2022 Lexus NX350h First Drive Review

• Rarity of presence
• Feature list

• Ride quality
• No diesel powertrain

Indian car buyers these days are an informed bunch and are now thus well aware of where Lexus stands in the premium hierarchy. This NX, over its predecessor, ups the game in terms of features, space, driveability and exterior design making it a worthy choice among the competitors. On the flip side, the run-flat tyres affect the ride quality while the steering is a touch lighter than how we would like it to be. It also lacks a diesel powertrain which two of its most major German rivals offer in multiple states of tune. However, Lexus has officially announced that it is investing in BEVs, PHEVs and hydrogen tech as a part of its future plans.

This Lexus NX350h is powered by a 2.5-litre hybrid petrol engine that produces 187bhp/239Nm but also gets two electric motors producing 179bp/270Nm (front) and 53bhp/121Nm (rear) ensuring that you are never short of motivation. Transmission duties are taken care of by a CVT and there is AWD for low grip conditions.

When you thumb the starter button, the car comes to life in EV mode and brings the petrol engine into play either if the input on the gas pedal is heavy or if you cross speeds beyond 30-40kmph. In EV mode the car is very quiet, refined and paints a nice picture of what you can expect from the Lexus SUV family of the future. The switch from electric mode to ICE is seamless with just a muted burble as the engine comes to life.

On the go, with over 400Nm of torque, you are never short of punch and in the short time that we got with the car; we can tell that its highway cruising ability will not be an issue at all and you should be able to munch up the kilometres without much effort. What’s more, if you attempt to launch the car from a standstill (in sport mode), it picks up speed at a surprisingly fast rate for a vehicle of this size. In fact, Lexus claims a 0-100kmph time of 7.7 seconds and we suspect that in our real-world tests, it will achieve this number or maybe even go faster!

You get two driving modes, Eco and Sport and as their name suggests, alters the response of the throttle. It’s a bit muted in Eco mode and is most useful at city speeds where the pace is constant but not all that fast. Switching to Sport mode gets the engine to hold the revs for longer allowing you to build up speed which is useful on the highways.

The NX is the first car in the Lexus SUV family to move the GA-K platform thus making it lighter yet stronger than the first-generation model that was introduced in 2014. Like its predecessor, it rides on Mcpherson struts in front and a double-wishbone setup at the rear. Stopping power comes via ventilated discs for all four wheels and finally, this new NX moves from 18-inch wheels to 20-inch wheels with 235/50 section run-flat tyres.

The suspension setup is aimed at comfort and that is evident in the way the NX rides over bumps and imperfections. It sends very little back into the cabin to displace the occupants and settles quickly once you have crossed the obstacle. However, the large wheels and hard compound run-flat tyres lend an underlying stiffness as well evident tyre noise to the overall ride quality.

The steering is light and does not provide as much feedback as we would have liked especially in the dead-ahead position. Sport mode does improve things in terms of responsiveness and there is a nice weight as you go faster. However, given its comfort-oriented nature, you are best off driving with a bit of forward planning especially if you are climbing hills. The large brakes are quite effective with good bite and progression.

The cabin of this next-generation NX is as one would expect from a car in this price and category. It is high quality, inviting and full of little bits of fancy technology to put a smile on your face/help you show off. Leather is the dominant material with it covering the seats, gear lever, steering, door pads and the armrests while the quality of plastics used on all surfaces, including non-contact areas is of high grade.

One glance at the first row and you can see that the screen and some part of the centre console have been oriented towards the driver which is mostly due to the positioning of the 14-inch touchscreen display. Everything falls easily to hand in terms of ergonomics but we did have some apprehensions about the haptic control for AC as well as steering mounted control. The latter is touch-sensitive, a first in the segment, but can be confusing to use as some of the functions appear on the instrument cluster and some on the heads-up display.

The second row as one would expect has a decent amount of space for two occupants and thanks to the sunroof and large windows, it doesn’t feel claustrophobic or cramped. In terms of features, you get an armrest with two cup holders, vents a 12V socket and two USB Type-C ports.

The boot is quite massive at 521-litres and can be expanded to 1141-litres for a really large cargo area. The seat mechanism is effortless too with a power split-folding second row that can be accessed via buttons in the boot area. Due to the design of the vehicle, the loading lip is high and it would be good to invest in a sill guard.

The feature list is pretty decent for a car in this category and price range. You get dual-zone climate control, touchscreen infotainment with a 14-inch display, digital instrument cluster, leather upholstery, power front seats with memory function for the driver, panoramic sunroof, power tailgate, power-folding for the rear seats, 360-degree camera and blind-spot monitor. On the safety front, all versions of the NX gets eight airbags, rear camera detection, traction control, ABS with EBD, hill-start assists, TPMS and a pre-collision warning system.

Of all the features, we really liked the touchscreen. It’s large, easy to use and has quick pathways to get you to where you need to be to access a function of the car. This is the largest display in the segment and with this generation loses the Lexus touchpad. Another feature we really liked is the new e-latch door handles. It doesn’t take any time to get used to as you still get the physical sensation of putting in an effort to open the door.

This second-generation NX sports the new massive Lexus spindle grille upfront with angular shapes dominating the face. In the profile, you can see the crossover stance of the SUV thanks to the strong shoulder line, flared wheel arches and massive 20-inch wheels.

The Lexus badge has been replaced by Lexus lettering at the back which ties in well with the design of the tail lamp cluster as well as the number plate housing, in all quite a modern-looking car that will stand out well in a crowd.

The NX has everything you would expect from a car in this segment in terms of features, space, quality and kilometre munching ability. It may not be the most dynamic car to drive and lacks a diesel powertrain option but will get the job done without losing a step. Also, it has strong green credentials thanks to the hybrid technology and EV mode which should appeal to those looking to stand out in the crowd.

The Lexus NX (at the time of this review) is available in three trim levels with one petrol-hybrid powertrain option. It is a rival for the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace and even the Jeep Wrangler. The Lexus NX range (at the time of this review) was priced from Rs 75.21 lakh to Rs 82.90 lakh (on-road Delhi).

Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi