models with 302 and 382 horsepower respectively. 

A standing start to sixty in the GLA 35 is just 5.2 seconds and in the GLA 45, it’s a muscle-car-like 4.4. While the Audi’s hotter variant is priced less than upper trim levels of the Lexus, the Mercedes-AMG models start out at $50,000 and go up from there. Mazda’s CX-30 Turbo ($36,675) tops out just above the UX’s starting price but hits 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.

The UX250h, the GLA250 and the X2 can all be had in either front-wheel drive or AWD (the Q3 is AWD only), but all of these vehicles are strictly on-pavement machines. All are so low to the ground that only Mercedes quotes ground clearance figures, and its 5.3 inches is really about three inches shy of the minimum threshold for off-roading. 

Fuel Economy: 15/15

The move to hybrid-only for the Lexus UX250 gives it a huge advantage in fuel economy. Its EPA-estimated city/highway combined mileage of 40.5 dwarfs all of the gasoline-only competition and makes it one of the most efficient SUVs on the market, luxury or otherwise. The BMW X2 is rated at 27 mpg, as are the base versions of the Mercedes GLA (the hot AMG versions drag that average down to 25). The Audi’s base engine returns 25, and its optional engine 24.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 14/15

The Lexus UX250h is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick and it gets five-star overall crash ratings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). That’s a better performance than the Audi Q3 (IIHS: Good, NHTSA: five-star). The BMW X2 has only been rated by the IIHS (Good), and not yet by NHTSA. The Mercedes-Benz GLA has not been rated by either organization but gets 5-star ratings from EURO NCAP and the Australian safety organization ANCAP. Mazda’s CX-30 earns a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS and five stars from NHTSA.

The UX’s comprehensive suite of crash-avoiding and potentially life-saving tech is standard, which does set it apart from its German rivals, which frequently make such gear extra-cost.

Comfort & Room: 7/15

While front seat passengers have sufficient room and comfortable seating, the stubby wheelbase crowds the rear-seat passengers, who get only 33.1 inches of legroom. That’s dead last in the competitive set, with Mercedes GLA offering 38 inches, BMW’s X2 36.7, Mazda’s CX-30 36.3 and the Audi Q3 36.1.

Even the three extra inches in the Audi feel like a lot of extra space compared to the Lexus. With almost five additional inches, the Mercedes seems limousine-like in comparison.

Infotainment: 13/15

One of the best things about the 2023 UX250h is its upgraded infotainment system. In previous years, a non-touchable screen sat far away from the diver and was controlled by a frustrating trackpad interface. Designed for Japanese drivers who input Kanji, American users always found it frustrating and imprecise. As a result, the system is replaced for 2023 with new touchscreens and a helpful voice assistant. 

The standard setup uses an 8.0-inch touchscreen with navigation, AM, FM and SiriusXM satellite radio as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. Bluetooth, four USB ports and a wi-fi hotspot are all standard. Speak out “Hey Lexus” and the digital assistant is there to answer your questions.

There’s a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen available as an extra-cost ($1,405) option on UX250h Premium that also includes a ten-speaker Lexus premium sound system. It’s standard equipment on F SPORT Handling. Other available tech includes wireless charging ($75) and a head-up display ($900).

Cargo Space & Storage:  7/15

Prioritizing rear-seat comfort costs the Mercedes GLA when it comes to cargo space, which plummets to just 15.4 cubic feet. And that saves the UX250h, with 17.1 cubic-feet, from another last-place finish. Buyers of the X2 get considerably more room for carrying things, with 21.6 cubic-feet and the Q3’s 23.7 starts to look cavernous in comparison. But that only counts the space behind the rear seats. Lexus doesn’t quote a volume with the seats folded, but it’s substantially below the Q3’s 48 cubic-feet or the CX-30’s 45.2.

Apart from door pockets and the center console, there’s not a lot in the way of small item storage, though Lexus gets points for re-orienting and enlarging its wireless charging pad to accommodate the larger cellphones currently popular.

Style & Design: 7/10

The mild refresh of the UX250h gives it a slightly more muscular and purposeful appearance, with some creases and angles replacing curves. It’s an improvement and the UX’s sloping roofline does make it look sporty, but the proportions of the vehicle itself, longer than the competition but shorter of wheelbase, make it look somewhat stubby.

The interior is handsome and well-finished with top-quality materials, and the new screens look better than the old ones. Everything feels put together with the typical Lexus precision, but it doesn’t necessarily feel luxurious.

Is the 2023 Lexus UX Worth It? Which version Is the Best Value?

Base price for the front-drive UX250h is $35,925 (including a $1,075 destination fee), and AWD is a $1,400 option across all models. The Premium trim starts at $38,385, F SPORT Design at $38,385 and F SPORT Handling begins at $43,455.

While the new F SPORT Handling trim saves it from being a purely cosmetic package like F SPORT Design, there’s just not enough fun to be had with the 181 horsepower and CVT to make the paddle shifters and extra drive modes usable or worth the expense.

That said, our pick from the UX250h lineup would be the Premium model, which adds nice features (heated and ventilated front seats, power rear door with kick sensor, rain-sensing wipers) as standard and opens the option book for the 12.3-inch touchscreen and Lexus Premium audio system, which are unavailable on the base model. Whether to go with front-wheel drive or AWD depends on the climate in which you do most of your driving. Because the UX250h is so low to the ground and has such long front and rear overhangs, AWD’s usefulness is really limited to winter road conditions—and mild ones at that. 

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2023 Lexus UX?

According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of about $2,190 for the Lexus UX250h, though this averages all 50 states. A Mazda CX-30 turbo owner might pay $1,862 per year, while the Mercedes-Benz GLA is $2,200, the BMW X2 runs to $2,267 and the Audi Q3 $2,236. For a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.