Lexus UX 250h running costs, insurance, warranty & tax
The Lexus UX is cheap to run, but plug-in hybrid rivals offer more appealing tax benefits
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service interval | Annual company-car tax cost (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22-26 | 3yrs/60,000 miles | 1yr/10,000 miles | From £1,724/£3,449 |
As a hybrid, the Lexus UX 250h should be an extremely cheap car to run, with low VED (road tax) and favourable Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax ratings (29% for the entry-level model). However its zero-emissions counterpart the UX 300e is even more affordable to run, with an ultra-low BiK rate of just 2% until at least April 2024.
Prices are on the high side, but it’s hard to compare the UX with direct rivals. It's much more expensive than the Toyota C-HR on which it's based and a bit pricier than the more efficient MINI Countryman Cooper S E All4, but the long list of standard kit is appealing, as are the potentially strong residual values.
However, while the Lexus is economical in the real-world (we saw around 40-45mpg in mixed motorway and urban use), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rivals like the MINI are more efficient on paper. Many of these sit in lower BiK tax bands, and lots will do up to 30 miles on electric power alone. However, if you’re running one as a private buyer and don’t have regular access to a charge point, the ‘self-charging’ UX may be a better bet.
It’s worth noting that CO2 emissions are at their lowest in the entry-level version – mainly due to its smaller wheels. Going for an F-Sport will bump up emissions, and – officially, at least – dent your car’s fuel economy. In everyday driving, however, you’re unlikely to notice more miles per gallon from the smaller rims.
Lexus UX 250h insurance group
Depending on specification, the Lexus UX falls into insurance groups 22-26, so while cover won't be rock-bottom cheap, it should be on a par with what you'd pay to insure any other small premium car.
Warranty
The Lexus UX 250h comes with a comprehensive three-year/60,000-mile warranty. In addition, the hybrid components and battery are both covered for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes soonest. On top of this, owners can extend the cover on their car for up to 10 years or 140,000 miles for an additional cost.
All policies include European breakdown cover and MoT cover to protect you from any nasty bills. Lexus also claims to cover the “majority of parts and labour charges” for any work that may need doing. A two-year extended warranty is likely to cost a couple of hundred pounds.
Servicing
The compact SUV will need a check-up once a year or every 10,000 miles, whichever comes first. Service pricing is expected to start from around £200-£250, and every service includes a free Hybrid Health Check.
Road tax
As the Lexus UX 250h is a hybrid, it costs £155 a year to tax. The top-of-the-range UX Takumi starts from over £40,000, though, so is liable for the £355-a-year road-tax surcharge on cars costing over £40,000, increasing the annual bill to £510 from years two to six. After that, it reverts to £155 per year.
