The Lexus UX is the Japanese luxury brand’s entry-level SUV. It comes only with a hybrid powertrain and front- or all-wheel drive (AWD) and takes on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the BMW X1 and X2, and the Audi Q3.
2026 Lexus UX Hybrid Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Lexus UX Hybrid
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Lexus UX Hybrid
The Lexus UX 300h gets only minor color and trim changes for 2026, after benefiting from a major update for the 2025 model year, when it received an upgrade to its hybrid system. That included a new lightweight lithium-ion battery, a new transaxle, a big jump in power, and a name change from UX 250h to UX 300h.
Design
The Lexus UX straddles the line between a small crossover SUV and a hatchback. The Lexus spindle grille dominates the nose, and it’s flanked by cat’s eye LED headlights and vertical air intakes. The sides feature flat-top wheel cutouts and prominent character lines that rise from front to rear, providing a sense of motion. The rear end has a sleeker shape than most SUVs, which are more squared off. The F Sport models add LED fog lamps and cornering lamps, unique front and rear bumpers, black roofs, black roof rails, and their own wheel design. All models ride on 18-inch alloy wheels.
Powertrain
The UX 300h’s hybrid powertrain teams a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors in front-wheel-drive (FWD) models and an available third electric motor on the rear axle for AWD. The motors draw their power from a lithium-ion battery and the UX makes a total of 196 horsepower with both FWD and AWD, but Lexus doesn’t quote a torque figure. The UX tops out at 45 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 43 mpg combined with FWD and 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 42 mpg combined with AWD. Despite available AWD, it is not meant as an off-roader. It’s also not rated to tow.
Interior
The UX gets synthetic-leather upholstery and eight-way power-adjustable front seats. Moving up to Premium trim adds heated and ventilated front seats, and the F Sport Handling trim includes driver’s seat memory. With just 33.1 inches of legroom, the rear seat is tight for adults. A sunroof is standard on all but the base model. Cargo space is limited due to the subcompact size and because the UX’s hybrid battery sits below the floor. With the rear seats up, it has 17.1 cubic feet of space; fold them down, and it tops out at 40 cubic feet.
Technology
Lexus outfits the UX with a standard 7-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. Moving up a trim level brings a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The larger screen comes with cloud-based navigation and Lexus’ Intelligent Assistant, which responds to “Hey, Lexus” voice commands and controls some vehicle and infotainment functions. Also standard are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a three-month trial of satellite radio. A wireless phone charger is available. The standard audio system has six speakers, while a 10-speaker system comes standard on the F Sport Performance model and is available as an option on other trim levels.
