The Lexus NX 350h is one of those cases where it didn’t truly hit me how good it was… until it was gone. I didn’t fully ‘get it’ at first, because I was trying to make it something else. On a personal level, I was looking for a little more performance/engagement. BUT – when they swapped the Lexus NX 350h for the next car, THAT’s when the NX’s strengths became clear.
The Lexus NX is a great platform…
It’s difficult to describe a great chassis. Kinda like a great pillow, it’s something you really need to feel for yourself. And not just feel… but compare… side-by-side. That’s how you really get it. The Lexus NX delivers a quiet, solid, smooth, serene experience on the GA-K platform. And every one of those words – I say deliberately.
YET – when lean into the Lexus NX… it responds. While being smooth, quiet, & serene… it doesn’t sacrifice being very sharp, agile, & responsive. Now to be clear, we’re talking about the chassis here, not the engine. So let’s move to the engine…
The hybrid engine in the NX 350h…
If efficiency is on your shortlist, you’re going to love this engine. Fill it & forget it. The NX 350h gets the HYBRID 2.5 non-turbo 4-cylinder engine. The transmission is a CVT (continuously variable). What does all that mean? It means the NX 350h is not especially exciting or engaging. It’s not underpowered, it’s just not a dog pulling on the leash, if that makes sense. When it comes to the 350h, ‘effortless’ is the takeaway here. Effortless, smooth, and efficient. The CVT transmission eliminates jerky/abrupt gearshifts. And the hybrid accelerates off the line ever-so-smoothly… like a curling stone (sorry, been watching too much winter olympics lol). But that’s pretty much the gist of it: The NX 350h just glides around town… getting nearly 40 MPGs… while keeping you calm & comfortable. The all-wheel-drive models have 3 electric motors, 2 that drive the front wheels, and a 3rd on the rear axle for AWD, which is used only on-demand if the vehicle senses a loss of traction. Front-wheel-drive models just use the 2 electric motors on the front wheels.
Lexus NX notes & comparisons…
If you want more performance in the Lexus NX, you have 2 options. 1) You can actually go with the less expensive (at entry) NX 350. The 350 runs an entirely different 2.4-liter TURBOCHARGED engine making about 35 more horsepower. The turbo is also AWD exclusive, and uses an entirely different FULL-TIME all-wheel-drive system than the hybrid. Additionally, the turbocharged NX 350 comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission instead of the CVT. I think a CVT feels like you’re paying adult money for a scooter or golf cart transmission. You can expect to get about 24mpg out of the turbocharged NX 350.
2) The other option is the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid. The 450h+ gets more powerful electric motors & a bigger battery, bringing the horsepower up to 304. It also gets a convenient initial ~35-mile EV range when charged. The plug-in 450h+ uses the same 2.5 non-turbo engine as the 350h, and a CVT transmission (although it’s beefed up over the 350h). It also uses the same ‘on-demand’ electronic AWD system, versus the full-time AWD of the turbo.
Lexus NX overall…
The Lexus NX is a great standard, or basis for comparison in its segment. 100% worth a test drive. I think the NX interior/cabin hits a sweet-spot. It’s sophisticated, tech-forward, and driver-centric… with the infotainment screen & controls angled just slightly for a driver-centric atmosphere (see photo above). A lot of new cars feel like you’re driving an Apple product… too sterile. The interior of the NX feels more intentional & human. Also – you also might find there’s more cargo space than you were expecting.
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