{"id":23843,"date":"2019-06-06T14:42:48","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T18:42:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=23843"},"modified":"2019-06-06T14:44:47","modified_gmt":"2019-06-06T18:44:47","slug":"payne-hot-hatch-lexus-ux-f-sport-vs-vw-gti-mazda-3-kia-soul-gt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2019\/06\/payne-hot-hatch-lexus-ux-f-sport-vs-vw-gti-mazda-3-kia-soul-gt","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Hot-hatch Lexus UX F Sport vs. VW GTI, Mazda 3, Kia Soul GT"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/cfa108d4-3246-4111-846d-4130220532aa-HotHatchbacks_DISPLAY.jpg?crop=3986,2780,x196,y120&amp;width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Henry Payne compares hot hatchbacks 2019 Mazda 3, clockwise from top-left, 2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport, 2019 Kia Soul GT and the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><div id=\"module-position-R1_F6quwTRQ\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\">Henry Payne compares hot hatchbacks 2019 Mazda 3, clockwise from top-left, 2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport, 2019 Kia Soul GT and the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: The Detroit News)<\/span><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\">The Age of Ute is upon us, so it was inevitable that we would start to see SUV hot-hatches.\u00a0Consider the Lexus UX 250h F Sport that just swaggered into my driveway.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">Is it worthy? I put it to the test with some iconic hot-hatchback cars: Volkswagen Golf GTI, Mazda 3 and Kia Soul GT.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Compact hot-hatches, as readers of this space know, are my favorite class of car. They&#8217;re fun, utilitarian and\u00a0affordable. Pound per dollar, they are the best all-around cars on the market. But this sport-ute craze has me worried.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Sedans are falling\u00a0under the SUV tidal wave, their high-performance variants getting swept away with them. With the Ford Focus sedan has gone the Focus ST and Focus RS. So long Ford Fiesta means\u00a0<em>adios<\/em>\u00a0to the\u00a0197-horse Fiesta ST, a mainstay on my Top 10 list of best cars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Mazda deep-sixed its Mazdaspeed 3 a few years ago to concentrate on sport utilities. The only silver lining in the Chevy Cruze&#8217;s burial is it didn\u2019t take a hot hatch with it. Because there never was one. Happily, foreign makes are bullish on five-door performance hatchbacks.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qvQxZQ\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/83445795-538b-4b25-98d8-61c88d70bedb-hatch_mazda-fr.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Work of art. With its gorgeous, organic lines and Soul Red paint, the 2019 Mazda 3 belongs in a museum. It sets the standard for hatchback looks.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/83445795-538b-4b25-98d8-61c88d70bedb-hatch_mazda-fr.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/83445795-538b-4b25-98d8-61c88d70bedb-hatch_mazda-fr.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>Work of art. With its gorgeous, organic lines and Soul Red paint, the 2019 Mazda 3 belongs in a museum. It sets the standard for hatchback looks.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Now Lexus throws its all-new, alphanumeric-nightmare UX 250h F Sport SUV into the fray. Is it worthy? I put it to the test with its car peers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">First, some rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">A hot hatch has five-doors. Jetta GLI, I love ya, but you\u2019re a sedan. The Golf GTI meets the criteria. Qualifying as a pocket rocket isn\u2019t just a wardrobe change, it\u2019s a performance upgrade with a\u00a0steroid boost that gets your right foot tingling and your eyes sweeping the landscape for twisty roads beyond the metro grid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>Hell, Michigan, here I come!<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">And it\u2019s gotta\u00a0be affordable. That means $40,000 or less. Sorry, Mercedes AMG GLA 45 with four-zillion horsepower and a $50,000-plus price tag to match. You\u2019re out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">No worries. That leaves a lot of stuff like the Hyundai Veloster N, Hyundai Elantra GT N, Mini Cooper S, Fiat 500 Abarth, Honda Civic Type-R (oooooh, somebody open a window it\u2019s getting hot in here) &#8230;\u00a0and our competitive test set: Golf GTI, Mazda 3\u00a0and Soul GT ute.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qu2dfY\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/73bfec8f-7bbc-4a7c-804e-791bc72601b6-hatch_lexus-fr3-4.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The $40K Lexus UX 250h F Sport SUV brings the luxe brand into the hot hatch market.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/73bfec8f-7bbc-4a7c-804e-791bc72601b6-hatch_lexus-fr3-4.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/73bfec8f-7bbc-4a7c-804e-791bc72601b6-hatch_lexus-fr3-4.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/><\/aside>\n<\/div><aside class=\"wide single-photo\">The $40K Lexus UX 250h F Sport SUV brings the luxe brand into the hot hatch market.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The $40,910 Lexus \u2014 injected with hybrid torque \u2014 certainly makes a first impression: Darth Vader grille. Scalloped bodywork. Ultrasonic Blue. Pocket rocket-fans crave look-at-me styling. It\u2019s also an all-wheel driver like the retired Ford RS \u2014 um, to a point.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Adopting the same philosophy as the Toyota Prius AWD-e, the rear wheels get their drive from an electric motor\u00a0which only works up to 45 mph. Why 45? To maximize fuel efficiency, and &#8230; wait, what? This is where you begin to realize the F Sport may not have its heart in this hot-hatch thing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Combined with a 1.4-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery, the 2.0-liter four-banger makes just 181 horsepower \u2014 which is well off the $36,890 (as tested) Golf GTI\u2019s ferocious 228 ponies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qufaCE\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/72ef79b0-ecf9-42d5-becc-1082bb87488e-hatch_vw-fr2.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Available as a manual or automatic, the turbo-4 powered, 228-horse VW Golf GTI packs a lot of punch, starting at about $28K.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/72ef79b0-ecf9-42d5-becc-1082bb87488e-hatch_vw-fr2.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/72ef79b0-ecf9-42d5-becc-1082bb87488e-hatch_vw-fr2.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>Available as a manual or automatic, the turbo-4 powered, 228-horse VW Golf GTI packs a lot of punch, starting at about $28K.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\">The 2019 GTI is a joy to drive hard. The turbo\u2019s 258-pound-feet-of-torque is sensational at low revs\u00a0but never overwhelms the front paws. On a long trip to Road America race track in Wisconsin the GTI was both a comfy cargo-hauler\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0an attack dog for lunchtime track laps.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The Lexus is based on Toyota\u2019s sporty TNGA platform, which is the most athletic Toyota-Lexus platform yet. With suspension bits upgraded from the standard UX, the F Sport is marvelously tossable through turns. But step on the gas and its kinship with its big-brother RC F Sport coupe suffers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The UX 250h smothers its ambitions with a continuously variable transmission. Lexus tries to spice up the ol\u2019 noodle with simulated gear steps and the (oddly inconsistent) rev match on upshifts and downshifts. The battery-tranny combo doesn\u2019t provide the one-two punch of the GTI\u2019s turbo-manual (6-speed auto optional).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The compact VW is the premium car here with\u00a0more performance and room over the pricier-but-smaller subcompact UX. The GTI even shines in the style department where its timeless lines are complemented by signature, low-profile wheels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Like the Lexus UX\u2019s all-wheel drive for winter? Bring in the 2019 Mazda 3 hatch which features all-wheel drive for the first time. I bend the rules for the Mazda a bit since it no longer offers the MazdaSpeed performance upgrade. But the 3\u2019s 186 horses make it one of the most powerful standard engines in segment and beats the Lexus to 60 by a whopping 1.7 seconds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That, and the 3\u2019s handling and looks are top shelf. Its aesthetics have no peer. Dress it in Soul Red and it will melt snow.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qvAezw\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/1b8b20a9-1cbe-4ad8-b78c-7220939494ac-hatch_soul_fr2.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2019 Kia SOul GT is fun, utilitarian, and a better-looking sci-fi SUV than the more expensive Lexus UX.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/1b8b20a9-1cbe-4ad8-b78c-7220939494ac-hatch_soul_fr2.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/05\/PDTN\/1b8b20a9-1cbe-4ad8-b78c-7220939494ac-hatch_soul_fr2.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/><\/aside>\n<\/div><aside class=\"wide single-photo\">The 2019 Kia Soul GT is fun, utilitarian, and a better-looking sci-fi SUV than the more expensive Lexus UX.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\">But the real revelation of our test is the 2019 Kia Soul GT,\u00a0the original hot-hatch SUV.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">This funk-mobile has outlasted its boxy brethren \u2014 the Nissan Cube and Scion xB \u2014 with smart marketing and a fun-to-drive vibe. A subcompact ute, it mirrors Lexus in available features (save AWD) \u2014 blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise-control, smartphone-app compatibility, lane-keep assist \u2014 but for just $28,965.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I escaped with the Soul through the rural roads of east Virginia\u2019s Northern Neck and had a ball.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The box is driven by a smooth dual-clutch transmission that the Lexus would die for. Nail the throttle and the 201-horse\u00a0turbo 1.6-liter practically rips the front wheels out of their fenders. It\u2019s a live one, this animal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The last-generation Soul marketed itself with rapping hamsters, but this generation feels higher up the food chain. Soul\u2019s more sophisticated wardrobe includes boomerang taillights and thin Camaro-like\u00a0LED headlights. Gone are the goggle-eyed hamster peepers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I found the Soul\u2019s sci-fi look more premium than the Lexus\u00a0but still with plenty of, well, soul. The feeling continues inside. Both the Soul (circles everywhere) and the Lexus (slashing lines like its exterior) are funkadelic. But the Soul\u2019s console touchscreen outclasses the F Sport. Like other Lexi, the UX screen is controlled by a touchpad that will have you cursing like Yosemite Sam.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>Consarn rassa-frassin\u2019 racka-frackin\u2019 varmint!<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">My biggest complaint about the Soul is its uncomfortable front seats \u2014 but in the roomy rear, your giraffe-legged reviewer could sit behind himself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">We in Club Hot Hatch are pleased to have new members, and the Lexus UX 250h F Sport is a welcome addition. But it has work to do to catch its mainstream brothers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qvO0AI\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/15668556-faf6-4e5b-8332-b5fee8eec6eb-2019_Lexus_UX_003_60D20B04E819696E00892ECE4335BB718EDE01C2_low.jpg?crop=356,157,x85,y130&amp;width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Lexus UX F Sport\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/15668556-faf6-4e5b-8332-b5fee8eec6eb-2019_Lexus_UX_003_60D20B04E819696E00892ECE4335BB718EDE01C2_low.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/15668556-faf6-4e5b-8332-b5fee8eec6eb-2019_Lexus_UX_003_60D20B04E819696E00892ECE4335BB718EDE01C2_low.jpg?width=500&amp;height=333\" \/>Lexus UX F Sport\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Lexus)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><strong>2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, 5-passenger, subcompact hot-hatch SUV<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $37,025 base including $1,025 destination fee ($40,910 as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 181 horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-4 cylinder hybrid with electric-motor assist<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: Continuously variable transmission<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 8.6 second zero-60 (Car and Driver); 110 mph top speed<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,605 pounds<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: 41 mpg city\/38 mpg highway\/39 mpg combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Dramatic style; good fuel economy<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: fussy infotainment controller; more muscle, please<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 2\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6qvhRIE\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/7d70169a-fc7a-462c-abfb-7e91d90f93b3-GolfGTIprofile.jpg?crop=644,308,x81,y33&amp;width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/7d70169a-fc7a-462c-abfb-7e91d90f93b3-GolfGTIprofile.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/7d70169a-fc7a-462c-abfb-7e91d90f93b3-GolfGTIprofile.jpg?width=500&amp;height=214\" \/>2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: VW)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><strong>2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5 passenger, compact hot-hatch car<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $28,490 base including $895 destination fee ($36,890 Autobahn trim as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 228 horsepower, 258 pound feet of torque, 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-4 cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 6-speed manual; 7-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 6.0 second zero-60 (Car and Driver); 125 top speed<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,186 pounds (manual); 3,256 (automatic)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: 24 mpg city\/32 mpg highway\/27 mpg combined (manual); 25 mpg city\/31 mpg highway\/27 mpg combined (automatic)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Roomy hatch; torque-tastic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Stop\/start system ruffles otherwise smooth drivetrain (happily, it\u2019s not on the manual)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6quMoqc\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/3c3b78bd-0dfb-450b-a8d8-f6c09192a7df-2019-Mazda3-Hatchback_05.jpg?crop=2000,912,x0,y265&amp;width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"2019 Mazda 3 hatchback\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/3c3b78bd-0dfb-450b-a8d8-f6c09192a7df-2019-Mazda3-Hatchback_05.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/3c3b78bd-0dfb-450b-a8d8-f6c09192a7df-2019-Mazda3-Hatchback_05.jpg?width=500&amp;height=333\" \/>2019 Mazda 3 hatchback\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: James Halfacre)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><strong>2019 Mazda 3 hatchback<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, 5-passenger, compact hot-hatch car<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $24,495 including $895 destination fee ($31,930 as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 186 horsepower, 185 pound feet of torque, 2.6-liter inline-4 cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 6-speed automatic, 6-speed manual<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 6.9 second zero-60 (Car and Driver, est.); 130 top speed<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,255 pounds (AWD hatchback as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: 25 city\/35 highway\/29 combined (FWD manual); 24 city\/32 highway\/27 combined (AWD auto, as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Easy on the eyes; luxury-class interior design<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Blind spot the size of New Hampshire; bring back high-horse MazdaSpeed, please?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-R1_F6quBXXU\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/1d020040-18bc-422b-8e18-a55a1f11711c-14743_2020_Soul_GT-Line.jpg?crop=3798,1727,x456,y1080&amp;width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"2020 Soul GT-Line\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/1d020040-18bc-422b-8e18-a55a1f11711c-14743_2020_Soul_GT-Line.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/06\/06\/PDTN\/1d020040-18bc-422b-8e18-a55a1f11711c-14743_2020_Soul_GT-Line.jpg?width=500&amp;height=333\" \/>2020 Soul GT-Line\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: KIA)<\/span><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><strong>2019 Kia Soul GT<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, 5-passenger, compact hot-hatch SUV<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $28,495 base including $895 destination fee ($28,495 as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 201 horsepower, 195 pound feet of torque, 1.6-liter, turbocharged inline-4 cylinder Transmission: 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 6.3 second zero-60 (Car and Driver); 130 top speed<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,036 pounds<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: 27 mpg city\/32 mpg highway\/29 mpg combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: A step up in sophistication from previous hamster-mobile; sci-fi look<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Not as athletic as its peer group; hard front seats<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Henry Payne compares hot hatchbacks 2019 Mazda 3, clockwise from top-left, 2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport, 2019 Kia Soul GT and the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI.\u00a0(Photo: The Detroit News) The Age of Ute is upon us, so it was inevitable that we would start to see SUV hot-hatches.\u00a0Consider the Lexus UX 250h F Sport [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23843"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23843"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23847,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23843\/revisions\/23847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}