183
post-industrial sourced materials) and
“I can’t believe it’s not leather” vegan
interior options. These include a cosy
material by Danish textile brand Kvadrat
that combines a sturdy wool blend with
synthetic suede and is made from 53
recycled plastic bottles (per vehicle),
and a new textile using eucalyptus bark.
For those wanting to take their carbon
footprint a further step back, a plug-in
hybrid model is in the works.
THE
WINNING
EDGE
Not only are these new materials
cruelty-free, comfortable, durable and
created for the most discerning Princess
And The Pea of tastes, they are also
lightweight and use less water in
manufacturing and sourcing all round.
“THE MATERIALS
are CREATED
FOR the MOST
DISCERNING
PRINCESS
AND THE PEA
of TASTES”From $62,670
(sustainable interiors
are optional extras)
2.0-litre, 4cyl
147kW/320Nm
8.1L/100kmthe
FUSION
AWARD
LEXUS UX 250H
BORN FROM a deep dive into global
trends in design, technology and
architecture, the UX is a victory in form,
function and fashion, with a healthy dose
of Japanese philosophy thrown in. It
coolly brags haptic touch technology,
sports-luxe aesthetics and innovative
textiles inspired by Japanese washi
paper and traditional sashiko
quilting. Under its angular exterior,
this crossover has Lexus’ most
refined self-charging hybrid engine
system and its most impressive
safety system yet (including a pre-
collision system with pedestrian
detection, road sign detection,
active cruise control, lane trace
assist, auto high beam and rear
cross-traffic alert as standard). Compact,
nimble, luxurious, a joy to drive and
with incredible vision and comfort, the
UX proves a little bit of considered
design can go a long way.***
THE
WINNING
EDGE
Lexus (and parent company Toyota) has
been a pioneer in hybrid technology
since 2004, making it the mostprolific
luxury brand in the space – th
a reason why the UX hybrid hasno
in its sector (yet). >“IT’S A VICTORY
in FUNCTION
and FASHION, with
a DOSE of JAPANESE
PHILOSOPHY
THROWN IN”From $47,950
2.0-litre, 4cyl with
hybridsystem
here’s
rivals131kW/188Nm
4.5L/100km(2WD);
4.7L/100km(AWD)ELLE
DRIVE AWARDS
(green edition)