The 2025 Lexus UX300h is the entry level compact crossover SUV into the luxury Japanese brand. It has been in production since 2019 with 2025 seeing a few updates including a more powerful powertrain.
Performance
Engine – Like the previous model year, the 2025 Lexus UX300h utilizes a 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder hybrid engine. However, power has been increased from 181 hp (135 kW) to 196 hp (146 kW) all while seeing a reduction in fuel consumption. This compact crossover SUV introduces Lexus’ 5th generation hybrid powertrain which incorporates more powerful electric motors. The increase in power is welcomed in a vehicle that tips the scales at 1,595 kg (3,516 lbs). But it’s still not a quick compact crossover. It takes a hefty amount of throttle applications to get the UX300h up to speed and what a noise the engine makes to get up to highway speeds. It’s not pleasant. Thankfully, once it reaches the desired speed, the engine will shut off periodically and the more powerful electric motors will provide propulsion. The UX300h also has an EV only mode which allows for slightly faster acceleration whilst using only electricity but if you push too hard on the throttle pedal or go up past 40-ish km/h (25 mph), then this mode is disabled.
Fuel Economy – The big highlight of the 2025 Lexus UX300h is its fuel economy. It is rated for 5.3 L/100km (44.4 MPG) in a city and 5.9 L/100km (39.9 MPG) on a highway. I managed to average 5.6 L/100km (42 MPG) during my time with the UX300h.
Transmission – The 2025 UX300h distributes the engine’s power through an eCVT. The transmission keeps the engine’s rpms high whilst the car accelerates but quickly drops them as a cruising speed is reached. The transmission does not have virtual gears and instead relies on the drive modes to keep the rpms slightly higher when the car is in Sport mode. There is also a “B” mode on the gear selector which provides more regenerative braking combined with engine braking.
Braking – The brakes of the Lexus UX300h are good. The brake pedal provides a firm feel but with enough modulation to allow for smooth stops. The “B” mode on the gear selector helps the car slow down a bit more quickly when lifting your foot off the throttle pedal but it will keep the engine running whilst slowing down even if the lithium-ion hybrid battery is not fully charged.
Handling – The 2025 Lexus UX300h is an easy compact crossover to drive. The steering is light and the short wheelbase makes it a breeze to park. It’s by no means a sporty or fun car to drive but that’s fine because it wasn’t designed to be one to begin with. In Canada, the UX300h is only available with an eAWD system. It does not have a physical driveshaft between the engine and the back wheels and instead an electric motor is used to provide power to the back wheels. In the United States, AWD is optional.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Normally, vehicles with short wheelbases tend to have a bouncy and jittery ride. That is not the case with the Lexus UX. It is soft but it’s not floaty and the suspension does an effective job of absorbing bumps in the road rather than skipping over them. Additionally, the seats are plush and they provide enough support on those long, daily commutes to and from work.
Interior Space – This being the smallest crossover SUV that Lexus offers, interior space is on the tight side, depending on where you sit. In the front seats, there’s just enough legroom and headroom for taller individuals. Though, some may need to drop the seats to their lowest points so that their heads or hair don’t touch the headliner. In the back seats, it’s a different story. Legroom and headroom is extremely tight for taller adults. At 6’4”, I had absolutely no room behind my taller than average driving position. But perhaps shorter individuals will find it a little bit more comfortable. Behind the seats, the Lexus UX300h has 487 L (17.2 cu-ft) of cargo space. Under the trunk floor, there is a small cargo area for smaller items.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Unfortunately the Lexus UX300h does not have the level of noise isolating materials throughout the cabin as the larger Lexus vehicles do. As I mentioned earlier, the engine is very buzzy when it revs up to provide acceleration. Additionally, you can feel the engine’s vibrations through the steering wheel and the throttle pedal at the higher rpms. Road noise from the tires is fairly well kept under check as is wind noise on highways.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2025 Lexus UX300h starts at $44,605 CAD (37,715 USD, FWD) which is not too bad of a price for a Lexus. This particular demo vehicle has the Luxury package added to it which raises the price to $50,069 CAD ($48,595 USD).
Gadgets – As standard, the 2025 Lexus UX300h has an 8” touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, 8-way power adjustable front seats along with heating and ventilating, the upholstery is NuLuxe which is a synthetic leather but it feels like the real deal, there’s dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, and a power sunroof.
The Luxury package of this demo vehicle adds a 10-speaker audio system, a larger 12.3” touchscreen and an equally sized digital driver display, driver’s memory seat, power folding mirrors, head-up display, wireless phone charging pad, power tailgate with hands-free operation, and a parking assist function which can detect parking lines on the road and park the UX between them.
Interior Design – The cabin of the Lexus UX300h follows the same design language as most other Lexus vehicles. The large infotainment touchscreen is the most prominent feature of the dashboard with physical climate controls and air vents just underneath it. The one design element that is not so common among other Lexus vehicles is the drive mode selector knob and the traction control knob to either side of the driver display pod. This is a design that is more reminiscent of the Lexus LFA supercar. Most of the materials are soft to the touch but lower portions of the cabin are made up of harder plastics.
Exterior Design – The UX has quite a few styling features, none more so evident than the “ledge” at the tips of the rear taillights. The front follows the conformities of the current Lexus design language with the hourglass grille and checkmark style LED daytime running lights. There are also quite a few lines on the side of the UX which may seem a bit overstyled for some.
Safety – The 2025 Lexus UX 300h already comes equipped with every safety & driver aid that is available in this compact crossover SUV. Adding different levels of packages to it will not add more safety features apart from the auto braking function with the parking assist. But otherwise it has automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot sensors, dynamic radar cruise control, auto high beams, lane tracing and so on.
Warranty – The Lexus UX300h is covered by a 4 year / 60,000 km new vehicle and 6 year / 110,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty while the hybrid battery itself is covered for 10 years / 240,000 km. For more information on Canadian Lexus warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – The 2025 Lexus UX300h is not like any of its direct competitors such as the Mercedes GLB or BMW X1. It doesn’t provide a particularly joyous driving experience but it provides an efficient powertrain with the reliability that Lexus vehicles are known for. On top of that, it has an interior that is a nicer place to be in than other compact crossovers of the same size.
Thank you to Lexus Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Lexus.ca
2025 Lexus UX300h Gallery
