The 2023 Lexus UX300e will bring a welcome boost in driving range when it arrives in Australia, and CarExpert understands the upgraded EV will land in local showrooms around mid-year.
While Lexus Australia declined to comment, it’s understood the new Lexus UX300e will touch down around the same time as the all-new RZ dedicated EV – which shares its architecture with the upcoming Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra – around the May-June period.
With a larger 72.8kWh (versus 54.4kWh) battery pack, the 2023 Lexus UX300e sees an increase in driving range of “more than 40 per cent” to a claimed 450km on the stricter WLTP test cycle. For reference, the existing car quotes up to 315km of range per charge.
There’s no change to the front-mounted electric motor, however, which retains its 150kW/300Nm outputs. It’s unclear how the larger, heavier battery will impact acceleration performance – the current car quotes a 7.5-second 0-100 sprint and a top speed of 160km/h.
Beyond the drivetrain enhancements, the UX300e will be brought in line with the wider UX petrol and hybrid range in terms of design, features and technology. The core range is already on sale in Australia.
Highlights include a new 12.3-inch touchscreen (up from 10.3in) with improved resolution and the brand’s latest infotainment operating system. It’s also mounted closer to the driver for easier touch operation.
The new infotainment unit features wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and an array of connected services and features via an inbuilt modem. Cloud-based satellite navigation offers real-time traffic and parking information when on the move.
Rounding out the infotainment highlights is a new natural voice recognition feature, activated by saying “Hey Lexus!” to perform various functions such as changing song or opening and closing the windows.
Overseas model shown
There’s also a reconfigured centre console and instrument panel, as well as a larger wireless smartphone charging pad and two additional USB-C ports in the console.
Sports Luxury versions will pick up an enhanced Panoramic View Monitor surround-view camera system, which adds an underfloor view that shows the road surface beneath the UX.
There have been enhancements to the Lexus Safety System+ assistance suite as well. Junction assist for vehicles and crossing pedestrians has been added to the AEB system, while Lane Trace Assist and Curve Speed Control have been refined and added respectively, for a more refined semi-autonomous highway drive/
Stay tuned to CarExpert for full pricing and specifications in the lead-up to the new UX300e’s launch in mid-2023.
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