Socket to ’em
New Lexus SUV could be the perfect hybrid.. and there’s no need to worry about plugs
Thinking hybrid? So are Lexus. In fact, the luxury Japanese brand have been concentrating on hybrid cars now for far longer than they have been a twinkle in the Government’s eye.
Along with parent company Toyota, they can effectively claim expertise in an area that many drivers are just beginning to take note of.
Even more interestingly for motor i st s , whi le Lexus a re unashamedly hybrid, not one of them is a plug-in.
Research has shown that while we are at least re-attuning our motoring mindsets to hybrid and whatever comes after, we are neither keen nor particularly good at remembering to plug in. Hands up who has forgotten to charge their phone?
The man from Lexus said: “With this really good technology, they can have a hybrid without the fuss of having to plug it in.”
The technology is automatic. The driver does not have to choose when or where to go into electric mode, although they can. Real-world tests in heavy traffic by Lexus in their NX show that on a 50km (31 miles) route, 22 per cent of the drive was in electric mode and accounted for 45 per cent of the journey time. The NX regenerates power through braking and coasting while you drive, keeping the battery level maintained to charge the electric motor.
It is the ideal answer for people who want to do their bit for the planet but have neither the means nor the will to plug in.
The NX is the best seller in the Lexus range. One in every three Lexus models sold is an NX. This is not surprising because, as well as being hybrid, it is an SUV, the car of choice choi across Europe.
BigBi and bold, it has a reassuring reas road presence with its nose tweaked this year yea to realign it with the design des of the RX and LX.
It has a new adaptive headlight hea system, strobing indicators ind and the sharp creases cre we have come to see as the NX signature. They sweep back to a powered tailgate which lifts and lowers automatically when you kick underneath it.
Inside, the TFT screen has doubled in size on the centre console sitting amid the leather trim. The seats are big and comfortable with plenty of legroom and it can be kitted out with AVS, adaptive variable suspension.
Launched in 2014, in this latest guise the NX is quieter, more refined and as elegant as before.
I drove the 2.5-litre petrol mated with a 105kW electric motor offering 197hp. It coasts along beautifully and is incredibly comfortable to sit in and drive. It comes with the Lexus Drive Select mode which gives you a choice of normal, Eco or Sport and allows you manually to select Electric Vehicle mode. It is also available as a front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
But perhaps the most significant features are the fuel efficiency figures. With a top speed of 112mph and a 0- 62 figure of 9.2 seconds, the NX 300h will give you 54.3mpg and breathe out only 121g/km of CO2.
The NX300h has a bright future and could be perfect for you.