Lexus UX 300e interior, dashboard & comfort

If it's build quality you want, Lexus usually delivers – and with the UX 300e, that solid feeling is present and correct. Quality materials are used throughout the slightly esoterically designed cabin, with a choice of leather and cloth colours available. 

There are no squeaks and rattles, the switchgear feels well made and it's easy to get comfortable in the car's good seats, particularly for the driver, whose seat can go surprisingly low for an SUV. Gadgets and goodies abound and the is infotainment system is a big improvement over the one previously fitted to the UX, but in late 2023 the electric SUV will be receiving the brand's latest software and touchscreens as part of a major update.

Lexus UX 300e dashboard

Lexus has its own style when it comes to dashboard design and while it may take some getting used to, it's an approach that largely makes sense. A central letter-box infotainment screen sits atop a dash that curves around the driver, while two protruding knobs above the instrument binnacle are used to adjust functions like the driving modes and the traction control. 

Piano-style buttons below the central air vents control commonly used features like the air-conditioning, which thankfully isn't buried away in the infotainment screen. The centre console houses a pair of cupholders and Lexus's love-it-or-hate-it touchpad control for the infotainment.

Equipment, options & accessories

As of October 2022, the Lexus UX 300e starts from just over £44,000. Standard equipment is generous on the entry-level model: a number of active safety features (see the Reliability & Safety section of this review) are joined by front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, eight-way adjustable front seats, LED headlights and standard roof rails, with fabric upholstery and electric heated door mirrors too. 

The Premium Plus pack adds leather seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, keyless entry and a wireless phone charger among other features. Meanwhile, the Takumi Pack cars get even more kit, including sat nav, a larger 10.3-inch infotainment screen, a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, uprated LED headlights, a head-up display and a 360-degree parking camera, plus much more – it's a kitchen-sink approach that many buyers in this segment will enjoy, but that pushed the asking price to nearly £54,000 before order books closed.

It's also worth noting that the UX 300e will receive a series of significant updates in the second half of 2023, including a bigger 72.8kWh battery, Lexus' latest infotainment system from the NX hybrid SUV, and new and improved safety features. The updated UX also ditches the outgoing model's trackpad in favour of a central touchscreen that'll come in either eight or 12.3-inch sizes.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

There are two infotainment screens currently on offer to UX 300e buyers – a smaller seven-inch one on standard and Premium Plus Pack cars, and a larger, letter-box style 10.3-inch screen on Takumi cars. Both use an infotainment system that's snappy enough and now includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, too, but you have to use the brand's slightly odd touchpad controller to use it.

It's not the most straightforward solution, with most manufacturers opting for a rotary dial arrangement instead. The larger screen allows for the likes of Android Auto to be used in a larger format, with music and sat-nav information displayed concurrently. We'd stick with this rather than using Lexus' own system.

Thankfully, as we mentioned, in 2023 the UX 300e will be receiving the NX's excellent infotainment system and will be ditching the current model's trackpad in favour of a central touchscreen that'll come in sizes: eight inches or 12.3 inches. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto will feature as standard, too, along with the "Hey Lexus" virtual assistant and over-the-air update capability.