Lexus’s first electric car was the UX 300e, a small, plush SUV derived from the UX hybrid. UK sales ran from 2020 until early 2026, with prices starting at £43,900 new; a 2021 car now asks about £16,750. Here we explain the two batteries, recalls, realistic range and prices to expect. You’ll find a print-out checklist at the end.
- Best value: a 2021-2023 54.3 kWh car at about £14,000 to £17,000: substantially below half its new price, retaining Lexus build quality.
- More range: the 2023-on 72.8 kWh version adds about 40% more range and a touchscreen, costing about £5,000 more.
- Check before you buy: confirm the cabin heater recall and completion of the car’s annual Lexus battery check.
- Think twice if you drive long distances: early cars manage about 150 miles in real driving, and rapid charging relies on the declining CHAdeMO plug.
Which version of the UX 300e is it?
The battery size in the advert tells you which car it is:
| Version | Battery | Official range | Screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2023 | 54.3 kWh | 196 miles | Touchpad controller |
| 2023 on | 72.8 kWh | 280 miles | Touchscreen, wireless CarPlay |
Both have one 204 PS front-wheel-drive motor. Trim choices are the base model, Premium Plus and Takumi; Takumi brings a head-up display and Mark Levinson audio. Alongside the larger battery, the 2023 update swapped the awkward touchpad for a touchscreen. Full specifications appear on the UX 300e page.
Realistic range
Our estimate for a typical car of each version, from the same battery-ageing model as the rest of EVcarsguide:
| Car | Summer | Year-round | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 54.3 kWh | 149 miles | 131 miles | 111 miles |
| 2023 54.3 kWh | 155 miles | 137 miles | 115 miles |
| 2024 72.8 kWh | 226 miles | 199 miles | 167 miles |
We assume a healthy battery delivers about 85% of official range in mild weather. Owners with 54.3 kWh cars report roughly 150 miles in everyday use, falling to 100 to 140 in winter; there is no heat pump.
Battery Health Estimator
Estimated condition if buying used
NMC chemistry - good longevity with proper charging habits
Estimates based on battery chemistry and age. Chemistry-based estimate. Actual health varies with charging habits, climate, and usage.
Charging
At home the UX 300e charges at up to 6.6 kW. Rapid charging uses the CHAdeMO plug at up to 50 kW, rather than the CCS connector used by almost every other new EV. As CHAdeMO chargers become harder to find, check availability along your regular routes before buying.
The battery and its warranty
Lexus covers the battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles. It also offers extended cover up to 10 years or 1,000,000 km, against faults and capacity falling below 70%, as long as the car has had its yearly battery health check at a Lexus dealer. So the service history matters more than usual:
- Registered 2020: standard cover to 2028; up to 2030 with every yearly check done.
- Registered 2021: standard cover to 2029; up to 2031 with every yearly check done.
- Registered 2022: standard cover to 2030; up to 2032 with every yearly check done.
- Registered 2023: standard cover to 2031; up to 2033 with every yearly check done.
- Registered 2024: standard cover to 2032; up to 2034 with every yearly check done.
Recalls
- Cabin heater (R/2025/371): 1,768 cars built August 2021 to December 2023 have an electric heater that could stop working over time. Replacement is the remedy.
- Emergency call (R/2021/316): UX hybrids and electric models built November 2020 to March 2021 may have an eCall system that fails when required.
- Telematics module (R/2023/280): on UX models built January to July 2023, the connected-services module might fail to restart after the car is switched off.
- Parking camera (R/2025/467): UX models built from March 2022 with the panoramic view camera may suffer a frozen rear view. The remedy is a software update.
Check the specific car on GOV.UK’s recall checker and ask a Lexus dealer for its recall history.
Safety
The UX earned five Euro NCAP stars in 2019. The test covered the hybrid, whose body is shared with the electric car.
What owners report
From five owner and buyer threads covering only the 54.3 kWh car:
- Quality: the main strength. Cabin finish, seats and refinement attract owner praise, with positive reports about Lexus dealers too.
- Range and charging: the leading complaint. Roughly 150 miles in everyday driving, weak winter efficiency without a heat pump and slow rapid charging through CHAdeMO.
- Space and tech: limited legroom in the rear, a high boot floor and touchpad-based infotainment that is difficult to operate while moving.
- Value: owners saw it as overpriced new, but good value after used prices fell.
What to pay
Few used electric UXs are available, so finding the right example may mean travelling.
| Cars | Share of adverts | Median asking | Typical range | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54.3 kWh, 2021 | 24% | £16,750 | £14,193–£17,091 | 29,719 |
| 54.3 kWh, 2022 | 13% | £13,999 | £13,388–£16,680 | 44,850 |
| 54.3 kWh, 2023 | 21% | £15,798 | £15,243–£18,017 | 27,372 |
| 72.8 kWh, 2024 | 26% | £21,478 | £18,748–£23,148 | 13,867 |
These are asking prices, not valuations. The 54.3 kWh version has shed well over half its list price, with mileage more important than model year. The larger-battery 72.8 kWh cars cost about £5,000 extra for considerably more range and the improved screen.
Questions to ask the seller
- Has the car had its yearly battery health check at a Lexus dealer?
- Has the cabin heater recall been done?
- Which battery and trim is it?
- Does it come with both charging cables?
The print-out checklist
Bring this along. It covers checks specific to the UX 300e; our general used EV buyer’s guide covers the checks that apply to any used electric car.
Alternatives worth a look
- Volvo XC40 Recharge: a premium small SUV with far more range and CCS charging. See our used XC40 Recharge guide.
- Mercedes EQA: another premium compact SUV. See our used EQA guide.
- Hyundai Kona Electric: more range for the money. See our used Kona Electric guide.
- Toyota bZ4X: from Lexus’s parent company, bigger and on a dedicated EV platform. See our used bZ4X guide.
Not sure it covers your driving? The EV Matchmaker checks a car against your own week, and the Used EV Finder shows what else your budget buys.
Sources & further reading
- Lexus UK
- Euro NCAP
- GOV.UK – Check if a vehicle has been recalled
Founder of EVcarsguide. Web technologist and data specialist tracking the UK EV market.
