Think of an automaker’s lineup as a high-rise hotel and the most expensive, prestigious model as the penthouse. Not everyone has the means to get there, but many can afford to stay in one of the lower floors. No matter which room they get, they have to start in the lobby on the ground floor. If their experience at the entry level goes well, perhaps that customer will come back in the future and stay in progressively nicer, more expensive rooms. That’s what the 2025 Lexus UX 300h is in the automaker’s lineup: the entry level. With a starting price of $37,515, it’s Lexus’ least expensive model and a possible gateway to a lifetime of Lexus vehicle ownership.
My colleague Luke Lamendola and I recently spent time in the flagship model of the 2025 UX range, the F Sport Handling AWD. According to the window sticker for our test vehicle, it had a base price (which included a $1,150 delivery, processing and handling fee) of $47,525. The addition of the Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 paint for the body with Obsidian for the roof, a head-up display, a wireless charger, and the Cold Area Package, which is just a windshield wiper de-icer, brought the as-tested price up to $49,545.
What does that kind of money get you in the Lexus lineup? I found out over a couple of days in the 2025 UX 300h F Sport Handling AWD (Luke spent more time in it, so be sure to check out his in-depth video review at the bottom of this page).
More Than a Suspension
As its name states explicitly, the F Sport Handling model comes with hardware designed to help it maneuver better. But it gets much more than that. In addition to an Adaptive Variable Suspension, the sportiest UX also has 18-inch F Sport wheels, heated and ventilated NuLuxe F Sport power front seats, an F Sport heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and other conveniences.
Instant Recognition
There’s no mistaking the UX for anything else – for better or worse. It’s an angular little machine with hard creases and sharp points, all of which stand out even more in Ultrasonic Blue Mica. The deisgn is not for everyone, but for those who just need to have a Lexus and want to make sure the world knows they got one, it’s perfect.
A First
You may have noticed that last year’s UX was called the UX 250h. If you’re thinking the 2025 UX 300h has more power, you’re right. According to Lexus, it’s the first vehicle powered by Lexus’ fifth-generation hybrid system, which consists of a 2.0-liter I4, two motor-generators, a lithium-ion battery replacing the outgoing nickel-metal hydride battery, a new hybrid transaxle, and a continuously variable transmission with new shift-by-wire technology. According to Lexus, that hybrid transaxle enables “higher output of the front (83 kW) and rear (30 kW) motors. Combined, the engine, lithium-ion battery and high-output motor deliver up to 196 horsepower.” Those changes add up to the UX getting to 60 mph faster than before. Front-wheel-drive models hit that speed in 8 seconds flat and those with the E-Four all-wheel drive system’s rear-axle motor reach it in 7.9 seconds.
Good Numbers
Under ideal circumstances, the UX 300h F Sport Handling AWD should be able to return 44 mpg in the city, 40 on the highway, and 42 combined. I was pleasantly surprised to discover my test vehicle was averaging 45.2 after 258.8 miles, according to the onboard gauges.
Different Sizes
Luxury manufacturers producing increasingly smaller, less expensive vehicles makes sense because it lowers the entry level through which potential lifetime customers can enter. However, there are inevitable downsides to that. Certain things are synonymous with a high-end vehicle; one of those is space. The UX was designed from the start to be more of a city car (UX stands for Urban X-[Cross]over), so it can’t be expected to have the same room as an ES. But when your left knee is so close to the driver’s door panel, you become aware of how much the front row is shrink-wrapped around you. That confinement feels at odds with the badge on the grille and the nearly $50,000 price tag.
In one way, the second row was surprisingly spacious. I’m 5’10” and my knees brushed the back of the front seat, but I was pleased to discover I had some headroom to spare.
One Omission
It wasn’t all bad in the front, though. The head-up display was a welcome addition that allowed me to check my speed while keeping my eyes on the road. Not only was the 12.3-inch touchscreen display generously sized, but it also offered the ease and convenience of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There were three stages of heating and ventilation for the front seats and two stages of heating for the steering wheel. Each setting could be manually chosen, but the auto mode for the driver’s seat and steering wheel did a great job of determining how much heating or cooling was needed. One feature that would’ve been nice to have is a higher-tier audio system. The UX 300h F Sport Handling comes with a 10-speaker Lexus setup, but a Mark Levinson upgrade – which would make the UX feel more Lexus-like – is not available.
Source: www.classiccars.com