10 Things You Need to Know About the 2019 Lexus UX 250h

2019 Lexus UX 250h front view ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Lexus has spent the last decade trying to perfect the affordable luxury hybrid. It started with the HS 250h sedan, then followed with the CT 200h hatchback. But while neither model lit up the sales charts, Lexus’s newest gas-electric vehicle could be the perfect choice for returning buyers and new customers alike. That’s the all-new 2019 Lexus UX 250h, a stylish subcompact crossover that achieves an EPA-estimated 39 miles per gallon in mixed driving.

If you’re looking to blend luxury, affordability, and fuel efficiency, and you don’t need a ton of interior space, the new city-friendly UX 250h might be just for you. Here are 10 things you should know about this little Lexus.

1. Prices start at just $34,000.

Lexus is a luxury brand with several models that can command six-figure price tags. The 2019 Lexus UX 250h is on the other end of the brand’s price spectrum, starting at just $34,000. The only cheaper Lexus is the gas-only version of the UX: the UX 200, which is priced from $32,000.

Despite this affordability, every UX nonetheless comes standard with a long list of luxury-grade feature content, including keyless entry with push-button starting; an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay smartphone integration and a Wi-Fi hotspot; and a suite of advanced driver-assistance tech that includes a forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a lane-departure warning with automatic steering corrections, and adaptive cruise control. Add in the options and your UX will have all the luxury content of a larger, more expensive vehicle.

Photo by Brady Holt

2. It's the most fuel-efficient luxury SUV that you don't have to plug in.

With its compact size, low weight, and aerodynamic body, the 2019 Lexus UX 250h is one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs you can buy. The EPA estimates that it can achieve 41 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway, and 39 mpg overall. Except for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, those figures trump every all-wheel drive SUV on the market (except the less luxurious Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and even that's virtually a tie). 

Better still, we tested a UX 250h for a week and beat the EPA’s estimates, averaging about 43 miles per gallon in a week of mixed driving. And unlike most luxury vehicles, the UX 250h uses affordable regular-grade fuel rather than premium.

Photo by Brady Holt

3. Sometimes you can get around without burning any gasoline.

Although you can’t get the Lexus UX 250h as a fully electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid, you can sometimes drive it while burning zero gasoline. If you accelerate gently or cruise at steady speeds, you’ll often find that the UX 250h’s electric motors have enough power to fully propel the vehicle with no help from its four-cylinder gasoline engine. That’s why the UX 250h gets such great gas mileage in city driving, where you frequently accelerate at low speeds and then coast to a stop.

When you need extra power, or the electric battery’s charge level has run too low, the engine will fire up to keep you going. The engine will need to run most of the time you drive the UX 250h, but the electric motors will frequently assist, which reduces the amount of gasoline it needs to burn.

Photo by Brady Holt

4. All-wheel drive with two electric motors comes standard.

Unlike the non-hybrid Lexus UX 200, the UX 250h comes with all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. The gasoline engine and one electric motor are responsible for the vehicle’s front wheels, while a second electric motor powers the rear wheels.

Because the UX 250h doesn’t have to connect the engine to the rear wheels, Lexus was able to save on weight and mechanical complexity. Also, there’s no driveshaft eating into passenger space or hanging below the vehicle, which would hurt its aerodynamics.

Photo by Brady Holt

5. It has agile handling and the tightest turning radius in its class.

The Lexus UX 250h is well-suited for urban driving, and not only because of its exceptional fuel economy. It also has compact, city-friendly dimensions and the tightest turning radius in its class: just 17.1 feet. 

We tested the UX 250h F Sport model, which also brings a sport-tuned suspension and extra-supportive front seats. With its low center of gravity compared to most SUVs, the UX has agile, responsive handling and feels composed even if you push it hard. It’s not as quick or as quiet as most competitors, though, with a total of 181 horsepower from its gasoline engine plus its electric motors. That said, the low-end torque of an electric motor keeps it zippy off the line — another strength when you’re driving around town. And even the F Sport delivers a smooth, comfortable ride.

Photo by Brady Holt

6. The interior decor gives up little compared to its pricier Lexus siblings.

Even though the Lexus UX is the brand’s least expensive model, you wouldn’t be able to tell from its interior finishings. The dashboard offers an elegant minimalism that’s dressy enough to avoid looking dull. The wide, low instrument panel and variety of textures are eye-catching and modern. A few pieces of trim could be fancier and some controls could be more user-friendly, but the overall ambiance is hard to fault — especially for the price.

We also like how Lexus lets you choose among a variety of colors for the interior. In addition to the standards of black and gray, you also can get a rich caramel, a sporty dark red, and a snazzy two-tone blue-and-gray.

Photo by Brady Holt

7. There's no shortage of premium equipment.

We already mentioned the generous list of standard features on the 2019 Lexus UX 250h. But once you start adding options, it really turns into a luxury car. For example, the optional navigation system bumps you up from a 7-inch infotainment screen to a truly dazzling 10.3-inch display, which is wide enough to split between various pieces of information — for example, keeping your GPS map full-size while also showing your climate-control settings or vehicle energy usage.

Other optional goodies include a head-up display, a wireless smartphone charger, rain-sensing windshield wipers, an eight-speaker premium sound system, heated and cooled front seats, a hands-free power-operated liftgate, and even gentle LED lights that glow inside the vehicle’s air-vent knobs.

Photo by Brady Holt

8. Interior volume is decidedly subcompact.

Affordability and fuel efficiency will demand a few sacrifices, and in the Lexus UX 250h, you have to give up some interior volume. The driver and front passenger have no shortage of space, but rear legroom is tight. Adults often will have to press their knees against the front seatbacks to squeeze in. Cargo room also is below average for a crossover at just 17 cubic feet behind the rear seat, though you can fold the seat down to get additional space.

While this will be enough room for plenty of buyers, others will want to check out Lexus’s two larger hybrid crossovers: the compact NX 300h and the mid-size RX 450h. If that’s not enough variety, the brand also sells spacious hybrid sedans: the mid-size ES 300h and full-size LS 500h.

Photo by Brady Holt

9. You'll never feel its Toyota C-HR roots.

Although the two look nothing alike, the Lexus UX is mechanically related to the Toyota C-HR subcompact crossover under the skin. The two models share a smooth ride, relatively agile handling, and a smallish interior, but that’s where the similarities end. Lexus has worked overtime to ensure that the UX feels like a luxury car, not some warmed-over cheaper model.

Aside from the UX’s healthy helping of Lexus styling cues and high-end features, the Lexus also comes with different engines than the less-powerful C-HR. Neither a hybrid drivetrain nor an all-wheel drive system is available on the C-HR like they are on the UX. This isn’t a case where a luxury brand charges a premium for merely a high-end badge — the UX is fancier and more technologically advanced than the C-HR through and through.

Photo by Brady Holt

10. It offers plenty of style and luxury in a small, city-friendly, fuel-efficient package.

Overall, the 2019 Lexus UX 250h boils down the essence of a luxury car into a subcompact package. While it’s small, the UX’s edgy, modern design is as up-to-date as any other Lexus. And you can load it up with high-end features just like any larger luxury suv.

But those bigger vehicles won’t be able to squeeze into tiny parking spaces or execute easy U-turns like the UX 250h. And they definitely won’t get 40-plus mpg while grinding through stop-and-go traffic. While there are plenty of excellent luxury crossovers, you won’t find another with the UX 250h’s blend of high-end style and high-value operating costs.

Photo by Brady Holt