What would a luxury, hybrid version of Toyota's CH-R look like? Look no further than the Lexus UX250h.
It has a real, traditional automatic shifter. You get in, depress the lock with your thumb, and slide it back into gear.
No knob of mystery, no wondering which way to rock the lever. Lexus engineers didn’t rework a system that has served well for millennia.
And that pretty much sums up the Lexus UX250h F Sport. It’s traditional yet not dated.
You get real knobs and toggle-like switches for the climate control and sound system. You don’t need to access a menu–or even the owner’s manual–to turn up the radio or cool down the cockpit. Simple. Intuitive.
You can easily adjust the mirrors without taking your eyes off the road. The glovebox latch makes sense.
The DIC screen, now pretty much standard across all makes and price points, isn’t huge. Yet, at the same time, it conveys all of the necessary info.
The seats felt extremely comfortable and supportive with just enough side bolstering. If these came in a Miata, you’d be happy.
Good, grippy steering wheel. Clear outward visibility, too. It’s about the right size for an SUV, too. Big enough to carry your stuff but not a chore to park.
On the highway, it’s smooth and quiet with just a bit of tire hum–maybe blame our Florida roads. Steering is a tad overboosted but also the norm for this class. Good headlights, too, which isn’t always as common as you’d expect.
The UX250h doesn’t drive like the hybrids of yore. There’s no lash or transition as the drivetrain works its magic. In short, it just goes about its business like a regular car.
The UX250h is one that I could easily take across the country–and I even dig the mini tailfins.
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