What is it?
The Lexus NX is the Japanese company's antidote to formulaic European design, face-lifted for a second time since its launch in 2014.
Sitting a rung below the BMW X5-rivalling Lexus RX, the NX has been a big seller for this relatively under-represented brand, accounting for almost a third of its European sales and Lexus in 2017 outselling the CT200h luxo-hatch at a ratio of three to one. A large part of its appeal has always been the acute, concept-car-esque geometry of its bodywork.
For 2018 the changes are subtle but prolong the impact of the head-turning looks that make it almost a caricature next to the more restrained likes of the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. The gaping spindle grille is now more aggressive, and flanked by more deeply recessed air intakes. The bumpers have also been finessed and the LED headlights are not only sleeker in design but now incorporate Lexus’s Adaptive High-beam System. The indicators now illuminate in a ‘sequential’ fashion, in the style first seen on expensive Audis.
Lexus has also given the NX its Safety System Plus technology, which compromises a pre-collision warning and emergency braking system, adaptive cruise control, adaptive high-beam headlights (that is, headlights capable of selectively illuminating the road ahead in such a way that other drivers aren’t constantly dazzled), lane-departure warning and road-sign assist. The last of those reiterates speed limits and such on the infotainment display.
One more thing: Lexus has axed the 194bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged NX200t for 2018, leaving the hybrid 300h tested here as the only option. The grade-structure has been simplified, too, to SE, Luxury, F sport, F Sport Premier Pack (adds a head-up display, plus a 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system) and, at the top of the pile, Premier.
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A perfectly reasonable hybrid me thinks...
...and with the plus of an original style.
OK, with 180 km/h top speed (this is the maximum constructive speed allowed in Japan anyway) it may not be a hoot to drive on the german autobahns, but in the rest of Europe I don's see this being a flaw.
Conclusion (only mine): 4 stars !
I love the outside of this
I love the outside of this car. When it was launched, I thought it was vile, but it has grown on me. That interior still looks a mess, though. It has shiney plastics, and what seems to be a haphazard button layout. Perhaps it works well in use, but it doesn't look like it. Shame to hear that there aren't deals to be had on it.
MPG
the best ever recorded MPG L/100 is 43.6 MPG or 6.47 l/100. Much less than the official figures. I fail to see how a business user can justify the extra cost of hybrid? It is a very reliable system. Far fewer regeneration diesel problems. For a low mileage user this is OK