Lexus UX 200 2021 Review

The 2021 Lexus UX 200 is a likable compact luxury SUV. It's smaller and less expensive than Lexus' next-size-up SUV, the NX 300, but it's still well equipped with features. The interior is lined with lots of high-quality materials, and even the base trim comes with advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. For 2021, the UX gets even more safety equipment in the form of blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert — both are now standard.

On the downside, the UX 200 offers less interior space and is behind the curve when it comes to infotainment technology, especially compared to top competitors such as the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLB. For more information on the UX 200 and how it stacks up against its rivals, read the full MatoCar rating below.

Which UX 200 does MatoCar recommend?

The UX 200's upper trim levels offer a few attractive features, but we'd recommend the base trim level. Aside from a parking assist system and some upgraded headlights, the base trim comes standard with all of the UX's available safety equipment. And with the optional Premium package, you can add heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2021 Lexus UX 200 is an extra-small five-passenger SUV that comes in base, Luxury and F Sport trim levels. It uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (169 horsepower, 151 lb-ft of torque) that sends power to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is not available on the UX 200, but it does come standard on the UX 250h, the hybrid version of the UX (reviewed separately). Feature highlights include:

UX 200 Base The base version of the UX 200 comes standard with:

• LED headlights
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 7-inch infotainment display
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility
• Six-speaker audio system
• Wi-Fi hotspot

Standard safety features for the UX 200 include:

• Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Lexus and the car in front)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the UX 200 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Options for the base UX 200 include:

• Premium package:
• Sunroof
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Automatic wipers
• Hands-free liftgate
• Upgraded headlights
• Heated steering wheel
• 10.3-inch infotainment display with navigation and eight-speaker sound system
• Wireless smartphone charging
• Parking sensors with automatic braking (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind or in front of the vehicle when parking, and can apply the brakes to minimize or avoid a collision)

F Sport The F Sport trim builds on the base trim by adding:

• Sport-tuned suspension
• Unique 18-inch wheels
• LED foglights
• Augmented engine sound generator
• Steering wheel-mounted paddles that control simulated gear shifts
• Sport front seats
• Upgraded digital gauge cluster

Luxury Compared to the base trim, the Luxury adds a few more extras, including:

• Standard Premium package
• Hands-free liftgate
• Driver-seat memory functions
• Illuminated air vent knobs
• Noise-reducing front windows

The Luxury and F Sport are eligible for the same options as the base trim, if not already included.