2021 Lexus UX
Hybrid Gas Compact car
The 2021 Lexus UX is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact car with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the UX 250h, is EPA-rated at 42 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 8 complaints, most often about tires. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UX 250h | Hybrid | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl + 216V Ni-MH | 43 | 41 | 42 | $1,500 |
| UX 250h AWD | Hybrid | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl + 216V Ni-MH | 41 | 38 | 39 | $1,600 |
| UX 200 | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 29 | 37 | 32 | $1,950 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2021 Lexus UX is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (0)
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Lexus UX. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Owner complaints
8 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2021: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1
Most-cited components
- Tires — 4
- Unknown Or Other — 1
- Engine — 1
- Visibility/Wiper — 1
- Air Bags — 1
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 HB AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
| 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other UX model years
2026 UX
0 recalls · 0 complaints
B2025 UX
2 recalls · 2 complaints
A2024 UX
0 recalls · 1 complaints
A2023 UX
0 recalls · 1 complaints
A2022 UX
0 recalls · 2 complaints
A2020 UX
0 recalls · 6 complaints
B2019 UX
2 recalls · 6 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 43387, 43388, 43389). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.