Overview
THE Lexus NX has been on sale in Australia for simply over a 12 months, the Japanese premium marque’s five-seat medium SUV priced from $60,800 plus on-road prices and providing varied engine decisions, together with a direct-injection 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, and each petrol-electric hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. To not point out two- and all-wheel drive.
The NX vary begins with the NX250 which is fitted with a 152kW/243Nm usually aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine and eight-speed computerized transmission, the two-wheel drive variant debuting Lexus’ “human-centric” Tazuna cockpit, which incorporates energy adjustable and heated entrance seats, dual-zone local weather management and a 9.8-inch infotainment array that includes “Hey Lexus!” voice recognition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity, plus DAB+ digital radio reception.
The entry-grade NX additionally options 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with computerized high-beam help, a power-operated tailgate, in addition to an intensive vary of security applied sciences. The NX250 consists of secure exit help (SEA) with new e-latch electrically activated door handles, which may detect bicycle owner and passing autos and forestall the Lexus’ doorways from being opened.
The Lexus-first system joins intersection-turn help (ITA), emergency steering help (ESA), parking help brake (PKSB), blind-spot monitor (BSM), dynamic radar lively cruise management (DRCC), lane-tracing help (LTA), and road-sign help (RSA). All NX derivatives are additional geared up with Lexus Linked Companies, which incorporates SOS name performance.
Lexus says the NX250 can speed up from standstill to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and that it has a mixed cycle gasoline consumption determine of 6.9 litres per 100km.
Shifting up the value sheet, the $65,800 (+ORCs) NX350h Luxurious vary will arrive with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine coupled to an electrical motor. The utmost mixed energy for two-wheel drive variants is listed at 179kW/239Nm (petrol engine), with the electrical motor including its personal 270Nm kick. On the all-wheel drive variant ($70,400 +ORCs) the height output of the electrical motor is 391Nm. Each variants function a repeatedly variable transmission (CVT).
Lexus says the two-wheel-drive NX350h Luxurious can speed up from zero to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and the AWD variant is a second sooner. Optimum combined-cycle gasoline economic system is 5.0 litres per 100km. The NX350h’s gear ranges are in any other case equivalent to these of the NX250.
Subsequent up is the NX350h Sports activities Luxurious. Priced from $73,100 (+ORCs), the mid-tier spinoff is on the market in two- and all-wheel drive guises, however gives further gear in contrast with its Luxurious-spec siblings.
Further options embrace 20-inch alloys, tri-beam LED headlights, leather-accented upholstery, a bigger 14.0-inch infotainment display screen, 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, color head-up show, 360-degree digicam, ventilated entrance seats, digital rear-view mirror, wi-fi smartphone charging pad and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system.
The F Sport vary can also be priced from $73,100 (+ORCs) and is obtainable with the hybrid powertrain discovered within the NX350h (examined) or with a 205kW/430Nm 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine and eight-speed computerized mixture. Lexus says the latter can speed up from standstill to 100km/h in 7.0 seconds and return a mixed cycle gasoline economic system determine of 8.1 litres per 100km.
F Sport derivatives embrace a sports activities physique package, body-coloured wheel arches, black window surrounds, scuff plates, perforated leather-accented steering wheel and transmission lever, alloy pedals, sports activities seats, Hadori aluminium ornamentation, and five-mode Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) with efficiency dampers entrance and rear.
Lexus’ F Sport vary is on the market with the identical enhancement packs provided on the NX350h Sports activities Luxurious.
Lastly, and priced from $89,900 (+ORCs) is the NX450h+ F Sport all-wheel drive. The range-topping variant merges the gear from commonplace NX F Sport grades with a moonroof, heated steering wheel and a digital rear-view mirror.
The NX450h+ F Sport is powered by a 227kW plug-in hybrid powertrain comprising a 2.5-litre petrol engine and twin electrical motors – one on every axle. Energy is sourced from an 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which Lexus says can present an all-electric driving vary of as much as 87km.
The flagship variant is alleged to be able to accelerating 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds and its optimum mixed cycle gasoline economic system is rated at simply 1.3 litres per 100km.
Included within the worth of the NX450h+ are two charging cables and a complementary home-charger set up (by JetCharge). The latter is claimed to cut back charging instances (from depleted to totally charged) to about two-and-a-half hours.
Prospects may select to improve to a premium charger with further scope of performance, equivalent to a touch-display, Wi-Fi and Ethernet compatibility, smartphone app connectivity and dynamic load administration.
What’s extra, NX450h+ homeowners will obtain a three-year membership to the Lexus Encore Platinum proprietor advantages program, which incorporates Lexus on Demand, by way of which members can borrow one other Lexus on 4 events, for as much as eight days.
The Lexus Encore Platinum members are additionally supplied with eight valet parking passes to make use of at choose Westfield purchasing centres and the Chadstone purchasing centre in Melbourne.
Lastly, the model has additionally launched a brand new Lexus Linked smartphone app to coincide with the arrival of the NX. Like in ES and LS fashions, the NX comes with complimentary Lexus Linked Companies, together with computerized collision notification, SOS emergency name and stolen car monitoring.
Along with the prevailing Lexus App, by way of which homeowners can entry the Lexus Encore proprietor advantages program, the brand new app introduces new connectivity options, equivalent to Lexus Distant Join, which permits homeowners to function among the car’s capabilities through their telephones, Lexus Standing Join, which permits entry to a wealth of auto data and analyses the motive force’s acceleration, braking and cornering behaviour to supply a Drive Pulse score, in addition to Lexus Multimedia Join, which incorporates cloud-based related navigation with reside site visitors, climate, parking and map updates, location looking, and first-mile and last-mile routing.
It additionally gives personalisation of assorted capabilities, broader voice command performance, entry to notifications and net looking by way of the top unit utilizing Wi-Fi tethering to a consumer’s smartphone.
On NX250 and Luxurious grades, the system makes use of cloud-based maps – the place a Knowledge Communication Module (DCM) connection is on the market – and offers surrounding space map information for momentary offline navigation. The system permits the motive force to ask their Lexus for information in regards to the nearest petrol station and obtain reside instructions, reside site visitors, parking and placement companies through the DCM.
As well as, F Sport and Sports activities Luxurious grades function embedded satellite tv for pc navigation mapping.
Lexus gives three years’ complimentary Lexus Linked Companies subscription and membership of the Lexus Encore proprietor advantages program (from the registration date of relevant fashions).
All Lexus passenger autos are backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants obtain a 10-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee on the battery.
Driving Impressions
For many of us, the Lexus NX is a superb mid-sized SUV. The truth is, it’s most likely the Goldilocks of the Japanese luxurious car-maker’s SUV line-up. Not too large. Not too small.
It truly is the appropriate sized SUV for a variety of consumers, be they youthful households, singles, downsizers and even upsizers, assuming you’ve come from a premium hatch or compact SUV.
However greater than that, it’s a terrific SUV to drive in a wide range of situations and environments, which is to say it should swimsuit metropolis and nation consumers alike. We spent the Monday to Friday jostle commuting from the town to the suburbs in Lexus’ NX350h F Sport earlier than taking a leisurely nation drive over a weekend. Each had been little wanting a delight.
The NX performs very effectively round city and sits neatly in metropolis site visitors. It gives an distinctive view ahead and operates comfy in stop-and-go site visitors, an setting the place Lexus’ well-calibrated driver help applied sciences actually come into their very own.
Gasoline economic system – and remembering this can be a petrol-electric hybrid car hovered within the low- to mid-5.0-litre/100km vary, which didn’t actually degrade throughout freeway driving the place the indicated read-out sat at a gentle 5.8L/100km.
Nevertheless, the NX does present somewhat variance in journey high quality when sampling the 2 environments. Sharp edged potholes and bridge growth gaps can jar the journey significantly, the low profile rubber and bigger alloy wheel mixture of the F Sport grade transmitting fast a shock to the cabin. However expertise the automotive on lumpy and poorly surfaced sections of street and also you’ll barely discover a factor.
The journey is much softer than you’ll anticipate. There is no such thing as a head toss to talk of and little nasty pitching movement when accelerating and decelerating. In a phrase, the NX maintains its composure very effectively, and isn’t simply upset by sudden mid-corner bumps, retaining its meant line with confidence and accuracy.
We discovered the extent of physique roll to be effectively curtailed by Lexus’s fast-acting adaptive dampers. Quick directional modifications didn’t upset the NX’s maintain on the street floor, even in damp situations. And pleasingly, except somewhat tyre thrum, the cabin remained quiet as effectively, which for these with longer commutes is certain to be a blessing.
Sadly, there’s a little vibration transmitted to the cabin when travelling on coarse chip asphalt or over poorly maintained surfaces. A light-weight, plastic vibration is heard from behind the binnacle, shaking the head-up show notably. It’s a bothersome problem that contradicts the standard and serenity in any other case skilled within the cabin, and one thing we hope is peculiar to this hard-driven check automotive.
Away from that, the cabin is appreciably quiet with little wind noise and virtually no mechanical din to talk of. It is usually a surprisingly capacious house by which to spend time, although lanky teenagers and taller adults might discover rear-seat head- and legroom considerably restricted, particularly over longer distances. Cargo house is sufficient for a weekend’s baggage or a large number of heavy college baggage.
We discovered the match and end of the cabin to be glorious, with great consideration to element and a easy transition between contrasting supplies. The quantity of storage provided is unbelievable given the dimensions of the automotive, the centre console – with its bi-fold lidded bin, beneficiant cup holders and helpful system tray – a very well-thought-out inclusion.
On the draw back, nonetheless, we did expertise a few fascinating connectivity glitches with the wi-fi Apple CarPlay system. The connection dropped solely on one event and wanted to be reset. We additionally had tough in having the system robotically attenuate the music being performed when studying a textual content or taking a name… maybe a system reset or software program replace was so as.
In any other case, there’s little or no to complain about contained in the cabin. The local weather management system maintains temperature exceptionally effectively and will be adjusted or trimmed right down to a softer response in order that the fan noise is not distracting over a dialog or the wonderful of the Mark Levinson stereo.
The best way the heated and ventilated seats work together with the local weather management an computerized mode is likewise distinctive, as is the heated steering wheel, which is a welcome function on cool autumn mornings.
On steadiness, we actually loved our time with the Lexus NX. It actually is a superb automotive in lots of, many points. It’s not solely a terrific measurement, however it drives and feels the best way a premium SUV ought to. The cabin is sensibly packaged, the design cohesive, and the texture on the wheel exceptionally fluid.
If you happen to’re looking for an SUV within the small-to-medium status phase then the NX is one car that deserves to be very excessive up the want record, significantly if the scientific ‘sameness’ of the German marques is changing into somewhat laborious to take.
