LEXUS UX 300e

Lexus arrives at the EV party with a converted version of its compact crossover

- JACK WARRICK

FIRST REPORT

WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT

To see if Lexus’s first EV can compete with the established premium electric SUVs

If you’re looking for an electric SUV, you’re certainly not short of choice. Peugeot has the e-2008, Volkswagen the ID 4 and Jaguar the I-Pace, while Hyundai and Kia have set the trend for all round quality along with excellent range. And so to Lexus, the latest to throw its hat into the EV ring.

The UX 300e is an interesting proposition. Built on Toyota’s GA-C platform and evolved from the UX hybrid, it is Lexus’s maiden battery-electric car and technically the first from its parent company, too.

It’s a low-slung, mid-size crossover that looks far more imposing than its dimensions suggest, and it’s no slouch. Under the skin is a motor producing 201bhp and 221lb ft. This powers the front wheels and will get you from 0-62mph in 7.5sec.

Regenerative braking is part of the set-up, although none of the four levels allows for one-pedal driving.

Initial driving impressions are thus: power delivery is strong and it pulls forward nicely, but the front wheels will spin if you’re overzealous on the throttle from a standstill.

I’m not sure if this quiet, refined thing will be fully at home whizzing around the countryside, though. Ride comfort and insulation so far have been excellent but have made it tough to know exactly where the wheels are pointing and you get little feel of the road beneath you. What’s more, at 1840kg, it’s a pretty hefty car.