PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

PCMag UK

Lyft Takes on Uber Black With New 'Lux' Service

With Lux, you can expect to be picked up by a BMW 5-series, Cadillac Escalade, or Lexus LS, but it'll cost you.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Take a seat, Uber Black. Lyft is moving in on the luxury ride business.

Lyft Lux offers riders "an ultra-high-end black car piloted by a top driver," while Lux SUV provides all the amenities of Lux "in a more spacious, ultra-high-end black SUV that seats up to six."

Lyft Lux is a step above the company's Premier service, which launched last year and offers riders the option to be picked up by a high-end sedan or SUV — such as a BMW X3, GMC Yukon Denali, or Lexus ES — for double the price of a regular Lyft. With Lux, you can expect to be picked up in an "an ultra high-end sedan or SUV" like the BMW 5-series, Cadillac Escalade, or Lexus LS.

If you definitely need an SUV, summon Lux SUV for a ride in a Cadillac Escalade, BMW X5, or Lincoln Navigator.

Lux and Lux SUV are currently available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. Lyft said it plans to launch the service in "other cities" in the near future.

Pricing varies by city, but expect to pay more than double the price of a regular Lyft. In New York City, for instance, a regular Lyft will set you back $1.75 a mile while Lux costs $3.75 a mile and Lux SUV is $4.50 a mile. In San Francisco, Lyft is $1.15 a mile while Lux and Lux SUV are both is $3.75 a mile. To view your city's specific pricing information, head here.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read the latest from Angela Moscaritolo

Read full bio