THE name of Lexus has always been synonymous with superb quality and longevity.

I know a local man who has one of the original big LS 400 saloons, which he bought secondhand about 10 or 12 years ago.

It has now covered 358,000 miles, and as yet, has cost him no more than servicing, and the kind of replacements such as tyres that have to be done with all cars.

The paintwork still looks almost as good as new, and the interior is also in very good used condition. Quite an accolade for the marque.

One of the smallest cars in the Lexus range is the UX compact SUV, which has been around since 2018.

It's available with petrol/electric hybrid or full electric power, and distinctive, sharp lines help to make it stand out from the crowd of crossovers on the market.

It's also lower than most of those others, emphasising a sporty, purposeful stance from most angles.

The lower than average centre of gravity helps towards really good balanced handling, with suspension set up for minimum roll and therefore giving excellent grip.

This is a car that's great fun to drive because on top of that good handling, it has punchy performance.

The petrol/electric models are all powered by the same engine/electric motor combination and the only difference between them is the size of the battery.

All have an electronically controlled continuously variable (CVT) automatic gearbox that works well most of the time, but if you want to take control, there are paddles behind the steering wheel to do things manually.

Earlier models were designated 250h and had a total power of 181bhp. This is enough to give a zero to 60 miles an hour time of 8.2 seconds, and they are good for a very best of 50 miles per gallon economy.

Latest models are called 300h and these have 196bhp. This is enough to bring up 60 in 7.8 seconds while managing an excellent 56mpg.

And of course, they all have decently low emissions, which makes them a good bet for those with a choice of company car.

The two electric models are separated only by the size of their batteries. So they both have 201bhp, which brings up the benchmark sprint in 7.3 seconds.

The lower order model has a 54kWh battery and this gives a range of 195 miles, while the larger 72kWh battery in the second model raises that to 280 miles.

There has been a four wheel drive model with a second electric motor driving the rear wheels, but this setup blunts performance and is not worth having unless you need it.

Charging the electric models takes around eight hours from a home wallbox, but a zero to 80 per cent charge from a 50kWh public charger takes about 50 minutes.

One downside of the electric models is that they use a type of charge connector that is not included at many charging stations, which seems rather short sighted.

Despite its sporting feel, this is a very easy car to drive and to live with, either in town or on a longer journey.

Refinement is excellent, with very little engine noise unless pressed, and hardly anything from the road surface or the passing air.

And comfort it brilliant over almost every surface, making those longer journeys much easier.

Finish and materials used inside are top notch and their fit is perfect. Electrically adjustable heated front seats are well shaped and supremely comfortable with ample adjustment. Other equipment is excellent as it usually is with Lexus and the UX Premium comes with loads of airbags, traction control, sat nav, audio remote and a raft of electronic safety devices.

Pay about £16,150 for a '19 19-reg 250h Premium, or £24,300 for a '22 22-reg 250h Takumi.