20:55 02-07-2026

Lexus UX300h Shining Essence: brighter looks, richer cabin, same easy character

Lexus adds the Shining Essence version to the UX300h in Japan from 1 September 2026, with a new SOU blue, silver spindle grille and an upgraded cabin.

Lexus is expanding the Japanese range of its compact UX300h crossover with a new Shining Essence version. Sales start on 1 September 2026, and pricing has already been announced: the front-wheel-drive model costs 5,210,000 yen (about €28,200), while the all-wheel-drive version is 5,475,000 yen (about €29,700).

The UX remains an important city model for Lexus. The crossover arrived in 2018 under the Creative Urban Explorer concept and, by the end of June 2026, had sold around 400,000 units across more than 80 countries and regions. The new version doesn’t change the model’s character — it adds a brighter visual layer and a stronger sense of upmarket finish.

The headline exterior feature of Shining Essence is the new SOU body colour, a deep blue shade with a subtle glow effect. Eight colours are offered for the version in total. The spindle grille gets a softly lustrous silver paint to sit better alongside the new hue. There are also LED headlights with an aluminium coating: it keeps the shine looking crisp for longer and shields the units from impacts and UV.

The crossover receives body-coloured wheel-arch extensions along with 18-inch alloy wheels in a premium metallic finish and Run Flat tyres. That package makes the UX300h feel less “utilitarian” and brings it closer to buyers who value not just hybrid tech and a compact footprint but visual appeal too.

Inside, Lexus uses Layer Grid trim for the first time on the door switch panels and the console. The seats are finished in perforated L tex synthetic leather with a texture close to real hide. The front seats come with standard heating and ventilation — a meaningful detail for a car bought as a comfortable everyday city crossover.

The equipment list also includes a panoramic monitor with a see-through view of the area beneath the car, a power tailgate with hands-free opening, position memory and anti-pinch protection, plus a colour head-up display.

Shining Essence doesn’t try to make the UX300h sportier or radically newer. Lexus has carefully reinforced what buyers often choose such crossovers for: colour, finish and comfort, along with handy options that matter more day to day than a few extra horsepower.

Earlier, 32CARS.RU reported that Lexus is taking a more cautious approach to the switch to electric cars than its rivals.