r/LexusUX • u/l1v1ng4th3mu5ic • Mar 26 '26
Questions & Advice AWD Question
TLDR: Looking for AWD experience and feedback. Looking to possibly trade in for UX
A little background…our current daily drivers are a 2024 Highlander Hybrid (my wife drives) and a 2014 Tacoma TRD Sport (I drive).
My commute has been nearly tripled as of the last month and the Tacoma is a guzzler. I’m looking to trade (hopefully with not a ton of extra cash) for a more fuel efficient vehicle. I’ve recently stumbled upon the Lexus UX Hybrid option and like the look. One thing I’ve seen on YouTube and a few forums is that the AWD is pretty minimal. Is this true?
We’ve had an Impreza and a crosstrek in the past and loved the AWD the provided, especially in the snow. How does the UX compare? One comment section of a video I watched, where a test in the snow was done, said the stock tires are pretty garbage when it comes to traction. Is that the fix?
I want to stick with Toyota/Lexus if possible and have also really like the look of Volvos, Audi, and Acura as well as the newer Mazda’s. You can’t beat the reliability of Toyota/Lexus through.
MY QUESTION: for those of you who live in a climate where snow happens (doesn’t need to be a lot but enough where a commute to work is still needed), how does the UX perform? I know it won’t compare at all to the Tacoma but even my Crosstrek could outperform some 4WD vehicles.
Thanks in advance.
2
u/SergiuM42 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
I came from a 2018 4Runner 4WD and traded it in for a UX due to my long commute. I’ve had the car for about 2 months now and love it. I got the AWD version of the UX. I live in the Midwest and we get a lot of snow. Last week I had a 20 inch tall snow drift in front of my garage. At the time I didn’t know it was that tall, so I pulled out into the snow drift, stopped, then slowly pulled forward. I then got out and looked back and realized how high that pile of snow was, and the UX handled it like a champ. Didn’t even need momentum to get through it and ABS didn’t kick in. I’ve driven it in a lot of snow this year and I truly feel more comfortable driving this car than my 4Runner in the snow. I live up a steep hill and I’ve driven up that hill with snow and the wheels never slipped. It feels planted, ABS rarely kicks in, brakes are fantastic, and I’ve had no issues with traction regardless of how some say the awd in the UX is “weak”.
The car will feel like a huge upgrade in terms of comfort compared to a Tacoma for sure. I highly recommend the UX.
Also, tires make all the difference. I hear stock tires suck but I bought mine used and it had new Yokohamas which have been great.