Lexus UX300e Review

Price: £40,795- £49,995

Electrifying.com score

7/10

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Lexus' electric UX has had a massive upgrade, with a battery and range that make it a contender once again. It's well made and good to drive, but the outdated rapid charging lets it down. 

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  • Battery size: 72.8kWh
  • Miles per kWh: 3.83
  • E-Rating™: B

    Click here to find out more about our electric car Efficiency Rating.​

  • Max charge rate: 50 kW
  • Range: 279 miles
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  • Battery size: 72.8kWh
  • Miles per kWh: 3.83
  • E-Rating™: B

    Click here to find out more about our electric car Efficiency Rating.​

  • Max charge rate: 50 kW
  • Range: 279 miles
  • Lexus UX300e electric car

Ginny Says

“While it's a perfectly nice car, there's nothing revolutionary about the UX and it looks a little behind rivals in terms of charging times, despite the recent upgrade. The real killer is the price though - it looks pricey next to a Tesla Model Y.”

Nicki Says

“The Lexus UX is a bold looking car and I can't quite work out if I love it or hate it. What I can't argue with is the warranty. Keep having it serviced at a Lexus dealer and the power pack is covered until it's a decade old or has covered 600,000 miles.”

Driven and reviewed by 

Tom Barnard

 - 
24 Jan 2024

Lexus as a company has always been very good at refinement and comfort - a company mostly aimed at waft rather than warp speed - so it makes sense that it should end up embracing pure electric after a long time playing with more traditional hybrids. And here’s the first: the fully electrified Lexus UX300e. 

The UX is what Lexus calls a 'small urban-centric SUV', which means it is meant for driving around town rather than going off road.  So it’s aimed at 30-something ‘Creative Urban Explorers’ according to Lexus, a five-seat, high-riding hatchback with some seriously arresting styling.

But don’t let that put you off - as far as we’re aware there’s no age restriction on the UX. It’s currently offered with several drivetrains, but the EV is the one which interests us most. It's a fairly traditional electric set-up slipped neatly into the UX’s hyper-creased body. After the recent upgrade the Lexus now has a 204bhp motor under the bonnet, with a 72.8kWh battery pack under the floor, driving the front wheels only. 

If you want stats, we have them: 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, a 100mph top speed. Range? Well that depends on which alloy wheels you choose. With the 17-inch standard wheels, the UX300e will do 273 miles on a full charge, but if you opt for the larger, wider (and therefore harder to propel) 18-inch wheels, you’ll see that capability drop slightly.

A full charge on a home wallbox (where Lexus says most of its customers will charge) will take 9.5 hours, with an out-and-about rapid charge (via a 50kW CHdeMO socket) taking just around an hour and a half from zero to 80%. Most won’t be arriving at a rapid charger with zero percent of range, mind. ​

Whatever your range requirements though, the UX300e is a lovely car to drive. It’s peppy rather than fast, but more than enough for anything you may need in terms of acceleration - though hoofing down a motorway will see your range drop like a brick from a rooftop. As ever, there are three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport), though you probably won’t need them as the car seems best suited to just being left in ‘Normal’, bringing decent steering and a general feeling of wellbeing. 

There is also brake re-gen, although it isn’t very strong - this definitely isn’t a ‘one-pedal’ car - and it annoyingly switches off as soon as you press the throttle again. A bit of a missed opportunity if you ask us. But other than that, the driving experience is relaxed and relentlessly competent. 

As for the bits you look at and touch, the interior is as angular as the outside, but it all works and is exceptionally well-built. Our only complaint is that is looks a bit gloomy, which expanses of black and grey. The small windows make it a little claustrophobic too. 

As for other stuff, you get the usual App that manages charging and the like, an aggregated Europe-wide charging deal with Digital Charging Solutions, and one of the best warranties in the business.

Lexus dealers have excellent customer service and a good reputation for reliability, so the car should be covered. The choices are pretty easy, too; the UX300e comes in one basic model, with two available spec packs, Premium Plus and Takumi pack, both of which obviously keep the same hardware but up the luxury technology game.

As for the car itself, the Lexus UX300e is a smart, well-built, decent-to-drive pure electric vehicle. It’s not hugely surprising (unless you order it in orange), but it’s a rounded take, and suits the Lexus vibe well. Not the most spectacular of things, but if you’re in the market for something like a Volvo XC40 Recharge, it is definitely worth a look. 

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