In this utility-crazy world, there are more ways to satisfy your desire for a vehicle with abundant cargo capacity and tall-in-the-saddle seating than ever before. For the entry-luxury spectrum, the Lexus NX 300 and NX 300 hybrid will give you what similarly equipped compact sedans simply cannot.
Introduced for the 2015 model year, the NX recently underwent a number of adjustments, starting with changing the NX 200t name to NX 300 for all gasoline versions. The NX 300h (hybrid) label remains unchanged. The revised spindle-style grille and front bumper is more attractive, but for some reason the F Sport model sticks to a larger mesh grille that鈥檚 far from sporty and lacks the eye appeal of the base NX鈥檚 nosepiece.
New exhaust tips and taillights are the main changepoints at the rear.
The reworked interior remains a cosy and comfortable spot with easy-to-read gauges and readily accessible climate, navigation and infotainment controls for both front-seat riders. All are accessed through either an eight- or 10.3-inch tablet-type touch-screen. A sensitive Remote Touch Interface (touch-pad controller) on the floor console is used to select various functions 鈥� some are rather jumbled up on the screen, however 鈥� instead of a rotary knob that鈥檚 common on competing models.
The theatre-style reclining rear bench allows passengers to have a commanding view of their surroundings.
The stowage area鈥檚 high floor height, plus a rear seat that doesn鈥檛 fully lower flat, restricts the amount of stuff you can carry. There鈥檚 considerably more volume than in the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, but less than the Acura RDX has.
The power systems carry over for 2018. The NX 300 has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that delivers a relatively modest 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It鈥檚 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The hybrid鈥檚 non-turbo 2.5-litre four-cylinder and accompanying electric motor produce a combined 194 horses. It gets a continuously variable transmission.
Base fuel economy is rated at 10.6 l/100 km in the city and 8.5聽on the highway, while the hybrid is rated at 7.2/7.9. That鈥檚 a significant improvement for the city cycle, and the hybrid has the added bonus of standard all-wheel drive.
The NX 300鈥檚 standard all-wheel-drive hardware kicks in only when the front tires begin to slip. At that point, up to half the available torque can be sent to the rear wheels.
The hybrid鈥檚 AWD system drives the rear wheels by electricity, just as they are in the related Toyota RAV4.
Small-displacement turbocharged engines tend to have delayed throttle response, which is both annoying and unsettling, but the NX 300 pleasantly gets around this. There is, however, a notable tendency for the steering to 鈥減ull鈥� when accelerating (called torque steer).
Ride quality is on the firm side, and even choppy on rough surfaces. Lexus has tried smoothing things out by retuning the base suspension and by improving the optional active suspension that constantly adjusts shock dampening.
Pricing starts at $46,150 in sa国际传媒, including freight charges, for the NX 300, which is right in line with most competitors. That gets you a well-turned-out model with dual-zone climate control, LED headlamps, power-folding mirrors and power adjustable front seats. A number of dynamic safety technologies, such as emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, are also standard.
Among the extra-cost items, perhaps the most useful are the hands-free power-controlled liftgate and the power-folding rear seat that can be operated from the dashboard, by cargo-hold switches and from switches along each side of the split-folding bench.
Upgrading to the F Sport adds a sport suspension plus a few dress-up goodies, but no increased performance.
The NX will meet most buyers鈥� expectations in terms of luxury, agility and utility 鈥� that is, if they can get past the polarizing styling and the vehicle鈥檚 Toyota roots, which aren鈥檛 really showing. Lexus鈥檚 traditionally high resale values are a definite bonus, too, which will help keep monthly lease payments in check.
