Presentation and test drive Lexus UX 300e: all-electric

The automotive world is changing, and if you doubt it, just ask electric cars, a segment that is becoming more firmly established every day. Lexus demonstrates this with the new Lexus UX 300e, its first 100% electric car, which arrives to usher in a new era for the brand. It was only a matter of time before the Japanese manufacturer embraced this sector, all the more so given that for years it has stood out as one of the firms most committed to caring for the environment as its range of hybrid models confirms.

But after discovering that Lexus knows exactly what it is doing when developing hybrid cars, we wanted to see how it fares when it comes to building electric ones. To find out, we travelled to Valencia to get an exclusive first look at the new Lexus UX 300e, an electric SUV that is based on the conventional UX and promises to become a benchmark in its segment. Let us find out why.

A design that goes unnoticed

Manufacturers generally resort to certain flourishes when creating an electric car, almost always giving it that spaceship look. Fortunately, Lexus has not done this. On the contrary, the Japanese company has skilfully kept the lines of the conventional UX, offering a new variant with certain nuances but which remains largely unchanged.

At first glance we encounter the sharp, aggressive lines typical of Japanese design and so representative of Lexus. The front now features a fully enclosed grille that aims to benefit aerodynamics and energy consumption, although this will only be noticeable up close, since its design still mimics a normal, conventional front end.

The side follows the same rules, showing no apparent changes apart from the distinctive “Electric” badge and slightly modified wheels that also seek to improve the Cx and conceal a noise simulator to alert pedestrians of its presence. The same can be said of the rear, where the changes remain minimal.

An interior brimming with quality

Another unmistakable hallmark of Lexus is its skill in developing interiors, where good quality is evident everywhere. The Lexus UX 300e is no exception, showing finishes worthy of a vehicle at its price and creating an atmosphere of quality that is hard to beat.

The first thing to catch our attention is a completely round steering wheel with superb feel, thanks to its padding and the leather that wraps it. Behind it sit paddles designed to adjust engine braking and a semi-digital instrument cluster. The central screen provides all kinds of information, while one side of the instrumentation remains faithful to analogue. We would have liked Lexus to use a fully digital screen, taking advantage of the impact of the UX 300e and it being a more innovative model, but these are minor quibbles.

The dashboard continues to use good materials, offering a soft, cushioned feel except in the lowest areas, the only places where we find hard plastic. Controlling it is a screen with very good resolution that, however, eschews touch functions, forcing us to operate it through a trackpad located on the centre console itself.

We must bear in mind that, in this electric variant of the Lexus UX, the driving position is lower. This offers an advantage, as the sensations from the controls are sportier but, if you are tall like me -1.90 m-, you will have to play around a bit more with the seat settings, since the steering wheel offers little adjustment for height.

The rear seats are comfortable, but the room is not the most generous in its segment, allowing two adults to sit without great difficulty but ruling out a third. The boot, on the other hand, offers 320 litres of capacity, a figure more than sufficient to fit our weekend luggage or to cover our daily needs.

Smooth as few others

But what happens when we press the start button of the Lexus UX 300e? Absolutely nothing. The car is already silent by nature, being electric, but the Japanese brand has insulated it to such an extent that driving the UX 300e is like gliding on a cloud.

The electric SUV invites you to drive in a relaxed manner, as we did during the first kilometres of this test in Valencia. Its suspension is tuned rather softly, and the calm atmosphere inside helps cope with morning traffic jams or narrower routes. Its steering is quick and direct, though not very communicative, and overall visibility is good, with various driver assistance systems.

And if we want to have fun? Well, we must not forget that the new Lexus UX 300e uses a mechanical layout combining an electric motor producing 204 hp and 300 Nm of torque, figures that allow 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds. In addition, the Japanese electric car features a sport mode capable of sharpening and refining all its responses: the steering stiffens and becomes firmer, and its reactions are even quicker.

Torque is delivered almost instantly, causing at times loss of traction that the safety systems must correct. Acceleration is forceful and allows us to overtake with gusto, but we must be clear about one thing: the Lexus UX 300e is not, and does not aim to be, a sports car. Its responses are benign, but a rather firm suspension causes body roll, and the good work of its steering is not enough for a winding road, where the Japanese SUV feels uncomfortable.

We can also notice a slight lack of weight at the front axle which, although the centre of gravity has improved considerably thanks to the position of the batteries, makes it lose poise in situations more suited to sports cars. But this is not a negative: the raison d’être of the new Lexus UX 300e is not that, but rather to become a true devourer of kilometres on motorway and in the city.

This is possible thanks to a 50 kWh battery, which gives the Lexus UX 300e a range of 315 kilometres on the WLTP cycle. During the test we covered a 150-kilometre route and at no point did its range seem at risk, offering more than enough to cover a day of motorway, city and country driving with no problem at all.

However, we must keep one thing in mind, and that is that the climate control system can reduce the range by up to 30 kilometres. To avoid depending on this, we recommend setting the temperature in advance using the free app that Lexus offers, which lets you warm or cool the interior of the UX 300e before leaving home depending on the weather outside.

Conclusion

The new Lexus UX 300e is not just another electric car; as we have mentioned, it is the car that will mark a new era within Lexus. It will be available in Spain from November, with the first units arriving in early 2021. It will be available from 49,900 euros, although that bill can be reduced to 43,300 euros with the Moves II plan.

Another important news item is that with the purchase of the UX 300e, Lexus gives you a home charger. With this in place, it is possible to reach 80% of the battery capacity of the Japanese SUV after a 50-minute charge with direct current, a time that rises to 8 hours if using alternating current.

Is the Lexus UX 300e a good purchase? If you want a comfortable, luxurious and well-built vehicle with an electric system worthy of its price the answer is yes. It is true that Spain’s increasingly limited charging network reduces the possibilities of using the Japanese electric car, so if it is going to be used only in the city, its price may seem somewhat high.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverLexus UX4 versions · from 40,250 €