Lexus does make some nice sporty cars, but it’s not really perceived as such because most of its sales volume consists of cushy sedans and high-riders, most of which are also electrified. Having an electric motor on board to boost performance and economy certainly doesn’t hinder sportiness, though, so don’t be surprised if Lexus starts churning out hot F-badged electrified models, the first of which could be its new UX baby crossover.
Australia’s WhichCar makes it plainly clear that Lexus hasn’t really considered an UX F, but that it would be “ready to consider it,” especially as a hot hybrid model to perhaps change perception of such models. The publication asked Chika Kako, who is Lexus’ executive VP, about the idea but didn’t get a conclusive answer out of her.
She apparently said that they’ve not considered it yet, but that “it has potential,” and that “they will think about it.” She concluded by saying “if there are customers that want a super-high performance version of the UX we’ll, of course, have to study and consider.” This means the vehicle could already be in the works (since the source report is from October, 2018,) and we’re actually quite intrigued by the prospect.
Said engine makes 235 horsepower in the IS or NX models, but since it is a turbo unit, its output could be increased to somewhere around 300 horsepower with relative ease. Factor in the extra shove of electricity from the electric motor driving the rear wheels and you’d have a 300+ horsepower, sporty, electrified crossover that would undoubtedly be very appealing in the current market context.
But, even if it’s still far from a sure thing, I went ahead and made this quick rendering of what an UX F could look like, using a UX F-Sport as a base. The vehicle already looks quite bold and rakish, and with extra sporty bits bolted on and a slightly lowered ride height, it could become an instrument to instill the fear of sporty crossovers into the hearts of hot hatch owners.
Further reading
Read our full review on the 2019 Lexus UX.