After a breezy 24 hours in the hands of Lexus’ exemplary PR and events team, I struggled to put my finger on exactly what it was about Lexus launch events that made me feel like a king in such a brief but brilliant space of time. Not until our closing lunch of the all-new Lexus UX launch did I properly take notice of the Japanese word Omotenashi; a hard to define, age-old principle of Japanese hospitality that emphasises the anticipated service of one’s needs – before they know they need them. Every single aspect of our short time with the brand’s city slick UX (Urban Crossover) SUV was preempted and planned for so that not a single headache would arise during our experience, clearing our conscience for one thing only – the UX itself. More on this admirable approach to hospitality later.
So what exactly did I find myself in the driver’s seat of today? A bold, brand new and very achievably priced Lexus compact SUV. Built on the new Global Architecture – Compact (GA-C) platform, the gateway model is dynamic and powerful while still petite and sexy enough for the urban-rooted millennial with a weekend desire for adventure.
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Rewinding for a moment, the first notable experience I had in the UX was actually as a passenger the previous evening, and one eager to see what the rear seats were like for a 6 ft 4″ bloke on his way to dinner in The Rocks. Before I’d even entered the UX, the particular car nominated to whisk us away to our destination was in a curiously beautiful olive green (pictured above). It might have just been the environment it found itself in or the stunning light of golden hour – but I absolutely loved it. Forgive me, I’m getting distracted (but that green though, c’mon).
Once my head had stopped spinning from an infatuation with the paint job, I became genuinely surprised at how at-home this compact piece of kit felt zipping us through the narrow cobblestone streets of Chippendale. It mixed the profile height of a sedan with the practicalities of an SUV much, much larger than itself. Backseat room was limited for a man of my size, as was to be expected, but as a carrier of four people in our instance, it got the job done with ease and in comfort. Our destination? Sydney’s magnificent Sake Restaurant, courtesy of Lexus brand ambassador, Neil Perry.
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Following an indulgent evening of quintessential Japanese cuisine and craftsmanship, we retired to the Old Clare Hotel (of which the suites there are some of my favourites in Sydney – another tick for Lexus) and enjoyed a restful evening before being greeted promptly at 8 am by our personalised breakfast orders (in which they remembered my flat white coffee of choice, well done).
Wasting no time, I finally found myself in the cockpit of a UX250h ‘F Sport’ – which boasts a fourth-generation self-charging hybrid powertrain featuring a new 2.0-litre petrol engine specifically engineered for, and matched to, this new platform. The other option was the UX 200, a spirited 2.0-litre petrol vehicle with impressive efficiency and consistency, but in the urban conditions the ideal buyer of this car would find themselves in, I couldn’t help but think the hybrid seemed like the no-brainer.
Asking for just $45,000 at its head-turning entry price before you consider all the fun on-road costs, it didn’t take long for me to predict that the UX will perform well – very well – in a soaring urban SUV market that priorities size, efficiency and technology. As we meandered across the bridge and zig-zagged our way through the North Shore, the UX became so intuitive and hassle-free that I felt like the car had been pre-programmed specifically for me – an extension of this theme of omotenashi that seemed to reign true across our entire launch experience.
A day running about in the UX confirmed its place as a smooth, tech-laden city whip that drives like a coupé (thanks to a noticeably low centre of gravity) but with the practicality of an SUV. Aside from the ‘F Sport’ upgrade I found on my model, a ‘Sports Luxury’ package is also available to fulfil a customer’s dynamic driving desires but with a touch more comfort. Regardless of each package, however, occupants of every UX will find a seemless, all-new infotainment and digital dash system that makes it hard to revert to any car made prior to 2019.
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Now the smallest member of the Lexus SUV family and their most attractive entry vehicle into the brand, I completely understood why such a little car deserved such a meticulous launch event. If the UX is to appeal to the first-time luxury car buyer, then why not play the trump card on the first hand and blow them out of the water? Once they’ve had a taste, they’ll never look back.
Lexus (and their PR team) clearly came to that conclusion well before I did. Once again, it seems I can find nothing but praise for the excellent Japanese experience and their equally excellent product. For more on the Lexus UX and to book a test drive yourself, head to the Lexus website.
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