2025 Lexus UX

The Lexus UX is the most fuel-efficient luxury SUV on the market. It’s also the least expensive and boasts exceptional resale value. In short, the UX is kind to your wallet when you buy it, when you fill it up, and when you sell it. It’s smaller inside and less powerful than most subcompact luxury SUVs, but it’s roomy and zoomy enough to suit plenty of drivers’ needs. And it gets even quicker for 2025, with the introduction of a more refined, more powerful, next-generation hybrid powertrain. You wouldn’t guess it’s the most affordable Lexus from the inside, which features a full complement of familiar features and quality.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of subcompact luxury SUVs, including the Lexus UX.

Having debuted for 2019 and gained many favorable consumer reviews, the UX goes up a notch. An updated hybrid drivetrain brings a welcome bump of 15 horsepower, nudging the total to 196. The model designation changes from 250h to 300h to mark the occasion. The transmission has also been improved, while the hybrid battery now uses lithium-ion technology, resulting in less weight. The comprehensive set of driver assistance features gains a couple more functions. And the palette of exterior choices now includes Copper Crest.

There’s no direct rival to the UX, but some of our other favorite subcompact luxury SUVs include the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLB, and the Volvo XC40 — all starting at around $41K.

Before buying a new UX hybrid subcompact luxury SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.

Excellent Resale Value

The Lexus UX is among the class leaders in resale value, with Lexus being a multiple winner of our Best Resale Value Award in the luxury sector. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next car purchase.

The more time we spend in the Lexus UX, the more we appreciate it as an exceptionally pleasant and refined little luxury SUV. Front-wheel drive is the default setup, but most buyers opt for all-wheel drive. A revised hybrid drivetrain for 2025 brings 196 horsepower. This extra oomph, coupled with a lighter battery than last year, allows an all-wheel-drive UX 300h to accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds. That’s half a second faster than before, but let’s not crack open the sparkling apple juice just yet. The BMW X1 xDrive28i, for example, does the same dash in 6.2 seconds, thanks to its 241-horsepower engine. It is pricier and thirstier, though.

Lexus says it has improved the UX’s automatic transmission to be smoother and quicker in its responses. We’ve never had an issue with the previous unit but will always welcome extra refinement. We’ve noticed that the UX’s subcompact footprint makes navigating city streets (the vehicle’s natural habitat) and parking lots easy. It’s even acceptably comfortable on the highway, and that’s not always the case with small cars. The more time we’ve come to spend in the Lexus UX, the more we appreciate it as an exceptionally pleasant and refined little luxury SUV.

Fuel Economy

Lexus reckons a 2025 UX 300h with all-wheel drive can achieve 41 mpg in combined city/highway driving (an improvement of 2 mpg over the 2024 equivalent). This is thanks to a hybrid drivetrain, a rarity in the sector. In comparison, the all-wheel-drive Volvo XC40 (with a mild hybrid setup) returns 26 mpg combined.

Front-wheel-drive UX models boast a class-leading EPA combined fuel economy rating of 43 mpg, a mile better per gallon than last year’s model. For reference, the more powerful BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA each top out at 28 mpg combined. At 15,000 miles per year, the UX will consume close to 16 fewer gallons of fuel every month. Even at $3 per gallon, that’s not insignificant savings approaching $50 per month.

The cabin has no telltale signs that the UX is the most affordable new Lexus. Design, craftsmanship, and material quality are all typically first-rate. Starting this year, Premium and F Sport models now come with a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The infotainment system has a standard 8-inch screen or an optional 12.3-inch screen, both with user-friendly smartphone-like menus and controls. We love that it comes standard with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for convenient phone connectivity.

The front seats are spacious and comfortable, which suits the UX’s target audience of young city-dwellers. But if you intend to drive around with adults in the back, we’d say look at the next-size-up Lexus NX. The UX’s rear accommodations are the most modest of its class. There’s about four inches less rear legroom than in a BMW X1. Cargo space is similarly humble, with 17 cubic feet behind the rear seats. That’s noticeably less than the BMW X1 or Mercedes-Benz GLB. But fold down the rear seats, and there are few real-world loads the UX couldn’t handle as well as most of the competition.

Small SUV or tall hatchback, we think the UX is a nice-looking little Lexus either way. It has the “spindle” grille that’s a Lexus hallmark, while its sculpted body hints at a little athleticism. The F Sport models have an appearance package, providing a sporty look without sacrificing practicality or efficiency. Copper Crest is a new color choice this year. The F Sport Handling variant also gains a powered tailgate with a kick sensor.

Lexus Hybrid Drive
A fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain is standard in every new UX. Lexus says it can achieve up to 44 mpg in the city with front-wheel drive.

High-tech Lexus Interface
The Lexus Interface infotainment system includes wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. An 8-inch screen is standard in the base model; a more feature-rich 12.3-inch display is standard in the F Sport Handling version.

Lexus Safety System+ 3.0
This standard array of advanced safety features is updated for 2025. The new features are intersection assistance and Risk Avoidance Emergency Steering Assist. They join things like forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control — all of which we’ve found to work exceptionally well.

Low ownership costs 
The Lexus UX is a multiple winner of our Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own Award in its class because of its relatively affordable purchase price, strong resale values, and extremely reasonable fuel costs.

Head-up display 
An optional color head-up display improves safety and convenience in the UX. This feature is more often found in pricier luxury SUVs.

F Sport models 
The F Sport Design trim adds a sporty appearance package. The range-topping F Sport Handling model adds a sport-tuned suspension, while the front seats, steering wheel, and shift knob also receive the F Sport treatment.

The 2025 UX 300h features a new 196-horsepower hybrid powertrain that delivers more power, more refinement, and slightly better fuel economy than the system in last year’s UX 250h. The fifth-generation system includes a lighter new lithium-ion battery, and power is managed by a revised transmission that promises greater responsiveness.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The UX is backed by a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty (whichever happens first) and a 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s a longer powertrain warranty than most European competitors offer. Hybrid batteries are covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles. Lexus also includes complimentary scheduled maintenance for one year or 10,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The UX has been awarded the highest accolade of Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as well as taking a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).