2024 Lexus UX hybrid gets significant upgrades to better compete with the BMW X1, Audi Q3, and Volvo XC40 - but when will we see them in Australia?

The popular hybrid version of Lexus’ UX small SUV has received some major upgrades in the North American market for the 2024 model year.

For a start, the 250h variant is replaced by a 300h variant with a new ‘fifth-generation’ hybrid drive system, at least for the North American market.

While it’s hard to tell the difference between the new and old versions from the outside, the 2024 UX scores new headlight and tail light designs, and a handful of tweaked styling touches and colour choices. The inside features more obvious upgrades, including a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster becoming available to match the existing 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen.

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One of the most important upgrades this time around is the new hybrid drivetrain. It continues to pair a 2.0-litre engine with Toyota’s signature hybrid transaxle, but this time upgrades the battery to a lithium-ion unit from a nickel-metal hyrdrid one, and upgrades power to 83kW on the front axle, and 30kW on the rear axle. Together, the drive units with the engine produce a combined 146kW, up from the current UX250h’s 135kW output.

While it’s hard to tell the difference between the new and old versions from the outside, the 2024 UX scores new headlight and tail light designs.

Other innovations for the 300h variant include shift-by-wire technology, which removes the mechanical connections from the transmission, allowing what Lexus says is a “quicker and more seamless shifting experience”. The damper oil and friction control in the shock absorbers have also been tweaked for this year, in order to have a “positive impact on ride quality”.

The UX range now features a larger digital instrument cluster.

Additional features added include a head-up display and a tweaked radar cruise control which adds a speed management feature for upcoming corners, and a feature called ‘proactive driving assist’ which can actively intervene in corners to “support driving tasks such as distance control between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist”.

In its American launch market, the 300h starts from the equivalent of AU,786, slightly above that of the current base UX250h which sits at ,320 before on-roads locally.

In its American launch market, the 300h starts from the equivalent of AU$55,786, slightly above that of the current base UX250h which sits at $54,320 before on-roads locally.

When asked for timing on the tweaked UX hybrid, a Lexus Australia spokesperson explained that “different markets have different model cycles, so we don’t have anything to share on UX at this point in time”.

A new shift-by-wire system has been implemented for the UX300h.

The UX finished 2023 in fourth position amongst premium small SUVs in Australia with 2468 units registered, trailing the segment-leading Volvo XC40 (5837), the BMW X1 in second position (4644), and the Audi Q3 in third (4457). However, if you add the Mercedes-Benz GLA and its EQA electric spin-off together (3077), they also eclipse the Japanese challenger’s numbers. Regardless, it has still been a solid year for the Lexus small SUV as it was up 110 per cent over its 2022 tally.

The UX finished 2023 in fourth position amongst premium small SUVs in Australia with 2468 units registered, trailing the segment-leading Volvo XC40 (5837), the BMW X1 in second position (4644), and the Audi Q3 in third (4457).

In 2024, it will face increased competition from the brand-new BMW X1 and X2 as well as the new Alfa Romeo Tonale and Mini Countryman, however Lexus is expected to add a new smaller and even more affordable premium option in the form of the Yaris Cross-based LBX during the course of the year.