During the very early part of 2019, Lexus South Africa expanded its local portfolio with a smaller SUV family badged UX. We attended the national ride and drive event and reported here. At the time the range consisted of three derivatives. Today the company expanded the line-up by adding a second hybrid variant to the mix. The newest member of the UX family is the ES 250h EX, where EX denotes an entry-level trim spec for the brand (see bottom of post for full range and pricing).

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Hybrid power

The Lexus UX 250h EX features the same powertrain as its SE-grade sibling. The hybrid drive set-up can send up to a maximum of 135 kW to the front wheels through an automatic transmission. Lexus says the newcomer can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 8,5 seconds, and has a maximum speed of 177 km/h. Its fuel economy figure is claimed to be a meagre 4,5 litres/100 km in the combined cycle.

Click here to read our driving review of the larger Lexus RX range.

Loaded

Lexus models are generally well-equipped as standard and the UX 250h EX is no different. Standard features include park distance control with a reverse camera, keyless start, satellite navigation, two rear USB charging ports, dual-zone climate control, and cruise control among many others. Since the start of this year the UX range boasts a revised infotainment system which now includes Apple CarPlay 2 and Android 3 Auto compatibility as standard, this includes free Wi-Fi connectivity under the ‘Lexus Connect’ banner.

The company continues to use its remote touch interface (RTI), much like a computer track-pad, with haptic feedback. The UX 250h EX also features a high-end eight-speaker sound system which, interestingly, uses bamboo charcoal speaker diaphragms to reduce mass and deliver a warmer mid-range.

Prices

Lexus UX 200 EX            R654 700

Lexus UX 250h EX          R 690 300

Lexus UX 250h SE          R756 200

Lexus F Sport                 R785 400

All prices include a standard seven-year/105 000km warranty and maintenance plan.