The Lexus NX Hybrid is one of the most popular products from the brand and rightfully so. The NX was first introduced back in 2014 and since then, it has always been a successful product for Lexus. Thanks to the hybrid tech, it has always been famous with city dwellers and families primarily looking for urban transport through heavy traffic. As per Lexus, the name has the meaning "nimble crossover". The current generation was introduced in the year 2021 and this generation, too, has been well received in the United States market. It has just the perfect size and this is one major factor along with the hybrid tech that has made it such a huge success in the United States as well as many other big auto markets in the world. It has many things going for it and here are 10 of them.
1 The NX Has Striking Looks
The NX has those typical Lexus family traits with a huge front grille that creates a bold first impression and in general, has sharp lines along with perfectly defined cuts and creases all around. The NX sits pretty high off the ground and that lends it a purposeful look. The family look also ensures that no one mistakes it for anything other than a Lexus even from a distance. The full-width rear tail lamps enhance the rear look of the NX greatly while aiding other drivers to spot the NX easily at night. This also enhances safety as the large full-width tail lamp makes the NX visible from a long distance.
2 It Scores High On Practicality
The NX is designed as a family vehicle for the grounds up and hence, it is pretty spacious and practical on the inside. It has more than a decent amount of legroom and width on all the seats and at the same time, also has decent boot space. The NX has 22.7 cubic feet (643 liters) of boot space with all seats up. With the rear seats folded down, the boot space goes up to a massive 46.9 cubic feet (1,328 liters). Although this is just comparable to the other rivals in the segment, it is still decent nonetheless. One also gets a flat loading bay with the rear seats folded and this allows for long and heavy items to be loaded in the boot effortlessly. This takes up the practicality quotient several notches up. This makes the NX very suitable for a small family with all their luggage going on say a weekend outing. It has more than enough space to accommodate five people along with their luggage.
3 The Lexus NX Is Pretty Driver-Focused
Lexus designed the NX’s cabin to be focused towards the driver and this shows in the way the dashboard is angled towards the driver. This also brings all the controls in easy reach for the driver and hence allows the driver to focus on driving completely. One thing to note here is that the engineers at Lexus have made sure they retain physical controls and knobs for frequently used functions like HVAC and music system. This allows the drivers to get used to the controls and operate them without taking their eyes off the road. This also makes the car a whole lot safer, in turn. The angled dashboard also makes for a sporty look and feel and gives a cockpit-like feeling to the drive of the NX.
4 It Gets A Super Slick Infotainment System
When it comes to infotainment, it is interesting to note that Lexus developed a separate infotainment system specifically for the North American market, and it is an amazing system, to say the least. It gets a 9.8-inch infotainment system as standard while a bigger 14-inch system is optional. Both systems get a voice assistant feature along with dual microphones and noise-cancellation technologies. It also gets integrated Google POI data which helps immensely while trying to find something like a point of interest. Moreover, it also gets over-the-air updates that help in keeping it up to date. As expected, it integrates the usual features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay thereby making smartphone integration seamless. The large screen also aids visibility and makes media consumption enjoyable.
5 It’s Loaded With Safety Tech
The NX gets a slew of safety and driver assistance features called the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0. It gets all the usual safety tech like multiple airbags and electronic aids along with many other radar-based systems like autonomous braking and adaptive cruise control. In addition to all these features, it gets some more safety assistants like Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist, Left Turn Oncoming Vehicle Detection, Pedestrian Detection, etc. Another good thing to note is that the NX has scored extremely well in the US crash tests conducted by IIHS and has received a solid five-star crash test rating. This makes it very appealing as a family car thanks to the solid safety rating.
6 The NX Hybrid Gets Two Different Powertrain Options
The Lexus NX comes in two variants, namely the 350h and the 450h+. The former features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors producing a combined output of 204 horsepower. This variant also gets a third motor whose sole purpose is to power the rear wheels in case of low traction, which in turn makes the NX an AWD. The 450h+ variant on the other hand gets a plug-in hybrid system paired with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes a combined 304 horsepower. This variant gets an 18.1 kWh battery that provides an estimated electric-only range of 36 miles. This range is pretty decent in this segment and on par with the competition.
7 It Gets Multiple Drive Modes
The NX hybrid gets four different drive modes like Eco, Sport, Sport+, and Custom. These modes help in altering the engine performance along with the gearbox response and shift times. The NX becomes extremely engaging and fun to drive in the Sport and Sport+ modes where the traction control behaves a bit leniently and allows for some fun to be had behind the wheel. The Eco mode is designed to provide the maximum possible efficiency by dialing down the throttle responses and altering the engine mapping in order to travel the longest distance possible with every drop of fuel. The Custom mode is pretty interesting wherein the driver gets an option to set up the engine response, gearbox response, etc. to his or her liking.
8 It Handles Amazingly Well
Thanks to the heavy battery packs placed low to the ground, the center of gravity is very low, and hence, the NX Hybrid handles brilliantly well. In addition to this, the NX hybrid also gets an F Sport package that gets active dampers and hence, enhances the handling capabilities even more. It handles unlike a high-riding SUV should and makes for a fun-to-drive experience. The F Sport package gets a firmer suspension setup that almost completely eliminates the little body roll that the NX witnesses around the corners without the package. It rides completely flat while taking long high-speed corners and exudes a lot of confidence thereby giving the driver that much additional confidence to take the NX round corners at more than decent speeds for an SUV. The steering, too, offers high levels of feel at the helm and perfectly communicates what the front wheels are up to the driver at all times.
9 The NX Is Very Fuel Efficient
Thanks to the hybrid tech, the NX Hybrid is pretty fuel efficient. It delivers terrific fuel efficiency figures in the urban environment at slower speeds. The NX 350h offers around 41 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway. This comes to around 39 MPG combined. The NX450h+ on the other hand offers a combined fuel efficiency figure of 36 MPG combined. This makes it extremely suited for someone who is looking for a fuel-efficient SUV to be used as an urban runabout. It runs on pure electric power at low speeds in traffic thereby saving up a lot of fuel. Whenever the hybrid system senses the need for additional power or if the battery charge drops below a certain level, the engine kicks in to complement the battery.
10 It’s Priced Pretty Well
Considering all the technology on offer, the NX Hybrid is pretty well priced and at par with all its competitors. The range begins with the 350h which retails at $41,955 and goes all the way up to $57,805 for the range-topping 450h+ F Sport. These prices put the NX bang in between its main rivals and hence, make it a formidable alternative in the segment. Lexus' bullet-proof reliability record also boosts customer confidence in addition to the good resale values generally people get for Lexus cars. Although optional equipment can quickly take the price above $60,000, there aren't many options that are absolutely necessary and hence, could be completely avoided. The standard features are more than sufficient and make the NX a decent value-for-money proposition.