Lexus NX

Lexus NX Overview

Toyota’s luxury brand division, Lexus, has been ramping up its Malaysian market presence in the recent years. The Lexus NX 300, a 4-door luxury compact SUV from the Japanese premium automaker is becoming an increasingly common sight on Malaysian roads today.

Fully imported from the Fukuoka assembly plant in Japan, the model made its Malaysian debut back in 2018 alongside its bigger brother the Lexus RX 350. 2020 sees an update in pricing and equipment with Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+) now available as standard across all variants.

The Lexus NX 300 comes in three trim levels - Urban, Premium and the top of the range F-Sport. Price starts from RM 306,117 for the entry level Urban, RM 324,850.50 for the Premium and RM 339,018 for the F-Sport. It goes head-to-head with premium European rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3.

Lexus NX Exterior

LED fog lamps sit right at the bottom at each corner of the front bumper. Satin chrome elements add on a premium touch to the overall design. Lexus’s L-Finesse design language is further demonstrated in the sleek profile of the body, with pronounced wheel arches and elaborate body facet with strong character lines. 

F Sport variant adds sporty touches such as F Sport front grille featuring F-mesh pattern with jet-black plating, F Sport 18-inch two-tone aluminuim wheels with a machined finish and F-Sport emblems. The slopping D-Pillar paired with a relatively short rear overhang accentuate the sporty design of the car. 

Gloss-black taillamp garnish emphasizes the protruding LED taillamp’s L signature and the large trapezoidal rear exhaust tips are very much real. In terms of overall size, the Lexus NX is considerably smaller compared to its closest rivals. Sitting on Toyota’s MC platform that precedes the more advanced TNGA platform, this is how the Lexus NX measures:

Lexus NX Interior

An 8-inch free standing display is positioned deliberately out of reach and is controlled using the remote interface touchpad next to the sculpted leather palm rest. The F-sport variant gets upgraded F Sport dual-tone leather upholstery with sport seats (Dark Rose and Black) and red contrast stitching, F Sport organ-type aluminium pedals and F Sport scuff plates. Premium variant on the other hand adds wood trim on the interior for that old-school luxury touch.

Cabin space is best described as compact, and the driver feels cocooned up front - but this may not necessarily be a bad thing. Interior storage space is well thought out with decent head room and knee room for the rear occupants. Powered reclining rear seats available on the Premium variant makes long distance travel that much more comfortable. A respectable boot space of 500 litres is comparable to most of its closest rivals and the available foldable 60:40 split rear seat increases the total loading capacity to 1,545 litres.

Lexus NX Features

Stepping up to the Premium variant gets you hands-free boot release, powered rear seats, smart entry with smart card key, electrochromic heated side mirror with memory function and 10-way power adjustable driver seat with ventilation and memory function. (Not available in F Sport trim).

Top of the range F Sport trim adds F Sport seats with perforated finish on the steering wheel and shift knob with a LFA inspired instrument panel. Being from the F Marque, Lexus’s high-performance division, F Sport exclusive performance dampers are also included with Adaptive Variable Suspension that comes with an additional Sports S+ mode from the Drive Mode Select.

Safety comes courtesy of Lexus Safety System+, among others includes high tech features like Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with Stop and Go function, Adaptive High-Beam System (AHS), Wide Angle Cornering Light and 8 SRS airbags. Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems are available exclusively on the Premium variant only. 

Lexus NX Driving Performance

The compact high efficiency twin-scroll turbocharger combined with the dual VVT-i system greatly reduces turbo lag and enhances engine response time. Innovative D-4ST technology features both direct and port injectors to help achieve optimum combustion and generate high torque from low end through to high RPM changes.

Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-Speed automatic transmission with super ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission) and AI-shift. The transmission incorporates various technologies including faster shift speeds, earlier torque converter lock-up and downshift throttle blips to support the different driving modes available in the Drive Mode Select system.

Drive-force-on-demand control logic calculates the engine torque required to provide a controlled and linear accelerator operation, giving the Lexus NX a sophisticated drive. The Dynamic Torque Control continually varies distribution of drive power between the front and the rear wheels, switching from front-wheel drive to AWD to enhance handling stability to suit the prevailing driving condition.

Lexus NX Fuel Consumption

Lexus NX Ride Comfort

Pre-loaded differential system pre-loads torque under light load or low rotational speed to provide high precision steering and enhanced straight-line stability. Aerodynamic features like the integrated rear spoiler, wheel spats, and the engine, floor, lower arm and rear underbody covers, aids in smooth airflow and further improving the cabin NVH levels.

Lexus NX Conclusion