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2020 Lexus UX 200 F-Sport Drivers' Notes | The little Lexus

The 2020 Lexus UX 200 is moving into its second year on the market, and we decided it was time to take a spin in the F Sport model. Similar to other F Sport models from Lexus, this one amps up the handling and styling, but retains the same powertrain as the base vehicle. That means we’re working with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, which is then paired with a CVT. With a 3,307-pound curb weight, this Lexus crossover/hatchback isnÂ’t going to win many drag races in this segment. Lexus tried to improve the driving dynamics in other ways, though. F Sport models get revised springs and more aggressive stabilizer bars in an effort to reduce roll and improve handling. Lexus says the 18-inch F Sport alloys are more rigid than the standard wheels, also aiding in the handling department. If sound is your thing, the F Sport also uses something called Active Sound Control that simulates the sound of up- and down-shifts. You know, since the UX is only available with a CVT. Both the grille and front bumper design are F Sport exclusive fittings. Same goes for the rear bumper and rear moldings, further separating itself from the regular UX 200. There are even more sporty touches on the interior. Lexus installs high bolstered sport seats it says were originally designed for full-on F models. Paddle shifters are placed behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel, too, allowing you to toggle through the simulated gear ratios. Aluminum pedals, scuff plates and an aluminum footrest all try and convince you that youÂ’re in something sporty. Since the UX is the smallest of Lexus crossovers, itÂ’s also priced at the bottom of the Lexus barrel. Our F Sport model started at $35,025 after the $1,025 destination charge, but a few options brought the final price to $41,285. The most expensive of the extras was the upgraded 10.3-inch infotainment system with navigation and premium audio for $2,200. Ours also had the F Sport Premium package that added a moonroof, rain-sensing wipers and heated front seats. The head-up display was an extra $500; a power rear tailgate was $600, and the blind spot monitoring system added another $500. A few other accessories and cheaper options brought us to our over-$40,000 total. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The UX is the style play in this segment. ItÂ’s certainly bolder than Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes, BMW and other small crossovers.

Next-gen Lexus RC will be a race car first

There has been one generation of the Lexus RC, the Japanese luxury maker's sports coupe meant to mix it with offerings like the Audi A5, BMW 4 Series, and Mercedes C-Class. Instead of doing that, it has hung back in the enthusiast consciousness with the Infiniti Q60, a car you remember — and remember is actually pretty good — when someone else brings it up. At least one exec at Toyota wants to change that for the next-gen RC, assuming we get one. David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development (TRD), spoke to Car and Driver at the recent 24 Hours of Daytona. C/D said Wilson "hinted" the coming RC will look at the Toyota Gazoo Racing GT3 concept revealed as last month's Tokyo Auto Salon for inspiration, the target being to create a better performing race car for global GT3 competitions, which will breed a better performing road car. "ItÂ’s fairly safe to connect the dots and suggest that [the GR GT3 concept] could be a precursor to the next global GT3 car for Lexus," he said.  As we wrote about the GR GT3 concept, Toyota believes it can provide more enjoyment for customers by commercializing race cars than by making customer cars racy. So instead of turning the next Lexus RC into a not exactly ripping IMSA and GT3 competitor, as it did with this one, the GT3 Concept could lead development of one or more Toyota Group race cars that, as required by GT3 homologation rules, become one or more road cars. Speaking to Motor1, Wilson and Lexus GM Andrew Gilleland affirmed the coming RC will be a racer first, Wilson saying, "Our Lexus RC F is a dynamite sports car, but I'll be candid and say that itÂ’s not a GT3 car. The current gen that weÂ’re racing right now was an afterthought to make it a GT3 car." That process gets reversed for the next coming, the president confiding to, "Before you put your first line on paper, you decide youÂ’re going to race that car and that shapes the design parameters, the performance parameters of that production car." Gazoo Racing said there'd be a prototype of the GT3 concept on track by the end of this year. We might learn then how Toyota and Lexus plan to push the sporty angle for track and road. As for when a new RC race or road car might debut, the TRD honcho would only say, "hopefully in a couple of years." Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Toyota aims to build autonomous car around 2020 [w/videos]

The race is on to get increasingly sophisticated forms of autonomous driving technology on the road, and brands like Tesla are bringing these solutions to some drivers now. But as one of the world's largest automakers, it's no surprise to see Toyota competing in the field, as well. By 2020, the company thinks a person could be largely unnecessary for freeway trips. With a suite of tech called the Highway Teammate, a modified Lexus GS is already showing what's possible. Using a combination of millimeter wave radar, LIDAR, and cameras, the GS gets a full view of the road, and software processes all of the info to make decisions. The result is a ride on the freeway without human interaction. The system can merge, change lanes, make passes, take curves, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Accurate map data is a necessity to make this work, so the system currently only being tested on Tokyo's Shuto Expressway. While Highway Teammate might not be the best name, it accurately communicates the way Toyota thinks of the tech. The company is making big investments in artificial intelligence to assist drivers, not completely replace them. You can see the system in action in the video below, and the second clip's gravely serious narrator explains the company's idea of having a fully connected road someday. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. New Toyota Test Vehicle Paves the Way for Commercialization of Automated Highway Driving Technologies Toyota City, Japan, October 6, 2015-Toyota has been testing a new automated driving test vehicle called Highway Teammate, with the aim of launching related products by around 2020. In addition to demonstrating the capabilities of next-generation safety technologies, the vehicle represents Toyota's view of the evolving driver-car relationship in the age of artificial intelligence. Toyota believes that interactions between drivers and cars should mirror those between close friends who share a common purpose, sometimes watching over each other and sometimes helping each other out. Toyota refers to this approach as the Mobility Teammate Concept, and Highway Teammate represents an important first effort to give form to this concept.