TIME TO TAKE A LAP IN LUXURY
The brand’s latest mixes quality and practicality
tHE car of choice for growing families has undergone a step change in recent years. Merely seeking out a hatchback offering decent value for money is no longer good enough.
These days it more often than not needs to be something with the flexibility of an SUV but also as nimble and manoeuvrable to drive around town as a hatchback.
You can add some eye-catching design and premium quality to the equation too, which sets things up nicely for the latest addition to the Lexus line-up – the UX.
The luxury division of Toyota sees the UX as a ‘gateway’ model, designed for the modern ‘urban explorer’ – many of whom will not only be experiencing their first Lexus, but also their first luxury vehicle.
The plan is for it to play a key role, alongside the established Lexus CT hatchback, in helping the Japanese brand achieve its target of 100,000 annual sales in Europe by next year.
In the UK, the UX is offered exclusively as a self-charging hybrid and powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and with a continuously variable (CVT) transmission.
Boasting a total power output of 181bhp, the UX can accelerate from 0-62 in 8.5 seconds and on to a potential 110mph – so for a compact SUV the UX’S performance is competitive.
More impressive is the car’s fuel economy, our front-wheel drive variant returning 54 miles per gallon over 180 miles of principally city and suburban driving compared to the official 68.9mpg. CO2 emissions are also low at 95g/ km.
Attractive figures of course, however buyers are going to expect appreciably more from a car that may start at £29,905 but at the top end of the scale can set them back more than £41,000.
They get this in spades from the UX.
For instance the cabin has been designed to feel more like a luxury saloon, though with SUV versatility and higher seating position.
And the materials, particularly the finish of the perforated leather seats, are of premium quality, as well as being eight-way power adjustable.
Lexus says the springs and foam in the cushions are specially designed to gently envelop the occupant and disperse pressure under the sciatic area – so there’s a boon for back or leg pain sufferers.
Then there’s the sound of the doors closing – and an example of the Lexus attention to detail.
The company’s acoustic engineers apparently worked with neural scientists to create the ideal door-closing sound.
Using research into the brain waves created when a luxury car door shuts, the team chose specific materials and adjusted the shape of the door by tenths of a millimetre to produce the perfect tone.
Otherwise the cabin is upmarket and spacious with decent legroom for three in the back while the boot is split level and has several compartments.
Our only gripe concerned climbing in and out of the front seats – do it too quickly and you can catch your knee on the corner of the dash.
With regards to equipment there’s plenty, with high spec variants also getting the likes of a head-up display, electronic parking brake, with auto hold, and a 10.25-inch display screen for the sat-nav and infotainment.
PEUGEOT’S all-new 208 is the first to adopt the company’s ‘Power of Choice’ philosophy where the customer simply chooses the model and powertrain leaving the rest to fall neatly into place.
With prices starting from £16,250, the dynamically-styled five-door 208 is available in richly equipped trim levels called Active, Allure and GT Line.
Powering the car is a punchy three-cylinder 1.2-litre Puretech petrol unit delivering 75, 100 or 130hp with a five or six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic transmission.
And for diesel fans, a four-cylinder 1.5-litre Bluehdi 100hp unit matched to a six-speed manual transmission is on offer.
For anyone with an eye on a greener future a fully electric e-208 will be also be on sale with the option of a flagship GT trim priced from £29,650.
Viewed from any angle, the latest generation 208 looks the part with all new styling and a dynamic profile. There are full LED headlights and there is, of course, the company’s traditional three-line claw effect lights.
These look even more appealing with a single light feature dropping down each side of the bumper resembling sabre teeth. A choice of grille designs complete the striking front end styling.
From the side, the 208 boasts flowing lines with rear privacy glass, dark pillars and a range of neat alloy wheels. From the back there are the 3D claweffect lights which are now connected by a large black bar with the PEUGEOT name written across it. Move inside and the interior oozes class.the latest i-cockpit layout includes a neat 3D instrument cluster, a compact multi-function steering wheel, high-end upholstery, a smart touchscreen, carbon-effect inlays, gloss black toggles, piano keys and plenty more besides. On the technology front, dependant upon trim level, expect to see the likes of a fully configurable head-up display, a Tomtom navigation system, Mirrorscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, Bluetooth, a wireless charging plate, plus a seven-inch touchscreen - this increases to 10 inches on higher grades. Peugeot believes the biggest selling 208 will be the 1.2-litre Puretech 100 SS 6-speed manual in Allure trim grade, so that’s the car we tried on a range of roads.
Priced at £18,850 (£20,195 with options), this model has 205Nm of torque and can complete the 0-62mph sprint in 9.9 seconds, topping out at 117mph. According to official figures, it can deliver 46.6-53.0mpg under WLTP testing with carbon emissions of 97g/km.
On the performance front, the 208 copes well with all sorts of driving conditions. The light, yet precise steering, makes it ideal for city driving or when unleashed on the country lanes. But it also has a mature side to its character and can easily cope with motorway or dual carriageways where it cruises effortlessly at 70mph.
The road holding is super grippy and the car feels nicely balanced as it zips through the country lanes with ample power on tap for overtaking slower moving vehicles.
There are drive modes called Eco and Normal that alter the way the car reacts, but if you want extra choice then the next grade up - GT Line - adds a Sport mode that really sharpens up the performance.
Despite its compact size, the new 208 is slightly longer than the outgoing model it replaces and that makes it a practical choice in its sector with space in the back for a couple of passengers provided the front seats are not pushed right back.
That said, anyone topping the six foot mark may find their hair brushing up against the headlining.
The boot has a capacity of 311 litres that increases to 1,106 with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat and there are lots of handy nooks and crannies to tuck away goodies such as the glovebox, central storage bin, door pockets, cup holders, smartphone docking station, seat back pockets and a deep tray in front of the gear stick.
With a four star Euro NCAP safety rating, the Peugeot 208 missed out on a maximum score because Active Emergency Braking radar is not included as an option on all trim levels.
But the car does have a lot of safety kit, including Active Safety Brake System which has intelligent autonomous braking and works in conjunction with the Distance Alert System, Active Lane Keeping Assist with Road Edge Detection and Road Sign Recognition, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency braking assistance, driver attention warning, Isofix child seat fixtures to the outer rear seats, electronic stability control, tyre pressure sensors and a full suite of airbags.
All in all, the latest 208 is a fabulous car that’s steeped in history but has been brought bang up to date and is ready to really shake up the supermini sector. It looks stunning, drives superbly well and there is a model to suit all tastes and budgets.
The latest 208 is a fabulous car that’s steeped in history but has been brought bang up to date