Lexus NX 300h is a solid eco-hauler
A worthy sibling to the RX, this SUV is smooth, quiet and comfortable, but slow
The Lexus RX is the bestselling luxury crossover in North America. By combining the comfort of a sedan with an SUV’s cargo capacity, the company delivered a versatile product that pioneered an all-new segment when it arrived on the market way back in 1998. But is this just a case of beginner’s luck or can the same formula work on a smaller scale?
Premium compact crossovers are hugely popular, with rival models like the Audi Q5, Acura RDX, Range Rover Evoque and even Lincoln MKC selling in large numbers across the country. Not one to remain parked on the shoulder as other brands pass it by, Lexus has developed a competitor of its own, the NX.
It’s a hybrid
The company offers several flavours of this vehicle to please the palates of a diverse buying public, but unquestionably, the most environmental variant is the NX 300h, which, predictably, features a hybrid drivetrain.
Tapping into parent company Toyota’s immense experience building gasoline-electric vehicles, this amped-up crossover is the Lexus brand’s sixth hybrid model, following the RX, ES, CT and, er, well, you know the rest.
Disguised by its nearly comical overbite, the NX 300h’s drivetrain consists predominantly of a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine. This internal-combustion propulsion unit is joined at the hip, or rather, bellhousing, to a continuously variable transmission of unique design. Unlike most CVTs, which feature a pair of variable-diameter pulleys and a special chain, Toyota developed an ingenious ratio adjuster that consists of two motor-generators paired with a planetary gear set. This configuration is incredibly effective and cleverer than should be legal. Completing the powertrain picture is a nickel-metal hydride battery pack that stores excess electrons and releases them as dictated by the driver’s right foot.
Engineering intricacies aside, the NX 300h packs a modest 194 combined horsepower.
When equipped with all-wheel drive (as our test model was) the 300h should average 7.1 L/100 km in urban driving; on the highway, that figure drops but is still noteworthy at 7.7 L/100 km. Combined, this vehicle should average a claimed 7.4 L/100 km.
It’s spacious
Despite rolling along on a wheelbase that spans less than 266.7 cm, the NX hybrid is unexpectedly roomy, with about 1,529 L of maximum cargo space. Accessing this area is easy since, for extra money, the rear seatbacks power fold, which you can do from the cargo compartment or the driver’s seat via dashboard-mounted switches.
Supposedly, the NX was designed to accommodate up to four golf bags, though you do have to lower the aft seatbacks to accommodate a quartet of club sets, meaning only two people can come along, which is not quite enough for a foursome, but who’s counting? Someone get an abacus!
It’s even comfortable
The NX’s aft accommodations are laudable, with a comfy cushion height, as well as plenty of leg and head room. When so equipped, the rear-seat backrests are even power adjustable, which is a great advancement over the clunky levers used in other vehicles.
Mirroring its cushy back seats, the front buckets are extremely comfortable as well. For me, they’re dramatically better than the examples found in the RX F-Sport I tested a couple months back. For starters, my rump didn’t go numb after just 20 minutes, which is a major plus. The NX 300h may be blessed with a spacious and comfortable cabin but there are a few minor quibbles worth mentioning, and the biggest is its Remote Touch Interface.
Instead of having a proper touchscreen or even the mouse-like control nubbin found in other Lexus models, this vehicle is equipped with a small computer-style trackpad that’s unacceptably difficult to use. It’s challenging to click on the icons you want as the cursor jumps around, plus its dash-mounted 7inch display is quite restrictive. More real estate would be appreciated, as would a simpler interface design.
It’s slow
While not quite as substantial-feeling as the RX, its larger sibling, the NX is nonetheless sportier, thanks in part to its trimmer dimensions. On centre, its steering is sharper than a barber’s straight-razor, almost to the point of feeling jittery, but you get used to this and soon appreciate its responsiveness.
As for the powertrain, it moves the 300h at a measured pace, propelling it to 97 km/h in 9.1 seconds, which is pretty slow for any luxury vehicle in the 21st century. Luckily, its lack of urgency isn’t a problem unless you pull out in front of a speeding Peterbilt. I’d definitely like more giddy-up, even if it came at the expense of thrift; the vehicle’s near-4,200-lb curb weight does it no favours in the velocity department.
Ostensibly varying how it feels on the road, three discrete drive modes are offered via a knob on the centre console. There’s Normal, Sport and Wet Blanket — sorry, Eco. These supposedly adjust the throttle response and steering assist, though, as I’ve said in reviews of other vehicles, it’s hard to tell one from the other. Just avoid Eco, which neuters the entire experience, and you’ll do fine.
Aside from all of this, the NX is smooth, comfortable and quiet, as a Lexus should be. From a refinement standpoint, it really is a commendable, if somewhat uninvolving, compact luxury crossover.
It costs money
Somewhat easing these pains, our test model was equipped with a few welcome options such as blind-spot monitoring and LED headlamps with automatic high beams. . Out the door, the base model starts at $53,550.
The verdict
The 2016 Lexus NX 300h has space, style and efficiency to spare; aggressive looks make it stand out from the crowd, for better or worse.
Lethargic performance is the price you pay for the solidity and economy this vehicle offers. If you need something quicker or more engaging and still demand Lexus quality, try a nonhybrid 200t version; it features a 2.0litre turbocharged engine with 235 horses and a six-speed automatic transmission. However, you’ll have to determine if that trade-off is worth making.