Finding a happy middle ground when shopping for a compact SUV that’s luxurious, good on fuel, and reasonably affordable is not an easy task. If those are your parameters, you’ll undoubtedly run across the Lexus UX 250h. I just spent a week driving one. So, let’s dive into its day-to-day driving experience.

How many miles per gallon does a Lexus UX 250h get?

The EPA rating for fuel economy on front-wheel drive UX 250h models is 43 MPG highway and 41 MPG city for a rating of 42 mpg combined. In the real world, my fuel economy was pretty dang close to those ratings. Overall, I saw right around 40 MPG for the duration of my testing. Taking into account the fact that I spent some time testing acceleration and in areas with pretty high speed limits, I’d call it a wash.

Now, being a compact SUV, you’d expect a fair bit of practicality from the Lexus UX 250h. You’ll get it, too! It’s got enough ground clearance for some general off-road driving, like dirt roads to lakes, campgrounds, etc. In addition, it does have a pretty solid amount of cargo space in the rear.

Unfortunately, though, the rear legroom is pretty miniscule. For those looking to transport children, the UX will do the trick. However, if you routinely have taller passengers, the back seat is going to be quite cramped.

The best I can describe the ride quality is “fine.” With an entry-level luxury car price of around $35,000 starting, you wouldn’t expect a wildly refined, quiet, and luxurious ride. Great! It doesn’t have that. It does, however, ride fine. It’s fairly quiet and comfortable and doesn’t give any reason to complain. It’s just not as refined as more expensive luxury entrants, which isn’t all that surprising.

What problems does the Lexus UX 250h have?

Honestly, not many. For the most part, you get exactly what you expect. It’s an affordable hybrid Lexus SUV. It’s got a comfortable and decently refined interior, solid fuel economy, and an appropriately mundane driving experience. There are, however, a couple of small things to note that I picked up on from daily driving the UX.

The wireless charger seemed to only want to charge my phone with it at a goofy angle. Unfortunately, with it at the angle it liked, if I hit the brakes, it would slide forward and stop charging. In addition, the wireless Android Auto connection was super finicky and laggy. Occasionally, it lost connection altogether.

In a similar vein, the infotainment system in its entirety was a bit lazy in response time.

My biggest complaint, though, is its EV mode. If you accelerate beyond a certain point with the pedal or except 25 miles per hour, it automatically shuts off. So, it’s effectively only useful in stop-and-go traffic and parking lots. In those scenarios, the hybrid system automatically prioritizes electric power, anyway. So, I can’t imagine a real-world scenario where you’d ever need to select EV mode.

Overall, the UX 250h is great for exactly what it’s designed for. It’s roomy enough, gets killer fuel economy, and provides a satisfactory ride quality for an entry-level luxury crossover.