Lexus hybrid crossover features utility, comfortable ride

“There’s a little button beside the shifter to push for full EV, or electric vehicle mode,” Kraus says. “When you’re in that mode, and you push hard on the accelerator, the gas motor fires up.

“I did feel it was a little underpowered in the hybrid version with the 194 hp, and would like to have driven the gasoline-only NX 300 with its 224 hp for comparison. There just didn’t seem to be much grunt, and it seemed a bit counter-productive to drive it in a spirited manner.”

That’s when Kraus says he changed his mindset, and began driving the NX 300h differently.

“If you stay out of the throttle, it’s kind of fun to drive it with fuel economy in mind to see just what kind of mileage you can get. In that sense it was a great vehicle to putter around in to get groceries and pick up the kids.

“It was just a bit more pedestrian than I was anticipating.”

The vehicle handled well, and Kraus stayed firmly planted in his seat with the exceptional bolstering.

As for the ride, it was rated comfortable. Kraus did drive the NX 300h from Calgary to Red Deer and found the cabin quiet, with little wind noise evident on the highway journey.

The cargo area was put to use hauling boxes and groceries, he says, and the cargo net and tie-down points offered a good degree of utility.

Kraus concludes, “I just felt that if you’re looking for something with a bit of ‘sport’ to it, this just doesn’t have it. However, as an everyday vehicle, it would suit a large majority of people.”