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Japanese manufacturers are trying to play catch-up in the EV race after years of backing the wrong horse. That horse is hybrid cars. The Japanese automotive industry ploughed billions of dollars into hybrid technology in the belief that it was the most practical answer to global warming. However, the startling pace with which pure battery-powered electric cars have become mainstream has caught Japan’s car makers flat-footed and now they’re tripping over each other to bring an all-electric car to the market as quickly as possible. Lexus, the Toyota-owned luxury brand, has announced a raft of new electric cars it will be launching in this decade.
Lexus has been on the fringes of the Indian market ever since it came to India in 2017 but like every other auto company, big or small, it cannot ignore India’s exploding EV market.
Which is why Lexus India is evaluating the UX 300e, a compact all-electric SUV and the brand’s first crack at an electric car for the Indian market. How good is it and should Lexus bring it to India?
The look
Electric cars are expected to look techy by their tech-savvy owners and on that front the UX scores quite well. The signature spindle grille, which looks pinched in the centre, certainly gets your attention and other design elements like the dagger-shaped headlights, and the origami-like sharp folds and cuts that adorn the body all add up to give the UX a futuristic look.
The interior gets the same busy and geometric design treatment. The dashboard is layered with different textures and surfaces which does look a bit excessive, but giving relief are the controls for the air-conditioning. They are good old-fashioned buttons and thankfully, Lexus hasn’t followed the trend of moving these controls to a hard-to-access menu on the touchscreen. The 10.25-inch screen is sharp and easy to use; if you don’t use the ultra-sensitive touchpad and instead just poke the icon on the screen. The instrument panel is digital too, with multiple view modes, but the range metre is curiously old-school and looks like a fuel gauge plucked from a ‘90s Corolla.
The snug driver’s seat, which has a wide range of adjustments and good all-round visibility, sets the tone for the nimble handling and good manouverability that marks the UX. This is really a compact SUV that will squeeze into the tiniest of gaps, but to know how compact it really is, you have to wiggle your way into the back seat.
Rear legroom is poor and tall passengers sitting behind an equally tall driver will have to sit with legs splayed apart and knees hitting the front seats. The 300-litre boot isn’t practical either and not much more spacious than a hatchback.
The feel
But there is no shortage of equipment; wireless charging, a 360-degree camera, a heads-up display and a cracking Mark Levinson audio system are all standard on the higher variants of the UX. There are multiple drive modes too. So, how does it drive?
It doesn’t feel electric quick. Which is to say, it doesn’t scoot off the line like a scalded cat but instead, the modest 204hp motor delivers a measured slug of power, almost deliberately so. And when you remind yourself that you’re driving a Lexus, you know it’s deliberate. The ethos of the brand is to offer a seamless driving experience and not something that slams your head back into the headrest every time you floor your right foot.
Now for the price. Toyota is unlikely to be able to price the UX300e at anything less than `60 lakh and for a car this size, that may be a deal-breaker. Which is why Lexus isn’t committing, but merely exploring the Indian market. What could finally give them the green light to launch the UX is the fast-changing perception and acceptance of EVs amongst rapidly evolving buyers that transcends the traditional barriers of size and price.
The views expressed by the columnist are personal
From HT Brunch, March 20, 2022
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