2021 Lexus UX 200
| MSRP | $36,315 |
|---|---|
| Edmunds suggests you pay | $36,193 |
2021 Lexus UX 200 Review
- High fuel economy
- Lots of standard and optional safety tech
- Maneuverable around town thanks to small dimensions
- Infotainment interface can be difficult to use
- Limited rear legroom
- Cargo area has a high liftover height
- All-wheel drive is only available on the UX 250h hybrid
- Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard
- Part of the first UX generation introduced for 2019
The 2021 Lexus UX 200 is a likable compact luxury SUV. It's smaller and less expensive than Lexus' next-size-up SUV, the NX 300, but it's still well equipped with features. The interior is lined with lots of high-quality materials, and even the base trim comes with advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. For 2021, the UX gets even more safety equipment in the form of blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert — both are now standard.
On the downside, the UX 200 offers less interior space and is behind the curve when it comes to infotainment technology, especially compared to top competitors such as the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLB. For more information on the UX 200 and how it stacks up against its rivals, read the full Edmunds rating below.
Our verdict | |
The Lexus UX is a stylish little runabout. The interior design is distinctive, and there are a lot of luxury features. However, utility and infotainment are underwhelming, making the UX's luxury price tag a bit of an eyebrow raiser. | |
How does the UX 200 drive? | |
Outright acceleration is undeniably slow (0-60 mph takes 8.9 seconds), but the UX 200 is relatively zippy and playful as a city runabout. Brake feel is reassuring, which helps make the UX easy to drive. Emergency braking performance, however, is lacking. We measured a stopping distance of 129 feet from 60 mph, which is longer than average for a small SUV. The steering has a good on-center feel and steering resistance builds quickly, which makes the UX feel a bit more substantial than its size suggests. There's not much in terms of road feedback, but the steering is precise and easy to judge. The UX imparts confidence when going around smooth and sweeping turns, such as a freeway on-ramp. But it's less composed on bumpy or tight turns. | |
How comfortable is the UX 200? | |
Sadly, the smallest Lexus crossover doesn't go big on comfort. The front seat has pleasantly supportive cushions, but the seatback's distinct contour won't please everyone. The ride is rougher than we'd expect too. The suspension smooths out sharp edges, but it still transmits too much of the road surface into the cabin. Heating and cooling are strong. The heated and ventilated seats aren't the most powerful, but they get the job done. The UX doesn't do the best job of isolating you from traffic noise, and depending on the road surface, there's also noticeable road and tire noise. | |
How’s the interior? | |
This is a small vehicle, especially compared to other subcompact SUVs. The front accommodations are a bit narrow. Taller passengers will have to duck in and out of the back seat and will find legroom lacking. The interior is attractively designed, however, even if the controls are a bit confusing to use at times. The infotainment touchpad is especially frustrating. The bottom of the windows is high, so you feel like you're sitting quite low in the car, and the thick roof pillars create blind spots. You can raise the seat, but then you might find the gauge cluster and wheel are mounted awkwardly low. The steering column lacks sufficient range of motion to accommodate a variety of natural seating positions. | |
How’s the tech? | |
The UX's infotainment system display looks nice, and it's not difficult to figure out how to do things, but the touch interface adds a layer of frustration to every interaction. The best results while using voice controls come from following the on-screen guide step by step, but that takes more time and is just as distracting as performing tasks by hand. The optional eight-speaker audio system at least provides strong and accurate sound. As for driver aids, the UX comes with plenty of them standard. Most of the systems seem to lack the refinement found in more expensive Lexus vehicles. The adaptive cruise control, for instance, is overly twitchy when braking and accelerating. | |
How’s the storage? | |
The UX 200 offers an underwhelming amount of storage space. The load floor isn't particularly wide, and the liftover point is a bit high. For small items, you get anti-tip cupholders and a modestly sized console box under the armrest. There's a small shelf in front of the shifter with just enough room for a phone. The door pockets are quite small. Got small kids? Car seat anchors and tethers are clearly marked and easy to access thanks to large plastic sleeves with doors that pop on and off. Bulky rear-facing car seats may have issues clearing the front seatbacks when being installed or removed. They'll also interfere with front seat travel. | |
How’s the fuel economy? | |
The UX offers top-notch fuel economy. Its EPA-estimated 32 mpg combined blows competitors out of the water. There's also the fact that you'll be filling up with regular gas in a class where premium is the norm. As long as you avoid the temptation to rev up the engine a lot to compensate for the lack of power, you'll likely spend less on gas in this than anything in the class (except the UX hybrid). | |
Is the UX 200 a good value? | |
The UX comes with a nicely designed and constructed interior with a lot of soft-touch materials. Every surface seems to have some sort of texturing, which adds depth and visual interest to the cabin. Lexus' warranty is typically better than average. | |
Wildcard | |
The UX looks very nice on the inside, especially with the Luxury package. The car's design and execution make it stand out from the crowd. It seems to be aiming for "zippy city runabout with style" and it succeeds … even if we could stand a little more zip. | |
Which UX 200 does Edmunds recommend?
Lexus UX 200 models
The 2021 Lexus UX 200 is an extra-small five-passenger SUV that comes in base, Luxury and F Sport trim levels. It uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (169 horsepower, 151 lb-ft of torque) that sends power to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is not available on the UX 200, but it does come standard on the UX 250h, the hybrid version of the UX (reviewed separately). Feature highlights include:
2021 Lexus UX 200 pricing
in Ashburn, VA
Features & Specs
- Base MSRP
- $33,000
- MPG & Fuel
- 29 City / 37 Hwy / 32 Combined
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 12.4 gal. capacity
- Seating
- 5 seats
- Drivetrain
- Type: front wheel drive
- Transmission: Continuously variable-speed automatic
- Engine
- Inline 4 cylinder
- Horsepower: 169 hp @ 6600 rpm
- Torque: 151 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
- Basic Warranty
- 4 yr./ 50000 mi.
- Dimensions
- Length: 177.0 in. / Height: 60.6 in.
- Overall Width with Mirrors: N/A
- Overall Width without Mirrors: 72.4 in.
- Curb Weight: 3307 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity, All Seats In Place: 21.7 cu.ft.
Safety
Our experts’ favorite UX 200 safety features:
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
- Monitors lane markings, warns you if you are drifting, and can even help steer the vehicle back into the lane of travel.
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Helps drivers maintain a preset distance by adjusting the vehicle's speed in relation to the vehicle directly ahead.
- Intelligent High Beams
- Switches between high and low beams automatically by using cues from a camera that helps detect when other vehicles are present.
Lexus UX 200 vs. the competition
2021 Lexus UX 200
2021 BMW X1
Lexus UX 200 vs. BMW X1
The BMW X1 addresses two of the UX 200's biggest drawbacks: space and power. On the inside, the BMW offers more cargo space, more headroom and more rear legroom. Under the hood, the X1 has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that puts out 228 horsepower — you'll feel the difference of the extra 59 hp compared to the UX. The BMW is slightly more expensive and a bit less fuel-efficient, but between the two, it's the one we'd rather drive on a daily basis.
Lexus UX 200 vs. Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class
The GLB is one of Edmunds' top-rated extra-small luxury SUVs. It offers a spacious and upscale interior and lots of high-tech features. The GLB is significantly more expensive than the Lexus, however, and several of the Lexus' standard features are optional on the Mercedes. If you're looking for a bargain, the UX may win out, but if you're looking for the best vehicle in the segment, it's the Mercedes-Benz GLB.
Lexus UX 200 vs. Audi Q3
The Audi Q3, along with the Mercedes-Benz GLB, is one of our favorite vehicles in this class. It has a top-notch interior that's packed with all the features you'd expect from an Audi. There isn't anything about the Q3 that feels cheap or underwhelming, but it isn't as fun to drive as some rivals. At base trim levels, the UX undercuts it slightly in terms of pricing, but we think the Audi is worth the extra coin.
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FAQ
Is the Lexus UX 200 a good car?
What's new in the 2021 Lexus UX 200?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2021 Lexus UX 200:
- Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard
- Part of the first UX generation introduced for 2019
Is the Lexus UX 200 reliable?
Is the 2021 Lexus UX 200 a good car?
How much should I pay for a 2021 Lexus UX 200?
The least-expensive 2021 Lexus UX 200 is the 2021 Lexus UX 200 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $33,000.
Other versions include:
- 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $33,000
- Luxury 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $37,700
- F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $35,000