The article was originally produced on May 5, 2019, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

The UX 250h is the latest addition to the Lexus family, the first car in its segment with a hybrid powertrain. Cars Collection went to Spain and got a taste of this new small SUV.

The first thing that strikes you when you see the UX 250h from a distance is that it feels big and not at all like the smallest SUV model in the Lexus family. Something that is probably due to the fact that the shapes are solid and taken directly from the larger models and that you are not used to seeing small Lexus models. It has a big massive grill with angular shapes and that looks like it has an invisible belt. Together with the sharp lines of the headlights, it gives anything but a boring look.

Do you want a tight European or a daring Asian?

If you get closer to the car, you will see that it is not that big, but actually quite compact and small. The wheel arches have somewhat funny shapes that in the upper rear part are square instead of round. Even the rear part has a lot of different shapes compared to the European brands. This is a design language that the Japanese love and that can be found in all previous Lexus models. The one on the right controls which driving programme you want and the one on the left if you want to disconnect the anti-skid system. 

As with the design, the controls on the UX take some time to get used to. No weirdness because everything is there, but you have to look a little sometimes. The sharp and angular shapes are also dense inside the car and if you are used to other Lexus models, you will recognise the UX 250h. On either side of the cover above the digital instrument cluster are two knobs that were found on many Lexus models in the past. The one on the right controls which driving programme you want and the one on the left if you want to disconnect the anti-skid system.

As with the design, the controls on the UX take some time to get used to. No weirdness because everything is there, but you have to look a little sometimes. The white test car was equipped with the F-Sport package and with a really nice red and black leather interior. The quality and premium feel are of the highest class and just something as simple as the sound when the door closes, Lexus engineers have spent many hours to make it sound right.

Engine-wise, the UX 250h is a so-called self-charging car. This means that the car's petrol engine, as well as the regeneration of the brakes, recharges the battery while driving. You neither can nor need to charge the car with a cord. Lexus was very early with hybrid drive which came in 2005 with the model RX 400h. It's really nice with hybrid operation, that the car becomes completely silent when the electric motor starts and you can slide along completely noiselessly.

However, the so-called CVT-type gearbox is something you have to get used to. It has no real gear steps but works like a moped. At high acceleration, the engine speed is irritatingly at maximum without experiencing the actual changes. Imagine a moped and how it sounds at full throttle. But as with most things, this is something you get used to. As soon as you get up to speed, the revs flatten out and settle down at a lower level where it doesn't sound as strained. Once you start to understand how to throttle and accelerate, the journey becomes relatively harmonious.

That the Lexus UX 250h is a small car is noticeable above all in the place in the back seat. Two fully grown people of the taller type are not quite comfortable sitting here. So loading the car full with the whole family and going on a skiing holiday may not be what the car is optimised for. If, on the other hand, you envisioned the car for you and a partner and perhaps possibly two smaller children, the size of the car should work.

Don't get me wrong, though, because the car absolutely works for long journeys and is fantastically comfortable, so it's more about what you take with you and what you don't. All in all, the Lexus UX is a very nice car once you get to know it. It has a design that stands out and a premium feel few competitors in this class match. So in the end it's probably more about whether you want a tight European or a daring Asian. 

Lexus UX 250h

Basic price	From SEK 339,900.
Engine	2-litre transverse four-cylinder, 145 hp + electric motor 109 hp. Torque 180 Nm
Transmission	Front engines, stepless automatic E-CVT, front wheel drive
Acceleration	0-100 in 8.5 seconds
Top speed	177 km/h
Fuel consumption mixed driving according to the manufacturer	0.41 l/mile
Weight	1,540-1,620 kg
Guarantees	New car 3 years, carriage damage 3 years, rust 12 years
Web	www.lexus.se