2021 Lexus UX 200 Review

Name: 2021 Lexus UX 200
Brand: Lexus

Price Range: $22,998 - $28,990

Below Average

7.1

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

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.

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Average price: $25,927

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Appraise My 2021 Lexus UX 200

Lexus UX 200 model years

2019

Lexus UX 200 for Sale

Pros

High fuel economy
Lots of standard and optional safety tech
Maneuverable around town thanks to small dimensions

Cons

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

What's new

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard
Part of the first UX generation introduced for 2019

Overview

Written by automotive expert Travis Langness

1/12/2021

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.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

9 listings

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2021 Lexus UX 200
Base 4dr SUV
$19,700
- 59,312 miles
- 5 Seats, 29 City / 37 Hwy MPG
- 34 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
- Blind Spot Monitorin...
Close
Located in Triangle, VA
**WE FINANCE**2021 LEXUS UX200**LANE KEEPING ASSIST**BACK-UP CAMERA**BLIND SPOT MONITOR**BLUETOOTH**HEATED SEATS**KEYLESS START**LANE KEEPING ASSIST**...
Vehicle History:
Rebuilt vehicle reported, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
Features and Specs:
32 Combined MPG (29 City/37 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
JTHP3JBH3M2043576
Stock:
M2043576
Certified Pre-Owned:
No
2021 Lexus UX 200
Base 4dr SUV
$27,675
good price
$1,172 below market
- 10,318 miles
- 5 Seats, 29 City / 37 Hwy MPG
- 200 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Neptune, NJ
Vehicle History:
No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
Features and Specs:
32 Combined MPG (29 City/37 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
JTHX3JBH3M2040550
Stock:
K440800
Certified Pre-Owned:
No
Listed since:
05-09-2026

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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.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Below Average

7.1

out of 10

We drove the 2021 Lexus UX 200 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7/10

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.

Comfort

7/10

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.

Interior

6.5/10

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.

Technology

7/10

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.

Storage

6.5/10

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.

Fuel Economy

9/10

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).

Value

8/10

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

7.5/10

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.

2021 Lexus UX 200 trim level differences

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: Compare the 2021 Lexus UX 200 trim levels in-depth.

Which UX 200 trim does Edmunds recommend?

The UX 200's upper trim levels offer a few attractive features, but we'd recommend the base trim level. Aside from a parking assist system and some upgraded headlights, the base trim comes standard with all of the UX's available safety equipment. And with the optional Premium package, you can add heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$186/mo

$211/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

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Reliability

The 2021 Lexus UX 200 has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Recalls

There are no recalls for the 2021 Lexus UX 200

Warranty

4 years / 50,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 6 years / 70,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 6 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 4 years / unlimited miles
Free maintenance Warranty: 1 years / 10,000 miles

Lexus UX 200 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.2

21 reviews

5(62%)

4(19%)

3(4%)

2(6%)

1(9%)

See all 21 reviews of the Lexus UX 200

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

A great value

JS, 03/20/2019

2019 Lexus UX 200 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)

We traded in a 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn for a 2019 Lexus UX 200 with Premium Package in Eminent White Pearl with Birch interior. At the time of this review, I have driven this car for 850 miles. The UX is the cheapest way to get into the Lexus brand via a new car. The window sticker for our car was $36,718 and it comes with plenty of features that make up for a great … value: Moonroof, auto dimming inner rearview mirror with compass and homelink, rain sensing wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, power rear hatch door with kick sensor, blind spot, full safety suite with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert with automatic braking, parking assist (sensors in the front and back of car), pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and road sign assist (the car has a camera that will recognize speed limit, yield, do not enter, stop, and a few other signs and display them in the instrument cluster). I think the key is to keep this car under $40k and not get it fully loaded. We decided against the F Sport package as well as the upgraded 10 inch screen. If you’re considering this car, you’ve likely read and watched some video reviews already and you might be concerned about the power and if it’s adequate. I’m finding this car to be plenty powerful around town, and I’m coming from a VW GTI which is much quicker. While this car is slower, it does not feel as slow as some people are making it out to be. Put the car in Sport mode and you have plenty of power to accelerate around town and on the freeway. Our other vehicle is a 2018 Lexus RX450h F Sport. I’m surprised how many features this UX has that either carry over from the current gen RX or are even better. For example, the RX has a heated steering wheel but it’s only an on/off button, whereas the UX has an auto feature and two stages (high and low). You also have the new Lexus Concierge which turns both front seats and the steering wheel on “Auto” and all three will adjust to the climate control. Of course, you also get Apple CarPlay which the majority of the Lexus lineup still doesn’t have.  Another thing that I was surprised to learn was that the UX offers a black headliner with certain interior colors — even without having to opt for the F Sport package. This is something I always prefer to have in a car, and it’s nice to not need the F Sport package just to get it. Speaking of the interior, we had a tough time deciding between the black interior vs. birch interior. We ended up with birch which is a very, very light gray (almost looks white). Most people were advising against it in favor of maintenance, but we took the risk and are so happy with the decision (so far). The black is just too dark, especially on the doors where nothing seems to break up the design other than the door handle. With birch, you get a little more contrast. The seats are extremely comfortable and the car glides like butter. You don’t feel like you’re driving the “cheap” Lexus. It’s actually very smooth, quiet, refined, and more fun in Sport mode than I would have thought. The back seat is pretty small, but you can still fit adults back there as long as all passengers aren’t 6+ ft tall. Here are my gripes: (1) We’re not quite getting the 33 combined MPG. I’ll continue to monitor and update this review as time goes on though. (2) There’s a lack of storage throughout. No sunglass holder, side pockets in front doors are small and they don’t exist in the rear doors. But that’s about it so far. We love everything else.  Do yourself a favor and consider this vehicle! You get so much for your money, including Lexus reliability and an impressive warranty. **UPDATE March 2020 (1 yr later)** We're still loving our UX! It has been reliable the entire time. We now have 15k miles on the car and have only gone to the dealer for 5k, 10k, 15k services. At the 10k service we mentioned a slight rattle in the front passenger door when playing music. The dealer was able to fix it with some insulation of some sort. No other issues to date! We continue to enjoy the smooth ride. The birch interior has also held up really well. It doesn't show any dirt, which is surprising given it's near-white color! **UPDATE Sept 2020 (18 months after purchase)** We are still enjoying this car! We're at just under 20k miles. Recently brought it to the dealer because of a rough shifting from 1st gear to CVT. The master tech performed a software update and checked some other items and it's much better, but still not perfect. I can live with it though. Putting it in Sport mode gets rid of the issue completely. We also had them lubricate the center armrest lid because it started to squeak when opening and closing. It's back to normal now. Looking forward to bringing the car on a road trip in a couple weeks. Last time, we got over 40 mpg on average while in Eco mode averaging about 68 MPH.

So What’s Not to Like

Steven Moore, 01/26/2019

2019 Lexus UX 200 F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)

I traded in a ‘16 RX350 for this ‘19 UX 200. Believe it or not this car is even more refined and immensely more satisfying. I could not believe how extremely quiet and isolated the smaller SUV has become. It absolutely turns on a dime. It is tremendously responsive in every detail from breaking to steering to every input you can conceive. The updated electronics are amazing. The …

Great Lexus Value

David D., 04/13/2019

2019 Lexus UX 200 F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)

I just leased this car, and love the flexibility. Currently, I also drive the LC500, and needed a more flexible car, with additional space for extra passengers, and to do shopping for larger items. I have had 8 Lexus' since 2001. I love this car. The size is perfect, the look is sporty, interior is not as expensive as my other Lexus', but I really needed a daily driver, to go to work …

I am so in love with my Lexus UX 200 FSport

Mia0214, 12/31/2019

2019 Lexus UX 200 F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)

I was apprehensive at first , but as soon as I started to drive it and felt the difference of what I was driving ! All the features , all the details, to drive it is an experience. I love the way it handles on the highway. The so hated track pad is so easy to use . I can Charge my phone without a cable . To answer my calls and message. My son programmed the garage door opener and it is a …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Lexus UX 200, so we've included reviews for other years of the UX 200 since its last redesign.

2021 UX 200 Features & Specs

Trim:

Base

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$33,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	32 MPG
Cost to Drive	$186/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	21.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the UX 200 models:

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.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover14%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good