The first question I’m often asked when a group of people — usually men — discover that I’m a motoring journo, is: “What car would you like to own?” Invariably, the second is: “How do I get to do what you do?” 

It’s an enviable gig. I read somewhere that as far as dream jobs go, becoming a motoring scribe is an even more to-die-for profession than acing it as a Premier League football player. I’m not sure who did the research, but it makes me grin. 

When I answer, “a Lexus”, on the car-owning question, it’s usually not what they expected, and, sure, while I love a Beemer, Merc, Range Rover, Porsche, Ford Raptor, Lambo, Rolls or Aston Martin — the list goes on — when I think about really living with a car,  there’s something about a Lexus that just feels right.

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Clearly most South Africans don’t agree. Since 2006, when Lexus first launched in SA, compared with their superstar market-leading parent, Toyota, the luxury brand’s sales have been minimal. 

For instance, January saw Toyota SA sell a massive 12,532 units, accounting for a truly remarkable, record-breaking market share of 28.8% out of the 43,509 units sold in South Africa. 

And while the top-selling Hilux sold 2,769 units, the Corolla Cross, 2,042,  and the Starlet, 2,037, the company’s luxury child — Lexus — sold just 51 units. 

You get the picture? 

There’s no escaping the fact that, unlike in places like the US, the UK and China, where Lexus sells like hot cakes — specifically due to its hybrid, aka fuel-saving and low carbon emissions technology — when you look at the dismal local sale numbers for NEV (New Energy Vehicles), the vast majority of South Africans still don’t appear to give a hoot when it comes to driving efficient and “clean” cars. 

Bumpy road for NEVs

Blame a lot of that on unaffordable pricing due to ridiculously high import taxes on NEVs and, of course, on Eskom with its erratic power supply which has severely suppressed any inclination for motorists to even consider the idea of purchasing an all-electric vehicle. 

Toyota knows this.

At the recent State of the Motor Industry event in late January, head honcho of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), Andrew Kirby, said: “We have to recognise that SA is not currently geared up to receive many of these NEV technologies on scale. 

“For starters, we have a very limited charging grid (just 267 charging stations throughout the country — and mostly concentrated in your metro areas). 

“Now couple that with the very obvious energy crisis that we are experiencing, and you can see why a one-size-fits-all strategy is currently not feasible.”

Rather than concentrating on going all-electric, TSAM believes that hybrid technology has a vital role to play in the low emissions’ carbon journey.

While Lexus SA has been offering hybrid tech for more than a decade in models like the RX, the IS and the UX — all at a handsome price, mind you — in 2021, TSAM astutely introduced a hybrid option into their affordable Corolla Cross range. It’s proven to be a big hit among new owners, accounting for almost half of the Cross’ on-average 2,000-plus monthly sales. 

The hybrid Corolla Cross. (Photo: TMSA)

But there’s still a lot of confusion among consumers when it comes to hybrid tech. 

I’m often surprised how many people continue to think that a hybrid motor means having to plug in and charge the car’s battery. It doesn’t. In simple terms, a hybrid switches between a fuel engine and an internal electric motor. As a result, hybrid cars are more fuel-efficient than their straight petrol or diesel counterparts.

Lexus UX

The dominant grille and new headlamps on the Lexus UX. (Photo: TMSA)

Which finally gets me to the recently launched, up-specced hybrid Lexus UX.

The compact crossover was officially born at the Geneva Motor Show in 2018, squarely aimed at a young, creative market that primarily commuted in the city. 

At the launch back then, Chika Kako, chief engineer of the UX, said: “Right from the start, I focused on the target customer ― mid-30s, millennials, men and women ― and tried to understand how they would expect a luxury compact vehicle to change their lives and enable new experiences. 

“That’s what led us to the basic vehicle concept for the UX of Creative Urban Explorer ― a new genre of crossover.”

While local Lexus numbers are small, in South Africa the UX is one of the brand’s top sellers.

The updated 2023 UX250h still has a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine, and its hybrid powertrain pairs the 107 kW/180Nm petrol engine with two electric motors, resulting in a total system output of a perky 135kW and a healthy injection of around 400Nm combined torque. 

At first glance, you might not notice the difference between the “new” model and the outgoing one, as only minor visual updates have been made by way of new head and tail lamps, and the exterior mirrors are now darker. 

But the UX, with its angular design, huge mesh grille and those mean tail fins, has always been a looker — so I guess if it ain’t broke, why fix it? 

Savvy cabin 

However, it’s inside the cabin where the big changes can be found… and hallelujah! Gone is that f***ing cumbersome trackpad, criticised far and wide, especially by yours truly.

The upgraded touchscreen in the UX. (Photo: TMSA)

The UX now has a savvy touchscreen with crisp, clear graphics. Measuring up to 12.3cm, model-dependent, in the revised UX the screen has been mounted 14cm forwards, making it far easier to reach. 

The tech has also undergone significant improvements as the crossover now offers an “always connected” cloud-based navigation system, providing real-time road and traffic data.

Along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, there are thankfully still a couple of “old school” USB-A ports as well as a USB-C one. 

In every Lexus I’ve ever driven, it’s the subtle, premium vibes and the homage paid to detail in the cabin that have impressed. 

The UX is no different, with its sporty leather seats, set off by unique  “sashiko” stitching, a 1,200-year-old technique traditionally used to apply protective quilting to judo and kendo martial arts uniforms. 

Nifty seats in the F Sport. (Photo: TMSA)

Where one can sometimes feel as if one is driving a somewhat soulless, factory-produced machine when it comes to German luxury cars, the Japanese Lexus brand always has a whiff of bespoke.

I find it somewhat touching that the company has employed neuroscientists to research how the sound of slamming doors affects one’s brain waves, and, as result, adjust each vehicle’s “slams” accordingly – up to a tenth of a millimetre — to ensure that the tone of each door being closed is pleasant on the ear. 

And then there are the windscreen wipers… One of my pet hates as a passenger is getting drenched from the wipers as you get out of the car. So, in the spirit of omotenashi — Japanese for “hospitality” — the wipers stop automatically when the passenger doors open.

The drive

But putting all the intricate details aside, how does the UX 250h drive? 

At the launch in Cape Town last week, I experienced the top-of-the-range F Sport (there’s also an EX and an SE) which meant I had the super-fancy interior with stuff like a digital instrument cluster that features a moveable virtual ring which can also be found in the much-coveted Lexus LFA speed demon.

Talking of speed, while the UX is no lagger, sailing 0-100km/h in a respectable 8.5 seconds — helped along by some really good torque — you’re not exactly going to do drag races against a GTI. But it’s a super-comfy and dignified ride, soaking up bumps and showing impressive agility and stability on mountain bends.

In my F Sport, I managed to put some of the upgraded safety systems to the test. Along with all the usuals like Pre-Collision Assist, Intersection Turning Assist and Emergency Steering Assist (which helps a driver avoid obstacles without leaving their lane), there’s this new, really cool function connected to the cruise control system whereby “Curve Speed Reduction” will automatically change the vehicle’s speed to suit the radius of a bend.

Hybrid efficiency

The real party trick of the UX is its fuel efficiency.

In start/stop urban traffic, using the hybrid tech, you’ll probably get the manufacturer’s claimed 4.5 l/100km. On longer drives, I managed around 5.6 l/100km. 

In terms of family vibes, I don’t reckon you’d want to use the trendy UX for a brood of grubby kids. The boot space of 263 litres is pretty tight, although by dropping the rear seats, it increases to 1,200 litres. 

While for now Lexus appears to be firmly rooted in its niche appeal, its popularity as a brand is stealthily growing in SA. And it’s not like top-selling Toyota SA is exactly relying on Lexus for volume sales. 

Pricing: 

UX250h EX R792,700
UX250h SE R874,300
UX250h F Sport R928,900
UX250h F Sport Bi-tone R939,300 DM