New Lexus UX: CHEAPER to run and own than the competition, say Lexus

The new Lexus UX compact SUV is now on sale, and Lexus are keen you know that the UX is the most cost-efficient luxury compact SUV you can buy.

Every car maker likes to demonstrate their offering is better than the competition, although it’s a lot more subjective than simple stats, with personal preferences on ride, comfort, handling, equipment, badge and much, much more making direct comparison between cars, seemingly aimed at the same demographic, quite difficult.

But one thing that is objective is a comparison of costs, so Lexus has been busy putting together figures to demonstrate that the new Lexus UX – Lexus’s new baby SUV now on sale in the UK – knocks the competition sideways with its running costs – especially for business drivers – and its cost of ownership.

Lexus has compared the UX to a range of other premium models, covering most of what you could consider competition for the UX 250h, comparing it to the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, Jaguar E-Pace and Volvo XC40.

Looking first at BIK costs for a company car driver, assuming 30,000 miles over three years, the UX will cost £8,087 in BIK (at 40% tax), with the closest competition the BMW X1 sDrive 1.8d SE which would cost £12,254, and the most expensive the Jaguar E-Pace 2.0d which costs £14,039 in BIK costs over the same period.

BIK costs won’t matter one jot to private buyers, so Lexus has also done a cost of ownership comparison – which applies to both business and private owners – and, if anything, the comparison is even more favourable.

Assuming the same 30,000 miles over three years, the total costs of ownership for the Lexus UX – including depreciation, fuel, servicing and VED – comes to £16,016, or about £460 a month.

The closest competition to the US is the Jaguar E-Pace with three year ownership costs of £18,925 (around £525 a month) and the most expensive is the BMW X1 at £23,422 (around £650 a month).

The discrepancy between the UX and the rest is even more exaggerated if you’re a business user as NI costs need to be taken in to consideration (the UX is around £2k less over the three years than the rest), and the UX is the least depreciating and most fuel efficient of them all too.

All of which, if you like the new UX, could well be the convincer if you’re struggling to decide if it’s the right option.