‘Muscular’ motor that has a feminine side
privacy glass, a power tailgate and illuminated door handles with puddle lamps.
She liked it so much I saw less and less of the NX as the week wore on with it being pressed into service for trips to wedding dress shops and florists across Greater Manchester with her sisters and number one daughter.
Luckily the hybrid proved very frugal with the go juice using the electric motor whenever possible, which meant half a tank left at the end of the week despite the NX regularly being missing when I stepped onto the driveway.
Under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack.
All versions get a CVT automatic gearbox, which can make things a little noisy under hard acceleration, while only the entrylevel SE model misses out on fourwheel drive.
All other models get an active four-wheel-drive system that powers the front wheels until it senses them slipping, at which point a second electric motor on the rear axle cuts in.
All NX models get a 10.3in screen, with CD player, digital radio, USB and Bluetooth and satnav, dual-zone climate control, electrically folding door mirrors, heated front seats and 18in alloys. Our F Sport car also has adaptive dampers and there are several driving modes from eco to Sport +.
Unfortunately, while it is better than the old Lexus rotary dial, I did find the central touchpad control to still be a little fiddly and distracting and was completely unable to shut the sat-nav lady up after changing my mind on a destination (time to consult the handbook).
The cabin is big enough for four adults, and even very tall drivers will find plenty of room.
Reclining rear seats make two adults in the back feel comfy, but there’s not enough shoulder room to make it suitable for three across.
The boot is a respectable size and will easily cope with shopping runs or holiday luggage.
As I said, fuel consumption was suitably impressive, making a good case for hybrid motoring. Lexus claim up to 55.4mpg extra urban and only a couple of mpg less for combined in a vehicle which can hit 62 in 9.2 seconds and go on to a top speed of 112mph.
Not bad when you consider the NX 300h weighs in at almost two tonnes.
Price wise the F-Sport 300h is a range topping £39,995, but you can get an entry level NX for £34,895 in the shape of the 2WD SE.
So - from what I saw of it the NX seemed a very accomplished performer - but if I get another one in the future I may just have to hide it away from ‘you-know-who’!
More information at www.lexus. co.uk