What Is the Smallest Lexus SUV?
At just 177 inches long and with a hair of 90 cubic feet of passenger volume, the Lexus UX is the make’s smallest SUV option.
Written by Mary Alice Morris
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Measuring in at less than 15 feet long and just six feet wide, the luxury subcompact Lexus UX crossover can seat five, but it might be a tight squeeze. Lexus has other models that fall into the compact SUV vehicle classification, but the UX is their only subcompact.
It’s fair to point out that you’ll obviously have diminished passenger volume and cargo space with a subcompact SUV—but the tradeoff is pretty good. With a small crossover like the Lexus UX, you’ll get more car-like handling and versatility in navigating tight city spaces—which is frankly more fun to drive than an ordinary SUV.
The tiny UX isn’t the only small crossover Lexus offers, and depending on your needs, it might not be the best option for you. To fill you in, top-rated
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat is the smallest SUV Lexus makes?
With just 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seat, the Lexus UX lives up to its role as the carmaker’s tiniest SUV. It’s 177 inches long and 72.4 inches wide, and its sloping roofline which peaks at 60.6 inches high means headroom is somewhat compromised, at least for an SUV.
This car-like crossover delivers a more exhilarating drive than other crossovers, thanks to its proximity to the ground and small stature. It’s no powerhouse, but the base 169-horsepower four-cylinder gas engine and 181-horsepower all-wheel drive hybrid configuration both prove themselves to be capable and efficient. The hybrid can get you 41 mpg in the city and 38 on the highway, while the gas engine gets up to 29 city and 37 highway.
The 2022 Lexus UX comes with a generous infotainment system with one fatal flaw—but we’ll start with the good. You’ll get access to Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa if you want, plus four USB ports and a mobile wi-fi hotspot, even on the base trim. But to access them, you’ll have to use the dreaded Lexus Remote Touch controller.
If you haven’t encountered Lexus Remote Touch, you’ve probably used something similar to it. It’s like a trackpad on a laptop—only, it’s one that you’ll attempt to use while driving. With a much smaller screen. That’s further away from you. Definitely not the smartest nor safest choice Lexus has made.
Good news, though! Lexus has ditched the touchpad controller for 2023 and will use a less infuriating touchscreen infotainment display.
Aside from that, the UX seems to be the epitome of big things in small packages. But for some, it might be a little too small.
Other small Lexus SUVs
If you’re turned off by the touchpad, or you’re just not entirely committed to the UX, Lexus has other small-to-medium options among its crossover SUV lineup. Here’s a quick look at the brand’s non-behemoth utes.
Smallest: 2022 Lexus UX
Starting price: $34,525
Wheelbase: 103.9 inches
Seating capacity: Five
The 2022 Lexus UX is not the sportiest, but it’s cute, small, and well-suited for urban dwellers. It handles and feels like a practical car more than a lumbering SUV. The awkward laptop-like infotainment control system is its biggest drawback.
Small: 2022 Lexus NX
Starting price: $39,425
Wheelbase: 105.9 inches
Seating capacity: Five
The
Lexus NX
is a little bigger than the UX but squeezes in five more cubic feet of cargo volume behind the back seat. This time the Lexus NX has a practical, easy-to-use touchscreen system, unlike the UX.It also comes available with four powertrains, the strongest of them all being the 302-horsepower PHEV model. Unlocking that power, though, and the efficiency to boot will cost you $19,000 more than what you’d pay for the 203-horsepower four-cylinder base.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversSmall-ish: 2022 Lexus RX
Starting price: $46,995
Wheelbase: 109.8 inches
Seating capacity: Five
Small is a relative term, but even so, we acknowledge we’re taking some serious liberties by throwing the mid-size 2022
Lexus RX
on this list of small SUVs. The thing is, it’s the third-smallest SUV that Lexus makes, rolling in at 192.5 inches long. Despite its larger size, the RX somehow manages to have over 1 cubic foot less cargo space behind the back seat than the subcompact UX.
There are a lot of good things to say about the RX. It’s handsome, comfortable, and versatile. But, unlike the practical Lexus NX infotainment system, the 2022 RX uses the same touchpad setup that the UX was doomed to. Luckily, Lexus is scrapping the touchpad in 2023 in exchange for a more intuitive screen.
The best alternatives to Lexus’ smallest SUV
If you’re not sure you want a Lexus, take a look at other brands. With a growing small SUV market, it’s no surprise that several luxury lines are offering multiple options. We recommend starting your search for competitors by checking out the BMW X2, Audi Q3, and Volvo XC40.
Small and sleek: 2022 BMW X2
Combine a fastback roofline and a speedy 228-horsepower turbo-four base engine and you get modestly spirited driving with the front-wheel drive X2 sDrive28 and the all-wheel drive xDrive28i. You can even step it up with the sport-tuned X2 M35i, which roars off with 302 horsepower and a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time.
The X2’s sporty roofline does somewhat compromise the backseat, but the faux-leather upholstery cabin is still pretty comfortable. If you pay for it, you can even lounge in real leather. With empty back seats, you’ll get a maximum cargo volume of 50.1 cubic feet.
Big on tech and small on size: 2022 Audi Q3
If you’re drawn to high-end tech features, the
Audi Q3
is sure to impress with a generous suite of standard offerings for the 2022 model year. This includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, and an 8.8-inch multi-media interface touchscreen. Also standard is a panoramic sunroof, all-wheel drive, and heated leather front seats. Not bad for a starting MSRP of $37,595!
The Q3 is slightly shorter than the Lexus UX with a maximum cargo space of just 48 cubic feet if you use the back seat area. But if you can make do with the small space, the tech and comfort features sweeten the deal.
All-electric: Volvo XC40 Recharge
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is the only electric vehicle we’re including, and that distinction is reflected in its starting MSRP of $52,795. The hefty price tag gives you the benefits of an EV, plus everything great about its gas-powered sibling, like sweet standard safety tech and expansive cargo space.
You can get up to 92 MPGe in the city and 79 on the highway while enjoying the strongest and fastest XC40 model of the entire lineup. Its electric motors propel the XC40 Recharge with 402 horsepower, achieving a 0-60 time of just 4.3 seconds.
If you use just the space behind the back seat for storage, you’ll get 21.7 cubic feet of cargo volume. If you combine that with the rear seat area, it’s an astounding 57.5 cubic feet of cargo space. That number even surpasses some mid-size SUVs, like the Toyota Highlander, which only achieves 48.4 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seat folded down!
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