I’ve a taste for this!

Urban crossover is all crevasses and curves... it’s a real piece of architecture

THE base for the European launch of the Lexus UX 250h was Sitges, just south of Barcelona, and the test route took us on familiar roads towards the rugged western mountain range at Montserrat. On all these launches, there usually is a coffee stop midway so the driver and co-driver can switch places, and having seen the itinerary, I had a cunning plan.

The coffee stop this time actually was a wine stop, at the Torres winery in Vilafranca del Penedès, so I made sure to drive first, with the plan to have a couple of glasses and not have to worry about getting behind the wheel afterwards.

Alas, car companies are a little more responsible than that, and the only wines on offer were non-alcoholic white and red, and while they were very palatable, the lingering impression was that I’d just had a nice glass of grape juice.

Much tastier was the car itself, a new urban crossover (hence UX) that brings glittering style to the already crowded market for this bodystyle. Lexus doesn’t hold back when it comes to design, and this car is a piece of architecture, with crevasses and curves, flying buttresses and deep incisions. I’m pretty sure it will be divisive, but it certainly isn’t ordinary, which in my book is the greatest automotive sin of all.

Its single greatest design feature is the red warning light at the rear that runs from taillight to tailing in an unbroken line; it’s glorious, and almost equalled by the blade LEDs up front.

As I wrote here a few weeks back when reviewing the Lexus ES, the luxury Japanese marque doesn’t stint on refinement, but it often comes at the expense of driving pleasure. No such complaints here, as the UX brings a new urgency to the handling, with quite impressive feedback through the wheel to remind you that you actually have to drive at all.

This partially is down to the fact the car is the first Lexus built on parent Toyota’s GA-C platform, the same one as the CH-R. Not only does the platform itself lower the centre of gravity, that is augmented by the positioning of the nickel metal hydride battery under the rear passenger bench rather than in the boot. The combined effect is of tremendous stability, especially in cornering, but at no cost to a comfortable ride, thanks to double wishbone rear suspension mounted forward of the rear axle and tilted forwards to reduce impact from uneven road surfaces. All in all, it’s like wrestling a pillow.

You also can select from three drive modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – and the 184hp on tap when the petrol engine and electric motors work together gives just the kick you need. Surprisingly, because I’m no fan of continuous variable transmission systems, the CVT here is acceptable, with little lag and less straining on steeper hills.

Safety is a Lexus strongpoint, and here you get pre-collision warning, automatic braking, day-and-night pedestrian detection, daytime cyclist detection (a Lexus first), adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, road sign assist and automatic high beam.

My test car came in one of the new colours, a burnt orange they call Blazing Carnelian, though the nicest is the Terrane Khaki, an almost racing green that looks utterly sumptuous in blazing sunshine, but might be a little dark in Irish weather.

In Ireland, we’re getting the front-wheeldrive version only, and in three grades – SDesign (€40,200), Luxury (€44,950) and F Sport (€46,350), the latter of which brings 18-inch alloys, an eight-inch TFT screen on the instrument panel, exclusive upholstery, an F Sport seat and steering wheel, eightway-adjustable driver and front passenger seat, two-way power lumbar support, active sound control and paddle shifting.

It makes for a seriously pleasant cabin environment, though space in the rear is merely adequate rather than generous, and boot capacity of 320 litres pretty average for the segment too.

Though the UX is available as a petrolonly model in some territories, the Lexus fleet on offer in Ireland is fully hybrid, and as they have more experience than anyone else in that market, you can be absolutely sure of what you’re getting.

Lexus has done a fine job here. It’s very difficult to stand out in the biggest me-too segment of the motor industry, but they have managed it with ease, offering a car that’s cracking to look at, delightful to drive, and easy on the wallet.

And what that means is that you might have a few quid left every weekend to buy a bottle of wine. A real bottle of wine.