Have you ever found it difficult to dislike a car? I have. Recently I took the keys of the new Lexus NX. You see, I’ve been following this vehicle ever since it was a concept – the LF-NX. Love them or loathe them, Lexus makes a nice car - and the NX is no exception. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it feels good and drives nice.
Lexus is a luxury manufacturer and its main competition in this segment includes; the BMW X3, the Range Rover Evoque, and the Audi Q5. The NX is the first compact SUV for Lexus and it’s a tough market to gain ground in.
All of its competitors have attractive features both inside and out, but where the Lexus NX really competes best is inside. This car offers excellent comfort and the model I drove has an attractive red and black trim. The dash houses a lot of buttons (which is something I’d usually give out about), but they are laid out in a way that is actually appealing. The only downside I found in here was that I found the infotainment system was slightly complicated.
My test car was the NX 300h (hybrid), and when you drive it at low speeds the car can operate using the battery packs only. This is obviously to save on fuel, and it’s a nice touch. The battery, while operating, gives a very slight whirring sound when moving. This sound won’t appeal to everybody, but I liked it.
On paper, Lexus tells us that the average combined fuel consumption of this vehicle is 5.3l/100km, but I didn’t achieve anything near this. I drove the AWD (all-wheel drive) F Sport version of the NX and the on-paper figure that Lexus offer is CO2 emissions of 123g/km, which means it’s relatively inexpensive to tax.
In terms of performance the Lexus NX offers 0-100km/h in 9.3 seconds, and has a top speed of 180 km/h. The AWD model I drove offers a braked towing capacity of 1500kg and unbraked of 750kg. There are three driving modes available with ECO, Normal and SPORT on offer. The 300h is powered by a 2.5litre petrol engine which offers 155hp and this combined with the electric motors ups the bhp to 197.
Outside, the Lexus NX definitely stands out. The front houses an incredible spindle grille that turns the NX into a very imposing machine. The bonnet is curvaceous and the LED and Daytime Running lights wrap around both sides.
So, what would you pay for this luxury machine? Well, it’s not what I’d call cheap. Starting prices for the Lexus NX are €43,950 (ECO Front Wheel Drive). For the F SPORT AWD model I was driving you will have to cough up from €57,950. Pricing is pretty much on par with Audi and BMW with the Q5 and X3. The NX is the only one among these rivals that doesn’t offer a diesel engine.
The steering is precise and simple and the car does offer nice driving, but other than its aesthetic appeal there is something lacking that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe if the engine was a bit more exciting on the power front it might make me enjoy it more. Also, I found it to be a small bit slow in gear changes – It held onto low gears a little bit too long for my liking.
Overall, the stunning good looks and comfort of this car makes it one that I like. As I said before, it’s hard not to like this car. It turns heads and offers visual appeal that some of its rivals don’t. Where it lacks in fun, it makes up for in style.
