Lexus UX concept makes world debut at Paris

The Lexus UX concept, which is expected to influence a production SUV model that will replace the CT 200h hatchback in the carmaker’s future international line-up, has been revealed at the Paris motor show.

Designed by Lexus’s European design centre ED2, the concept offers a glimpse at the carmaker's future design direction. On the outside, the striking-looking concept has muscular wheel arches with sharp, angular lines on its five-door body. Its two rear doors curve out with the swollen wheel arches, and the door handles are all housed in the car’s middle due to the rear-hinged back doors.

At the back, there’s a coupé-like roofline and sharp tail-lights with LED internals. The overall body looks smaller than that of the Lexus NX and RX, supporting information from our sister publication Autocar UK that it previews a production car which will sit below them. Mounted on the front of the doors are rear-facing cameras, which link to interior rear view screens.

Lexus describes the cabin as featuring “imaginative technologies for an immersive driver experience”, and says that the interior mixes traditional craftsmanship with high-tech manufacturing techniques. The seats use the company’s Kinetic Seat Concept technology, which uses spider web-like fabric that makes them both light and slim. The concept also gets dual-screen infotainment with HMI technology, a wrap-around dash and striking colour scheme.

While Lexus hasn’t revealed what powers its UX concept, there appear to be steering-wheel mounted shift paddles and gear selector buttons on the centre console, suggesting this model features a combustion engine of some sort. A pair of rear tailpipe surrounds adds weight to this suggestion, but given recent trends in the motor industry, it seems highly likely the concept will use some kind of electrified power.