Lexus NX fixes infotainment system, more
The Lexus NX is now the brand’s second most popular vehicle after the RX, having grown to account for 23% of sales. With that kind of popularity, any changes must be made carefully. So even if the redesigned 2022 Lexus NX doesn’t initially seem dramatically different, it most certainly is. Just check out the tailgate. There you’ll see Lexus spelled out in letters in place of the Lexus L logo. But other changes are far more significant, with the most important being found inside.
Until now, Lexus drivers had to contend with a truly dreadful infotainment system controlled by a finicky touchpad and user interface that would be tolerable if you didn’t have to drive while using it. Thankfully, Lexus has finally rectified the situation by replacing the Japanese-designed system with one designed in America. The results speak for themselves.
The large infotainment screen is the NX’s most notable improvement. The test vehicle’s optional 14 inches is very large, almost too large. A 9.8-inch screen is standard. Cloud-based and powered by Google, it can now pair two smartphones at once, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. So too are Apple Music and Amazon Music streaming. And it can now be paired with a digital key on your smartphone.
But the dichotomy that’s part of Lexus’s DNA is present once you look at the instrument cluster. Dim even on the brightest setting, its cluttered design lacks a clear visual hierarchy, with some essential information poorly placed. The trip odometer is buried, and easily blocked by the steering wheel. The graphics lack the sophistication of the infotainment system and seem as if they’re made by a different automaker — and to some extent they are.
If this seems like a minor concern, it only stands out because the rest of the vehicle is such a clear advance from the first generation NX.
The NX is equipped with four powertrains, starting with the NX 250’s normally aspirated 2.5-liter four, which it shares with the Toyota RAV4. It generates 203 horsepower thorough its eightspeed automatic to the front wheels, although all-wheel drive is optional. Performance is best described as adequate, with a 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds. Step up to the NX 350 and things immediately get more interesting, as 0-60 mph times drop by two seconds, thanks to the turbocharged 2.5-liter four, with 257 horsepower, the eight-speed and all-wheel drive.
The rest of the lineup is made up of hybrids.
The NX 350H is a conventional hybrid with 239 horsepower, but with a 7.2-second 0-60 mph time, it’s slower than the NX 350. If you’re considering a hybrid NX and don’t mind its lofty price, opt for the NX 450H plug-in hybrid, with a 37-mile pure electric range and a sixsecond 0-60 mph time.
The turbocharged four, the NX’s most popular powerplant, provides enough punch for the cut and thrust of daily driving. While it’s more than up to the task at hand, the hybrid powerplants prove superior in punch and fuel efficiency, with the top-of-the-line plug-in hybrid proving sprightly off-the-line thanks to its constant feed of electric power. That extra torque continually enhances the NX’s responsiveness, endowing it with the effortless feel one expects of a luxury vehicle.
Handling is nicely balanced between ride and handling, with some body lean in corners, but it remains moderate. Bump absorption is fairly good, without the excess ride motions that comes with ride compliance. Steering is very numb, robbing what little sportiness this vehicle might have had.
Inside, the cabin’s new look is far better than the old model, particularly up front. The large chunky center console no longer dominates the space. Its design has been pared back, much like the exterior and the results are far more pleasing.