Lexus has officially teased the arrival of a new
crossover called the UX, which will make its debut at this year’s Geneva Motor
Show in March. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because the UX shares the
same name with a concept from the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
Unlike the concept that had a pretty outlandish
design, the road-going UX looks reserved by comparison. The teaser image gives
a look at the car’s rear, which features a wide rear light strip that ends with
little “fins” at the edges for dynamic effect.
Barring any additional photos, the rest of the UX
will likely be equally bold, including the brand’s trademark spindle grille and
aggressive-looking headlights. Based on the filename, what we’re looking at
here is likely the UX F Sport model.
Lexus hasn’t revealed where exactly the UX will be
positioned within its crossover/SUV line-up, although it will likely go below
the NX. The similarly-named concept served as a preview for a compact SUV with
a wheelbase of 2,640 mm, which is less than the NX’s 2,660 mm. The concept’s
wheelbase however, is closer to that of the Toyota C-HR.
As for powertrains, a hybrid is a definite based on
what we see in the image, where a few adjustments show the ‘UX 250h’ badging in
the lower right. Other likely variants include the UX 200 and UX 250, if
trademarks filled with the United States Patent and Trademark Office are to be
believed.Likely contenders for the UX include the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and the
Mercedes-Benz GLA.
