UX 300e silently impresses UK media

First reports have emerged from those UK journalists who have tested the Lexus UX 300e – the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) from Lexus – and initial verdicts suggest that Lexus has succeeded in delivering its trademark quality and refinement in the electrified package.

John McIlroy, Auto Express Deputy Editor, says the UX 300e is “nicely finished” and “particularly refined” while praising the instant torque from the electric motor that feels “nicely suited to a car of the UX’s size.” He goes on to say: “Lexus’s engineers deserve praise for how they’ve integrated recuperation into the brake set-up, because the transition from energy harnessing to discs and pads is smooth”.

Mike Lowe from Pocket-lint was impressed by the integration of apple Carplay and Android Auto, as well as the UX’s “sharpness and eye-catching looks” that he finds “fitting and futuristic”. These looks are created through its “aggressive front and even more poised stance which is unlike anything else on the market”.

Autocar’s Neil Winn noted how “brisk around town” the 300e was, with the “eagerness of its acceleration” leading it to feel “faster than its numbers suggest”.

“A striking looking thing” with “impeccable” interior quality is how Jake Groves from Car describes the UX’s appearance. When it comes to the driving, he finds it “pretty much effortless and genuinely quite relaxing” but still with “plentiful enough” range and the ability to “zip away from traffic lights”.

Relaxing aspects of the 300e’s performance are echoed by AutoTrader which says there is “absolutely no delay in response to the throttle pedal, which makes for relaxing and refined progress”. “Affordable electrified running costs” are another cited for purchasing the UX 300e.

Jonathan Musk, writing in FleetWorld, also notes the accessibility of the UX 300e. He compares its cost to the Tesla Model 3, in fact: “It can be had for less per month and Lexus’s tried and tested reliability helps it retain high residual values, with Cap HPI forecasting total cost of ownership at £595 per month”.

“Range anxiety should not be a consideration” according to Darren Cassey in the Shropshire Star. Cassey admires the battery integration which “improves handling and means the suspension doesn’t have to be so stiff” allowing for “a more comfortable drive”. Praise continues when it comes to appearance and he observes that “despite being a humble crossover, it looks like no other”.

James Morris at WhichEV also admires the UX 300e for being “Luxurious and comfortable”, as well as “well equipped, particularly in Premium Plus trim or above”, awarding it 80 out of 100 for design and tech. Morris also continues to praise the “smooth driving experience”, labelling it a “luxurious, pampering drive” for “everyday city driving or a commute that involves regular, heavy traffic”.

UX 300e “really suits the Lexus vibe”, according to Top Gear’s Tom Ford, who continues to say that Lexus vehicles have “always suited slick and quiet motivation”.

Car Enthusiast’s Matt Robinson gives praise to many areas of 300e, labelling it “an excellent product” that has “set the standards in a class which is sure to grow in size very quickly, very soon”. He continues to say that the UX 300e does things “with the lustrous sheen of high-quality engineering” which allows Lexus to have “stolen a march on its premium rivals in this sector”

ENDS

Note to editors: full details of the UX 300e are available at the Lexus UK media website here.