This is a tale of two cars: one with a plug and one without. The latest Lexus NX takes the same toe-dipping approach towards the all-electric future that is adopted by its big parent Toyota.
Here you have a regular petrol hybrid in the form of the NX 350h and a plug-in hybrid version in the 450h+. Both have the company’s popular 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet. The 350 comes front-wheel drive while the 450 is four-wheel drive.
If that's all the tech you want, then you can take it from our test drive that the 450 is the car of choice, with an electric-only range of 74km – or even up to 95km in city driving, according to its engineers. Rightly, it's expected to take the lion's share of NX sales in Ireland after arrival.
Premium interior
But there’s much more to this latest premium crossover than a plug socket. The real talking point for many potential buyers is the massive leap that Lexus has made in terms of its interior.
Rightly ridiculed for its awkward touchpad and cursor set-up, this time we get a crystal-clear touchscreen that would earn Apple plaudits, while the rest of the trim has the touch and styling of a luxury car.
Outside, this Lexus retains the rather divisive styling that people either love or loathe. That said, Lexus designers deserve credit – or blame – for pursuing a big grille strategy that others have now adopted (we’re pointing at you, BMW). Where once the brand was seen as a follower and even imitator of German premium looks, in some ways its designers have taken a lead.
Tour de force
This second generation is a major tour de force for the brand and it’s showcased best on the 450h. Built on the same new platform as the latest Toyota Rav4, the end result is a proper five-seater cabin that feels more SUV-like than its predecessor. And thanks to Toyota’s long history with hybrids, Lexus managed to accommodate both battery types without any difference in bootspace, so the 350h and the 450h both boast 520 litres of loadspace.
Lexus quotes an average fuel consumption of between 0.9 and 1.1l/100km (313-256 mpg) for the 450h+. Both NX models can tow up to 1,500kg (braked).
On the road the 350h and 450h+ are quite different cars. The front-wheel drive 350h feels at best adequate. It will do all the things a car should do but sadly not in an overtly premium way.
Plug-in best
The 450h+ delivers a far nicer and dynamic driving experience. There is a lovely sense of rear-axle bias when accelerating, plus it has sufficient power to suit all manner of motoring with an output of 309hp. That figure seems quite high for a family crossover, but in reality feels more like circa 200hp under your foot.
Dig a bit deeper into the NX’s specifications and you’ll see the 350h hybrid weighs 1.8 tonnes while the 450h PHEV weighs a plump2 tonnes – so that power estimate makes a bit more sense.
The steering has a weighty premium feel in normal driving. About town, the hybrid system takes care of everything or you can save battery power for use later and run on EV whenever you wish. It’s very pleasant to drive on battery power alone. The PHEV battery has a capacity of 18.1 kWh and recharges in as little as 2½ hours.
Obviously, at low speed both cars will try to default to zero emissions mode but the 450h+ with its far bigger rechargeable battery will do it more often and for a far longer distance. And to heap further praise on the cabin, when in EV mode the car is whisper-quiet inside.
Engine noise
The only downside to the 450h is when you need to accelerate with gusto and have no battery power, the noise from the CVT gearbox and engine can make an it whine. When you do kick down to call up every horsepower on offer, during overtaking for example, some of the old flaws of Toyota’s hybrid system start to show in terms of a rather sluggish initial response combined with a lot of engine noise.
The budget will impact on NX pricing, especially the 350h hybrid version, so Lexus will confirm pricing for this model later.
The 450h PHEV, however, with its very low CO2 figure is expected to cost in the region of €60,000. That's right in the running with premium PHEV rivals such as the Audi Q5 with a 62km EV range (from €56,170), the BMW X3 with a 49km range (€62,120) and the Mercedes-Benz GLC with a 43km of electric-only range at €66,540.
This crossover represents a new era for Lexus, with more than 20 new or revised electrified models coming between now and 2025. The NX 450h+ represents the best look at the start of a very interesting period for the brand and it’s not just about the plug socket, but also an interior that is certain to impress. A real premium rival all round that should worry its rivals.
