Lexus shows off new NX hybrid

How big are these changes to the NX?

Pretty substantial, although you’d have to be a bit of a Lexus nerd to spot them from the outside. The styling changes are subtle, but you can tell new from old thanks to a more prominent grille that, like that of the bigger RX, now leans forward a little more at the top, and new headlights that wrap more around the edges of that grille.

At the rear, there are new, slimmer brake lights with a ‘Double-L’ signature and a full-width light bar, and a racier-looking rear pillar that forms almost the shape of a racing yacht’s sail from some angles. Sportier-looking F-Sport variants get piano black exterior trim and lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels. 

What about the interior?

There have been some pretty significant changes inside the NX too, not least the addition of a big new 14-inch central touchscreen for the infotainment system and a new 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument panel. That new touchscreen means fewer buttons on the dashboard, as more and more controls and functions have moved to the screen.

There’s also a new steering wheel, which looks sportier and features the Lexus name picked out in letters, instead of the old stylised ‘L’ badge. That steering wheel, 10mm smaller in diameter than before and controlling a variable-speed steering rack, also features multi-function controls that stay hidden under translucent panels until you need them. 

There’s also a new toggle-style gear selector for the automatic transmission, ambient cabin lighting, and the option of an ear-splitting Mark Levinson audio system. You can also choose from two new interior colour options — dark burgundy seat upholstery or a striped bright red look for F-Sport versions. There’s also a function whereby the cabin lighting and a fragrance dispenser can combine to either jazz you up or calm you down with three different settings called Radiance, Inspire, and Revitalise. 

What about the engines?

As before, the NX will come with an all-hybrid lineup. The standard hybrid version, the NX350, develops 244hp and has a claimed fuel economy of 7.1 litres per 100km. Of perhaps more importance is the new NX450h+ plug-in hybrid, which develops a rather sporty 303hp, but which also has a new, larger lithium-ion battery pack with one third more energy storage than before for a total of 23kWh, and which gives the NX PHEV an electric range of more than 100km on a full charge.

The battery pack has also been modified so that it has a lower centre of gravity, and it plays a part in body rigidity and stiffness. So do new suspension towers, and new body stiffeners mounted low between the transmission tunnel and the door sills. Lexus says that the new NX’s steering and handling have been ‘exhaustively’ tested at both the company’s home test track at the Toyota Technical Centre Shimoyam in Japan, as well as at the famed Nürburgring race track in Germany.

Even the engine block has been made stiffer, which helps with handling, but also with refinement — a Lexus attribute. All-wheel drive comes as standard for the NX450h+ plug-in hybrid, while it's optional for the NX350h hybrid. 

How fast is the new NX?

It’s brisk — the NX450h+ plug-in hybrid will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.0 seconds, while the NX350h hybrid takes 7.1 seconds. There is also, incidentally, a more basic NX300h hybrid model, but that hasn’t been confirmed for Europe as yet.

Any other new bits?

There’s a revised braking system and better aerodynamics than before, while the safety systems have been given an upgrade and now include collision detection sensors with a wider field of view, more responsive radar-guided active cruise control and lane-change assist, and a blind spot monitor that can detect motorcycles and bicycles. There’s also an active towing assistant, which helps with the maximum 1,500kg towing weight.