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2019 Lexus UX 250h First Drive Review | Flashy looks and smart hybrid tech

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Lexus admittedly is late to the subcompact crossover segment, but it hopes to make up ground with the 2019 UX by offering an intriguing combination of hybrid technology and flashy design. Longer than any premium subcompact SUV rival at 177 inches, the UX's 60.6-inch height is lower than all but the Infiniti QX30 and Mercedes GLA, and it sits in the middle on width at 72.4 inches — the BMW X1 and Subaru XV are narrower, the Audi Q3 and Jaguar E-Pace wider. Those dimensions give the UX a much more hatchback/crossover feeling, rather than a boxy and upright SUV. The inline four-cylinder 2.0-liter gasoline engine teams with two electric motors to produce 175 horsepower channeled through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The hybrid offers electric all-wheel drive with a dedicated electric motor generator integrated into the rear differential. Despite the crossover looks, Lexus never suggests the UX is a proper off-roader. On-road it does feel a little more solid, and promises more traction on slippery surfaces off-road. The U.S. market gets a strictly gasoline-fed option too, in the UX 200. It's powered by a 2.0-liter 169-horsepower four-cylinder engine paired to Toyota's new direct-shift CVT transmission and front-wheel-drive only. Economy figures are still to be finalized, but Lexus estimates 33 combined mpg for the UX 200, with the all-wheel-drive 250h expected to achieve 38 mpg combined. Related: 2019 UX is the most affordable Lexus In Europe, the UX will be sold alongside the now-aging CT hatchback, despite rumors the CT is on its way out (it's already been axed in the U.S.). But the UX is by far the superior vehicle. The CVT in the Lexus UX is better and doesn't whine like the transmission in older versions of the CT. The UX also handles way better, even though for most customers its environmental credentials, keen running costs and distinctive design are more likely to factor into the buying-decision process. The UX's cabin is a welcoming space. It's smart, logical and less cluttered than the larger NX. Material quality is excellent and original in places too — the optional dashboard covering akin to textured Japanese washi paper is a good example — and Lexus is stressing the brand's superior craftsmanship, called Takumi, throughout its range. Unfortunately, the interior is hamstrung by the laptop-style touchpad for the infotainment screen (7-inch is standard, 10.25-inch on F-Sport trim).

2019 Lexus ES revealed before Beijing debut

After revealing the grille of the 2019 Lexus ES last week, Lexus posted a single photo of the whole shebang this morning. Only two sentences accompanied the image: "The all-new ES springs from a reimagined luxury equation. Engaging design, athletic performance, and renowned refinement transform Lexus's most popular sedan." We could be forced to wait until the Beijing Motor Show reveal on April 25 for substantial info on that transformation, but based on what we already suspect, the coming ES has big britches to fill. This seventh-generation sedan will be the first to go global, opening up a sales beachhead in Europe for the first time. The ES will also replace the GS there, perhaps signaling a shift in European strategy for taking on the Germans — the rear-wheel-drive sports sedan couldn't compete, so perhaps the front-wheel-drive family sedan will do better by not making a frontal assault on the segment leaders. The GS' fate isn't clear in the U.S., either, with the model expected to either go away or take a hiatus while designers reboot it. Lexus promised "the unexpected" with the new ES, and rumors of AWD have accompanied the news of "a range of advanced gasoline and hybrid powertrains." Right now the ES offers two powertrains, one gas, one hybrid, a bit meager to call "a range." From what we can tell of of the image above and teaser video below, the ES gets a lot sharper in front and along its flanks, skinny headlights mixing it up with a severely creased shoulder line. Out back, the sloping rear end gets bolstered by new taillights and a prominent spoiler. Barring any more teases or leaks, we expect to know everything about the ES a week from now come Beijing. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Beijing Motor Show Lexus Luxury Sedan lexus es

Lexus resurrecting SC name for big, expensive coupe

Lexus is preparing the SC nomenclature for its third act, after the first bombshell SC coupe from 1991 and the second, Desperate Housewives hardtop convertible evolution from 2001. The brand is aiming again for something that makes a deep mark, with rumored specs pointing to a large, heavy, powerful coupe that will square its spindle grille up against the Mercedes SL and BMW 6 Series. It will be built on the frame of the next-generation LS sedan, and Automobile says internal combustion motivation will come in three flavors. The starter will be a juiced-up version of the company's 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8, the one that currently makes 467 horsepower in the RC F. Stepping up from there will be some kind of hybrid powertrain good for around 500 horsepower; last year Motor Trend wrote that the hybrid would be based around a V6 ICE with Toyota's coming "multi-hybrid" system. The top step will be a twin-turbo version of the V8 that could exceed 600 hp. Early reports of dimensions have it at 185 inches long, 75 inches wide, and 53 inches tall. It is expected to use the world's first application of a ten-speed automatic transmission. It'll also get the RC F's torque vectoring mechanism for the rear-wheel-drive setup, though Car and Driver says an all-wheel drive option "might be added later." Aluminum and carbon fiber components will help manage weight. Its design will be inspired by the LF-LC concept, and right now its pricing is as murky as its looks. C/D posits an MSRP from $80,000 to $95,000, Automobile figures it will go "past the $100,000 mark," and MT pegs the situation at $150,000. All agree, however, that it will join the retail pipeline as a 2017 model.