ArcaMax

"Economical" is not usually what you get when you buy a luxury-brand car, but there are some that are. Perhaps the most famous example of the species is the Mercedes 300D sedan of the '80s. It was a luxury car that was almost as economical to drive as many economy cars of its time, because it had a diesel engine under its hood.

Diesel engines are hard to find anymore -- chiefly because federal emissions regulations have made it extremely difficult to offer them.

But there are some new luxury cars that are even more economical to drive than most of today's economy cars, even if they don't have diesel engines.

One such is the Lexus UX300h.

What It Is

The UX300h is Lexus' least expensive -- and most economical -- model. This five-door crossover wagon is also Lexus' smallest model, being about the same size as a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, which it's related to.

Interestingly, the Lexus is more economical than the Toyota, which touts 45 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway. The Lexus can go 43 mpg in city driving and 45 mpg on the highway -- a difference of 7 mpg versus its Toyota-badged sibling.

The UX300h is also the only subcompact luxury-badged crossover that comes standard with a high-economy hybrid powertrain. Others in the class -- such as the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Mercedes GLA -- aren't available with a hybrid powertrain and so cost more to drive and a lot more to buy.

A 2025 Mercedes GLA250, for instance, lists for $43,100. A '25 BMW X1 starts at $40,950.

You can pick up a new UX300h for $36,540 to start; and you can buy a loaded F Sport Design version for $40,490 and still spend less than it would cost to buy the base trim versions of the Benz GLA or the BMW X1.

A top-of-the-line F Sport Handling with the optional all-wheel-drive system lists for $46,575. You can also add AWD to any of the other UX trims as an a la carte option.

A CVT automatic is standard regardless.

What's New for 2025

The main change for the new model year is the name -- from last year's UX250h to this year's UX300h. But the name change also reflects an increase in both power and economy.

That's almost as unusual as a luxury car that's less expensive to drive than almost any economy car.

What's Good

-- More power, better performance -- and better mileage.

-- Jet-fighter cockpit layout.

-- Agile handling/very easy to park.

What's Not So Good

-- Tight back seat.

-- Smallish gas tank (just 10 gallons) makes it feel less efficient than it is.

-- Rivals like the X1 and GLA are quicker.

Under the Hood

Every UX300h trim comes with the same powertrain, consisting of a 2.0-liter gas engine paired with a hybrid system that can run the vehicle's accessories when the engine is off, which is how this littlest Lexus can deliver 43 mpg in city driving and 45 mpg on the highway. The latter figure is interesting -- because the UX is a hybrid.

It is typically the case that a hybrid gets better mileage in city driving than on the highway, because in low-speed/stop-and-go city driving, a hybrid's engine can be cycled off more often, thus burning less gas. But on the highway, a hybrid's engine is not only usually running -- to keep the vehicle moving -- but also working harder because in most hybrids the gas engine is a little too small and not powerful enough to keep the vehicle moving without running hard.

But this littlest Lexus has a large enough engine for its size and has power enough to keep the UX running at highway speeds without running hard.

Another interesting thing is that this Lexus -- which has the same powertrain as the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid -- is more economical to drive on the highway. This may be due to the lower/sleeker profile of the Lexus -- which stands just 60.6 inches high versus 64.9 inches for the Toyota. The cost of this -- insofar as it concerns the Lexus -- is less headroom and room for cargo.

But the main interesting thing is that the Lexus is vastly more economical to drive than other subcompact luxury crossovers such as the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA. The X1's mileage is only 25 mpg city, 34 mpg highway; the Benz GLA's is slightly better: 26 mpg city, 34 mpg highway. But neither is even close to the 43 mpg city/45 mpg highway you get in the UX300h.

On the downside, this littlest Lexus isn't quite as quick as others in the class such as the X1 and GLA, which can get to 60 mph in six seconds or less. The UX250h takes about eight seconds to make the same run, which is quicker than last year's UX250h (which took close to 10 seconds to get to 60 mph). But it's still not as quick as the others in the class.

Such is the cost of economy-car mileage.

There's one other cost too -- though it may not matter to you if you don't need to pull anything behind you. Lexus does not rate the UX300h to pull anything. Interestingly, the closely related Toyota Corolla Cross -- which (again) has the same hybrid drivetrain -- is rated to tow up to 1,500 pounds, the weight of a small trailer that can be used to haul a riding mower or a couple of dirt bikes.

The reason why may have to do with another interesting thing, which is that though the UX300h and the Corolla Cross are closely related and almost exactly the same size, the Lexus is several hundred pounds heavier -- 3,455 pounds versus a comparatively svelte 3,097 pounds for the Toyota. Which is likely lighter for just that reason.

It's a Toyota.

The Lexus is a luxury iteration of the Toyota and so has more padding and sound deadening as well as more luxury equipment, which inevitably adds weight.

On the Road

The '25 UX300h lives up -- somewhat -- to its image. This little Lexus looks speedy, and you expect it to be speedy when you sit down in the cockpit, which is exactly the right word because that's what it looks like you're sitting in. The gauge cluster is fighter-jet cozy. It has knobs on either side -- the one on the right controls the drive modes -- that look as if they were inspired by an F16's.

So expectations are pretty high.

In the previous iteration of the UX -- the 2024 UX250h -- they weren't lived up to, at least insofar as what happened when you floored the accelerator pedal. Ten seconds to 60 mph isn't exactly speedy. In a Prius, it's OK. In a Lexus, it's disappointing.

So Lexus shaved about two seconds off that time, and now the UX300h -- while not a Porsche killer -- isn't a Prius that looks like a Porsche. And the fact that it goes farther now on a gallon of gas is the kind of cherry on top that isn't very common. It's just a shame it doesn't feel as long-legged as it is.

Or -- more finely -- could be.

This little Lexus has a little gas tank that holds just a little bit more than 10 gallons of gas, which isn't very much. And that's why this extremely economical little Lexus "only" goes about 450 highway miles on a tankful. If it had a 15-gallon tank, its highway driving range would be close to 700 miles -- and that would really drive home just how little gas this little crossover uses.

But there is an upside to the smallish tank, which is that it takes about two minutes to fill. Contrast that with how long it takes to even partially charge an electric car. Or how much longer it takes to fuel up a BMW X1 or Mercedes GLA's larger tank -- and how much sooner you'll be having to stop (again) to refill.

Another high point is this little Lexus' CVT automatic -- because it is not like other manufacturers' CVT automatics. Lexus (and Toyota) CVTs are the only CVTs that have a first gear -- called a "launch gear" -- that "hands off" to the continuously varying part of these CVTs. This makes Toyota/Lexus CVTs feel and respond very much like smooth-shifting conventional automatics, without the usual CVT feeling of disconnectedness and even slippage while accelerating. It also makes Toyota/Lexus CVTs more reliable, which isn't a small thing, especially when you're buying a Lexus.

Agility is another strong point. The small footprint allows threading of the needle and easy parking without a lot of making back-and-forth adjustments. But the long wheelbase (103.9 inches) relative to that small footprint gives this little Lexus the planted and stable feel of a larger car.

It is among the most fun hybrids to drive because it doesn't drive like most hybrids -- which have the feel of the appliances they are.

At the Curb

As mentioned above, the UX300h has a small footprint. It is only 177 inches long -- which is just a few fractions of an inch longer than the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid it shares its platform with. It is also much sleeker-looking (and lower-sitting) than its more appliance-like Toyota sibling, which is why the Lexus has less cargo space behind its second row -- 17.1 cubic feet versus 21.5 cubic feet for the Toyota -- and significantly less second-row head space (36.3 inches) versus its more appliance-shaped rival (39 inches).

On the upside, both have ample front-seat legroom -- 42.9 inches for the UX versus 42.0 inches for the Toyota. The Lexus is comfortably cozy for two with enough room in back to make up for not so much room behind the backseats. And it can still carry passengers back there in a pinch.

The big sell here is the jet-fighter looks -- outside and in. Put another way, the way this Lexus does not look like every other crossover. It isn't one you'll have trouble finding in the parking lot when you return from shopping. And you may even get a few looks while you're driving it.

It also doesn't look or feel like the Corolla Cross it's related to, either inside or out. Materials, fit and finish justify the Lexus badge -- and price.

The Rest

All trims come standard with an LCD touch screen for controlling the secondary systems, such as the stereo -- but Lexus includes secondary rotary control knobs that make it easier and (arguably) safer to control such functions as volume and channel adjustment by feel, without having to look at the touch screen.

The Bottom Line

If you're looking for a small luxury crossover that's more economical to drive than almost any economy car, the UX300h may be just the one you're looking for.

It's also the only one too. Because none of its rivals are hybrids, even optionally.

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Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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