Lexus UX Hybrid vs Toyota Prius

Decades ago, few cars were anywhere near as fuel efficient as the Toyota Prius. Today, the 2025 Prius remains the fuel economy champion, but numerous alternatives are close behind. Some even offer more interior room at a lower price. That reality, coupled with the Prius’ cramped interior, limited trunk space, and general weirdness, means hybrid car buyers have options. In response, Toyota adds a new Nightshade trim level with a blacked-out look to the 2025 Prius lineup.

Verdict: The point of the 2025 Toyota Prius is fuel economy, but our Prius Nightshade test car averaged 39.2 mpg, falling significantly short of the EPA estimate of 52 mpg in combined driving. That certainly isn’t superior to roomier hybrid cars from Honda, Hyundai, or from within Toyota’s own lineup.

The glossary of automotive terminology is quite elastic. Words like sedan, coupe, and SUV were once used to describe very specific types of vehicles. But as automotive genres have blended, so have the definitions of these words. It’s how Porsche and Mercedes-Benz can call four-door SUVs with limited cargo space “coupes.” And it’s how the 2021 Lexus UX Hybrid can be generously described as a sport utility vehicle.

The UX is considered a crossover SUV but, in reality, it’s a hatchback with a slight lift and added plastic wheel arches. You won’t be off-roading in the UX. Heck, even certain unpaved roads will be too much for the UX. But the smallest Lexus crossover is an incredibly refined commuter, and the hybrid is an efficient machine for daily driving. The UX also has underwhelming acceleration and is in desperate need of an infotainment system update. But the luxury hybrid small SUV segment is a small one. Will this extreme niche insulate it from its deficiencies? Read on to find out.