Like a premium buffet, this sporty-yet-luxurious hybrid offers you a little bit of everything
The Lexus UX F Sport Hybrid 250h is a mouthful of a name for a buffet of a vehicle. It has a little something for everybody. Since it’s a Lexus, you can imagine it’s got luxury in the bag, but a buffet has more than just crab legs and quiche, and the UX does as well.
And since this is the F Sport Series 2 model, you’ve got paddle shifters, an exclusive three-spoke steering wheel, and 18-inch alloy wheels — that’s like putting a piece of cake on top of your roast beef.
But UX doesn’t stop at F Sport. That’s because this is also the hybrid model, which is the sensible side of broccoli to an otherwise hedonistic plate. It’s also a rarity in this segment. These days, it’s tough to tell what a crossover is actually crossing over, and the Lexus UX seems to be trying to cross just about everything: SUV, hatchback, sports car, hyper-miler. The only thing that’s missing is pickup truck.
The UX already rides the line between subcompact crossover and hatchback, but when you add the F Sport upgrades, this is the luxury hot hatch you didn’t know existed.
Inside the Lexus you are presented with accessories right to the brim. A suite of safety features is also included, as are driver assistance systems. Eight-way power-adjustable heated/vented seats, heated steering wheel, heads-up display, dual-zone climate control, and a handsome two-tone interior are just the appetizer, while the real meat is in the quality of construction. The switches on the dash for the climate control have a unique look, and remind me of something you might find in an airplane.
Because it’s a hybrid, the first thing you feel when you press the accelerator is the torque of the electric motor. This aids with wafting away gently from a stop, and effectively eliminating rubber-band effect from the CVT.
Being a luxury car I do find that nobody wants to let you merge, but that’s not a problem that’s exclusive to the Lexus. However, a vehicle that combines luxury, sports, and hybrid, is merging poison. The turn signals sound like the ticking of a grandfather clock, which matches the analog clock in the infotainment. Little touches like that are why you buy a Lexus.
Lexus doesn’t want to say, but zero-to-100-km/h happens in a little more than 8.0 seconds. That’s more than a second-and-a-half slower than a Golf GTI, but we are talking about a luxury CUV here. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder produces 181 horsepower, 13 of those coming from an electric motor mounted in the rear, which also provides all-wheel-drive. What seems on the surface a luxury feature is quickly realized as a performance addition.
Ride quality is a little bit firm for a luxury car, but for a sports car you might call it soft, so the UX is once again riding the line. The weighty progressive steering feels good: it’s more powered at low speeds, but firms up at higher speeds.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t make a nice noise really, but that’s just Lexus not letting the gravy touch the peas. Above all, a Lexus has to be comfortable, and quiet.
When it all boils down to it, this is really just Prius technology in a filet mignon package. It’s not a plug-in, so you can’t drive it fully electrically, but the UX is smart enough to know when you need to use the ICE engine and when you don’t.
On the highway, you can expect 6.2 litres per 100 km, while in the city it’ll be more like 5.7 litres. Yes, it gets better mileage in the city, because the electric motor kicks in to do the work instead of the internal-combustion engine.
The rear-seat legroom isn’t good enough in this segment. I was also really disappointed in the cargo space; there’s a two-tiered floor system, but it’s still much less space than competitors.
When’s the last time you saw a CD player and an aux cord? It’s nice to know you can drive around your friends who still carry around an iPod, I guess. The infotainment is actually okay, but the interface to access it is complete garbage — the goofy touchpad is terrible. Even if you were to get used to it, it requires way too much concentration to operate while driving.
It also took me on some wacky routes that I would never logically use, and almost made me turn the wrong way down a one-way street a few times. Luckily, Lexus finally introduced a new infotainment system on another model, so we’ll be seeing this disappear soon.
Yeah, the outside doesn’t look the best, but Lexus is sticking with its spindle grille for the foreseeable future. This is a vibrant colour, though, and I’ve gotta give Lexus props for offering this vehicle in something other than grey and white, although the hue does cost extra.
Much like a buffet, however, you’ve gotta pay to get a seat, and since the Lexus UX F Sport Hybrid is a black-tie affair, that seat is gonna cost you $51,921.70 when you add in all the cocktails.
So just like the buffet, the Lexus UX F Sport Hybrid has a little something for everybody. If you’ve got pockets deep enough for the entry fee, and a few extra cupcakes, the UX has plenty to offer.
MONTREAL – Lightspeed Commerce Inc. says it is conducting a review of its business and operations including talks relating to a range of potential strategic alternatives.
The Montreal-based payments technology company made the comments after reports concerning a potential transaction involving the company.
Lightspeed says it periodically undertakes a review of its business and operations with a view of realizing its full potential.
A strategic review is often seen by investors as a prelude to a sale by a company.
Lightspeed says its board of directors is committed to acting in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders.
Company founder Dax Dasilva returned to the role of chief executive officer earlier this year and has been working to return the company to profitability.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:LSPD)
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
OTTAWA – Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says there is a lot of uncertainty around how artificial intelligence could affect the economy moving forward, including the labour market and price growth.
In a speech in Toronto at the Economics of Artificial Intelligence Conference, the governor said Friday that the central bank is approaching the issue cautiously to get a better understanding of how AI could affect its job of keeping inflation low and stable.
“Be wary of anyone who claims to know where AI will take us. There is too much uncertainty to be confident,” Macklem said in prepared remarks.
“We don’t know how quickly AI will continue to advance. And we don’t know the timing and extent of its economic and social impacts.”
The governor said AI has the potential of increasing labour productivity, which would raise living standards and grow the economy without boosting inflation.
In the short-term, he said investment in AI is adding to demand and could be inflationary.
However, Macklem also highlighted more pessimistic scenarios, where AI could destroy more jobs than it creates or lead to less competition rather than more.
The governor called on academics and businesses to work together to shed more light on the potential effects of AI on the economy.
“When you enter a dark room, you don’t go charging in. You cautiously feel your way around. And you try to find the light switch. That is what we are doing. What we central bankers need is more light,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
CHICAGO (AP) — United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink WiFi service on flights within the next several years.
The airline said Friday the service will be free to passengers.
United said it will begin testing the service early next year and begin offering it on some flights by later in 2025.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The announcement comes as airlines rush to offer more amenities as a way to stand out when passengers pick a carrier for a trip. United’s goal is to make sitting on a plane pretty much like being on the ground when it comes to browsing the internet, streaming entertainment and playing games.
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do on board a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world,” CEO Scott Kirby said in announcing the deal.
The airline says Starlink will allow passengers to get internet access even over oceans and polar regions where traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals may be weak or missing.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Homan kicks off PointsBet women’s championship defence with 11-2 win over Wood
Foreign ministry rang alarm bell over challenges in countering disinformation online
S&P/TSX composite moves lower Wednesday, U.S. stock markets mixed
Macron, Trudeau meet as French president visits Canada
Housing starts up in six largest cities but construction still not closing supply gap
N.B. election debate: Higgs defends major tax cut promise as services struggle
Kevin Koe skipping a three-man curling team at PointsBet Invitational
Rising prices pinch B.C. households. Political parties feel the pressure, too
