Lexus UX 300e: Can it stand out from the electric SUV gallery?
Surprisingly, the very first electric from this quarter, and a very good one too, writes Declan Colley
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Lexus UX 300e |
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Rating |
★★★★☆ |
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Price |
€ 61,550 |
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Engine |
It's all-electric |
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The Spec |
Very typical Lexus - ie, sumptuous |
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Verdict |
Surprisingly, the very first electric from this quarter, and a very good one too |
In a very interesting presentation by Toyota Ireland recently, the general aims of the company going forward for the next many years were outlined by the top brass and what was really interesting was the detail of the company’s ‘electrification journey.’
Now while the aim of the exercise might have been to focus on Toyota’s massive success in the hybrid sphere and their continuing efforts to convince us, the motoring press and – by extension – you the public, that hybrid is and will continue to be a cornerstone of their vehicular activities.
Toyota, we were told, will spearhead a market change which by 2025 – only four short years away – will see 45% of Irish sales being concentrated on hybrid or PHEV (plug-in hybrid) vehicles and during the course of that time we will also be “saying goodbye to diesel.”
In the next 10 to 15 years, however, Toyota will be working hard to a), make hybrid ‘move people in volumes’; b), see the development of solid-state battery technology; and, c) further the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Interestingly and, as something of an aside to the primary message about how great hybrids are, it was also revealed that Toyota has been working – assiduously, one could reasonably presume – on solid-state battery technology since 2012 and have already patented over 1,000 new developments in this area.
That’s a lot of patents.
But it illustrates, if such was needed, just how much work is going into the whole area of electrification on Toyota’s behalf. It also suggests that in the long-term, hybrid technology will eventually wither on the vine and that what the world will eventually be driving – down the road, if you will – will be a mix of electrics or hydrogen-powered machines.
This week we get to sample what is one of the first of those electrics, which has come to the market in the shape of the Lexus UX. With Lexus being Toyota’s ‘premium’ brand, it is important to note that whatever it does will quickly filter down the ranks into mainstream product from the Japanese behemoth.
The electric UX 300e is – very surprisingly – the first ever all-electric production machine to come out of the stable and whatever might be said about the future of hybrids, this is definitely a sign of what will be rolling out of Toyota City in the near future.
As a premium product, Lexus/Toyota are keen to underscore this car’s place in the corporate firmament and the UX, along with several other new planned models will see the nameplate ditching such models as the CT, the IS and the RC in the coming months.
And, with only Tesla and Polestar competing in the electric premium segment right now, that puts Lexus bang in the frame to mop up a lot of new electro-enthusiasts.
But what of it? Is it any good?
Well, a good starting point is that it is a small SUV – the smallest in the Lexus range – and that will make it very appealing in its own right given the current proclivity among buyers for the genre. The other most important thing about any electric for many people is the range and the UX will allow you a claimed 315 km if you specify the 17” wheels and 306 km if you the 18” ones.
That’s not a ‘best in class’ among the premium cars available and it is not even a best in class among the plebs either. Kia’s forthcoming EV6 is promising around 500 km, for example, but the Lexus does have enough range for a lot of people’s needs.
It will also take only 50 minutes to charge from zero to 80% from a 50-kW charger if you can find one, which is pretty decent. Otherwise, it will take eight hours and fifteen minutes to fully charge from a 6.6 kW wall box and a whopping 19 hours from a domestic socket.
There is only one power variant available – for now – and that provides some 204 bhp from a 150 kW synchronous electric motor which is wedded to a 54.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. That, in turn, translates into a top speed of 160 km/h and the 0-100 km/h dash is achieved in a not unimpressive 7.5 seconds.
Certainly, it’s not the quickest thing around – electric or otherwise – but it’s no slacker either and it genuinely feels like it likes to be driven – pushed, even. That it goes about its business while making as much noise as a contemplative monk, makes it even more impressive.
Throw in the fact that this UX is blessed with all the decorative appeal of any other Lexus – the interior is excellent and the chairs very comfortable indeed, while the spec. has been laid on in spades.
This is not a big car and consequently, the rear is a little cramped and six-footers will not be comfortable back there. That said, the boot is big and well sized with the engineers and designers here making full use of the under-floor battery installation to provide added cargo-carrying abilities.
It is not a particularly pretty car either, although it’s not ugly either. The basking shark grille is massive and maybe a deal-breaker for some or a genuine attraction for others. Overall though the design is neat and pleasant rather than being eye-catchingly gorgeous.
In operational terms it is a doddle to live with and a typically sumptuous Lexus experience to enjoy. The one thing that really annoyed and which should really have been addressed by the corporate shaker-makers by now is the touchpad controlled infotainment system. It is fiddly, distracting for the driver and, generally, a pain in the ass.
Sure you can control many of its functions by using the alternative buttons available for radio, phone, navigation etc., but this system is so far behind the technological masterpieces being created elsewhere, it’s nearly embarrassing.
On the road, it is immediately obvious that this is a car designed for comfort rather than being driven like it’s stolen. The damping is on the soft side and the suspensions are tuned to provide an elastic, but supple ride.
That does not mean that its handling characteristics are terrible or anything – they’re not - just that this is obviously aimed at drivers who prefer a comfortable steer rather than a sporty one. It is actually a very relaxing car to drive.
So then, a good first electric for Lexus (and Toyota)? Yes, very definitely.
The big surprise here is that this is territory the Japanese giant has not previously visited. Certainly you could claim some justification for tardiness on their behalf given their massive successes in the hybrid field. But, as everyone knows by now, the hybrid phase of the automotive world’s electrification journey will not last forever.
That being the case, this UX is a very strong indication that Toyota/Lexus will not be left behind by its rivals when it comes to making electric-only cars. This is a very accomplished first stab at an electric and you will see many similarly consummate vehicles from this quarter in the not too distant.
