Sprint Review: 2023 Lexus UX250H

(from R857 900)

Since the very first Lexus that I drove back in 2001, the brand has kept a distinctive level of comfort under the skin of every car. Yes, lots of German cars ride softly, but some Lexus models seem to have this duvet kind of feel on the road… often without the aid of air suspension.

To start with: The first Lexus I got to drive was a dark green IS200. It looked much faster than it was, with its low-profile tyres on 17-inch rims, but it felt fast as soon as you went through a corner.

Today, the same still applies.

We recently had the UX250H crossover on test, and I had the privilege to “weekend it away” towards the Cederberg. My colleagues and I have a thing against best-selling black seats, so whenever we get a car with seats chosen from the color pallet on the next page, we start wrestling for the keys.

Our Lexus came with caramel seats straight from a Cadbury’s shelf. Apart from the looks, the UX250H is utterly comfortable, and together with Lexus’ genius road hugging suspension, you really have your bread buttered on both side.

More info: The UX250H pushes out a combined 135 kW @ 6000 rpm and provides 188 Nm of torque from 4400 rpm. While these are not numbers you sell the car with, the nature of this vehicle is defined by luxury in compact crossover form. Its intent is not to shred tyres, and you don’t feel like you need to, when taking the open road. It’s a car with which you arrive at your destination, relaxed!

And its biggest trademark is economy: where quoted from the press, it should return just 4.5 l/100 km. We never had to fill the car, for obvious economy reasons, so we could not perform a brim-to-brim test, to confirm real figures.

What else? I actually braved the snowy winter that weekend, during a father-and-son camping trip with other dads, sons, and their obligatory bakkies. The Lexus with its slightly elevated ride did receive quite a lot of attention. We only needed a two-man tent and camping gear for two, so we had more than enough space with the rear seats folded down.

In summary: From R857 900, there are a lot of other crossovers you can choose from, but if you want to go forever, probably past a million km’s in luxury, then this auto is for you. Economy-wise, over many years, you might just drive your money back into your pocket.

1 thought on “Sprint Review: 2023 Lexus UX250H”

Leave a Comment