Lexus NX 350h review

Introduction

This is Lexus’s second bash at the NX – a midsize family SUV everyone had high hopes for. But the first one wasn’t all that. It had a sluggish transmission, mundane handling, and the infotainment system was like operating a laptop while driving.

On first impressions, a lot has changed. The first model didn’t age well, with the exterior and interior both already looking dated. But if the outgoing one became old-fashioned quickly, this new NX looks like it’s landed from an alien world ten years into the future.

At a Glance

In recent years, Lexus has taken on this corset-shaped 'filled-in X' grille, and the one on the new NX is humungous. Just like when Audi extended its grille down the front, the NX looks like it's grown a beard.

But the facial hair is well-trimmed and stylish. The grille dominates the front, with two smaller (but still quite large) jagged air intakes on either side. Two thinnish headlights give the SUV ultra-aggressive looks that would frighten its predecessor to death.

Down the side, it’s a smooth design, apart from a prominent horizontal crease running along the bodywork through the centre of the door handles. By contrast, the rear windows taper into a point, while the bodywork is sculpted at the back, so the wheel arches stick out prominently.

The rear is a little more familiar to those who know the old NX’s design well. But it’s been modernised, with a fashionable roof spoiler overhanging the rear window and shaped taillights that extend around from the sides before tapering and merging to form a strip along the boot. Even the number plate housing is angled for effect, while a rear diffuser and air vents (albeit fake ones) on either side complete the look.

So far, so good. It’s very stylish.

Despite the first generation’s drawbacks and more restrained aesthetics, the NX was still Lexus’s best-selling model in Europe. So, if this new one is anything to go by, Lexus's bank manager will be delighted.

Key Features

There are two NX models – the 350h and the 450h.

As the lettering suggests, both are hybrids but, while the 450h is the plug-in hybrid, the 350h is of the milder, self-charging form – and it’s the latter we’re focusing on here.

It comes with a choice of front-wheel or four-wheel drive and has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the same as in the 450h.

Naturally, as it’s self-charging, the 350h isn’t designed to run long-distance in all-electric mode, so it has a much smaller battery. As a result, its range is considerably shorter than the 450h.

The front-wheel-drive is only available in entry-level NX trim, but the four-wheel-drive version is available in a choice of three grades.

NX trim gets you 18-inch alloys, Tahara upholstery, Lexus Safety System Plus, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, parking sensors, and a 9.8-inch infotainment system touchscreen.

F Sport upgrades to 20-inch alloys and adds F Sport leather upholstery, and various sporty styling touches on the exterior and interior. It also boasts quad LED headlights, numerous safety gadgets, and adaptive variable suspension.

Top-of-the-range Takumi sticks with the 20-inch rims and adds plush leather upholstery. It also houses a 17-speaker Marl Levinson premium surround sound system, a card key, a 360-degree panoramic view monitor, ventilated seats and a 14-inch touchscreen, but not the adaptive suspension.

There's then a choice of additional packs you can add, which we'll go over later.

Performance & Drive

You can run the NX 350h on all-electric mode by pressing the ‘EV Mode’ button, saving on fuel and emissions and quietening down the journey considerably.

The only problem with this is that you don't need to ask for much power before the car realises it can't provide what you're asking, and the engine kicks back in.

When the engine does start, though, the transition is seamless and not significantly noticeable.

What is noticeable, though, is the engine's scream, thanks to the CVT transmission. Floor the accelerator, and the revs jump up, as you'd expect. But whereas a conventional automatic would reduce the revs after change-up, there’s no drop-off with the CVT until you take your foot off the pedal. As a result, it's a bit screechy, and it sends some vibration through the car.

Happily, you don't need to put up with it for very long because it's pretty nippy. Zero to 62mph is dealt with in 7.7-seconds, although the NX is at its best when driven in a relaxed way rather than in pants-on-fire mode.

Our test car has the top-of-the-range Takumi trim, and, despite the large 20-inch alloys and no adaptive suspension, the ride comfort is reasonably well maintained. Of course, you do get bounce when the road surface becomes uneven, and the NX does shake over larger bumps. But overall, it’s a good ride, and this will only be improved with smaller wheels on other trims (especially on the F Sport, which does get adaptive suspension).

Lexus is keen to say that the NX isn't sporty – it's built for comfort. Consequently, you'd expect the handling to be so-so with lots of body lean at speed when going around corners. It isn’t as well controlled as a BMW X3, but it isn't excessive, and, for an SUV that’s not intended as a performance vehicle, it handles well enough. There’s still lots of grip around the bends with good, direct steering and plenty of feedback.

Running Costs & Emissions

The NX 350h with four-wheel drive will manage 47mpg, producing 136g/km of CO2, although you can drive emissions-free without the engine.

The front-wheel-drive version ups the fuel economy to 50mpg, emitting 129g/km of CO2, meaning the first year’s road tax is slightly cheaper.

Benefit-in-kind tax is 30-31%.

And, in case you’re interested, the Lexus comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard. So even though you're leasing, this demonstrates the Japanese automaker has more than a fair degree of faith in its vehicles.

Interior & Technology

The interior has been given as much of an overhaul as the exterior, and, boy, has Lexus done an excellent job. It's fantastic.

Possibly helped by the two-tone colours of contrasting light brown leather against the darker dashboard and steering wheel (trust us, the brown looks far more likeable than it sounds), it is a lovely place to be. Moreover, you can get various two-tone combinations depending on trim, adding to the premium feel.

There are many plush, soft-to-the-touch surfaces, and the infotainment screen is sculpted into the dashboard, positioned so it faces the driver. As a result, it all feels like one unit rather than a tablet plonked on top as an afterthought. There are also physical dials underneath it to operate the climate control, but the amount of buttons has been reduced by over 40 per cent.

Everything feels like it’s been well thought out, right down to the cupholders.

Not only does the infotainment system look the part, but it is also head and shoulders above its predecessor, which was operated with a laptop-like mousepad. It was horrible, fiddly to use and, worryingly, was incredibly distracting. Thankfully, it’s been consigned to the history books.

The new system is so much better that we can't remember a manufacturer making such a big step forward. A generous 14.0-inch screen in our Takumi trim (it’s 9.8-inches on lower grades, but otherwise identical) adds some garnish on top of what's an excellent system. The display is crisply clear, responsive and intuitive to use, although there’s no rotary dial like you’d get on a BMW, so you’ll be doing a lot of screen touching.

Nevertheless, you won’t mind – everything is a joy to operate, and the silver surrounds add the icing to the cake. It looks lovely and is a well-designed interior, although the centre console could be sturdier.

The digital instrument display looks equally as nice, while, in F Sport trim, you can toggle between the standard display or one with sportier-looking graphics if you wish.

A connectivity subscription is included, which comprises over the air updates for the SatNav, remote charging and other smart-features which are operated via an app on your mobile phone. This includes ‘Climate Concierge', which will heat the cabin on a cold winter's morning. Therefore, you don't need to fret about clambering into a freezing vehicle, and it'll be warm before you set foot out of your home. Automatic parking, which will work remotely without you even needing to be in the car, will also be added soon via an automatic software update.

The doors open electronically, too, via a latch that replaces the conventional door handles. The car will even warn you of hazards before you open them so that an unseen cyclist doesn’t run straight into the inside of your door. Mind you, if they did, at least they'd be hitting something nice.

The rear-view mirror can be converted into a screen to display the rear-view camera picture at the touch of a button. However, the image is compromised if the rear window is misted up or dirty, while there’s also a 360-degree camera. Nevertheless, you'll be thankful for the tech, as the visibility through the back window is somewhat limited.

Speaking of touching buttons, the head-up display is excellent. And, via a touch-sensitive control on the steering wheel, you can control various functions, such as changing the radio station or the song playing from your phone, all without taking your eyes off the road.

Lexus has deliberately designed the NX’s interior with drivability at its heart. In other words, everything you can do is designed with a focus on making sure you can keep your eyes on the road.

Practicality & Boot Space

There is a respectable amount of room in the 350h. The seats are supremely comfortable in the front, and the driving position is excellent. The front seats aren't incredibly thick, maximising the knee and legroom in the back, plus there’s plenty of room to slide your feet underneath them.

Accordingly, taller rear-seat passengers won’t be disappointed. There is a lot of headroom, as the roofline doesn’t slope down that much over your head. Therefore, those over six feet tall will be well accommodated – plus the rear seats are heated.

You will comfortably fit three average-sized adults in the back. But, if there are only a couple of occupants, the backrest folds out from the middle seat to reveal an armrest and two cupholders. At the same time, there are two USB-C ports in the back.

The door bins are enormous, while in the front, there’s a deep tray by the gear lever – the cover of which slides forwards and backwards. It also has a wireless phone charger on top and two more charging ports. The glove compartment is generously sized, too.

The centre console opens both ways. This means the driver and the front-seat passenger can get easy access to anything inside – and you’ll fit quite a bit in there.

The tailgate is electronic and releases in around five seconds, revealing a 545-litre capacity. The floor is flat, so there’s no boot lip to lift heavier or bulkier objects over.

Frustratingly, the handles to fold down the rear seats are on the back of the chairs themselves. Therefore, you may have to climb into the boot to reach them if you're short. Once you have, the seats fold in a 60/40 configuration, increasing the boot capacity to 1,436-litres. You can also take out the parcel shelf, fold it in half and neatly store it underneath the boot floor.

A top tip to avoid embarrassment at the petrol forecourt: you must press a button to unlock the fuel-filler cap. Oddly, though, if you choose the plug-in hybrid NX 450h instead, you don't have to push anything to open the flap for the charging port, which is on the opposite side.

Safety

Euro NCAP hasn’t crash-tested a new Lexus NX. However, the old one was tested in 2014 and was awarded a maximum five-star rating.

It scored 82 per cent for adult occupants, 69 per cent for pedestrians and 71 per cent for safety assists. And, given this rating is eight years old – not to mention seeing the improvements Lexus has brought to the new NX – it’s safe to assume the new one will be even more impressive. However, it should be noted that Euro NCAP’s criteria has changed since 2014, so the old NX wouldn’t do as well if re-tested today.

For peace of mind, no Lexus has ever scored less than five stars.

The car also includes adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist, while F Sport trim and above gets you a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, as well as adaptive high-beam. Some of the optional extras include more safety widgets, too.

Options

Several packs are available for the NX, which add a host of extras.

The Premium Pack adds a few safety systems to the entry-level model, along with a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger and ambient lighting, amongst other things. Unfortunately, the price continues to climb as you add more accessories.

The bumper Premium Plus Pack with a panoramic sunroof costs a packet. But it includes leather upholstery, a four-way driver lumbar support, driver seat memory, head-up display, climate concierge and kick-activated boot opening.

Other packs are available that add various accessories, and there are exterior styling add-ons which typically cost only a few hundred pounds each.

The selection is more limited on the F Sport, and Takumi trims, as more is included as standard.

Rival Cars

This Lexus is to be taken seriously, so the main rivals will be the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, which are superior but cost slightly more. The plug-in hybrid NX 450h is also a tempting alternative if you want to minimise benefit-in-kind tax.

If you want something more sophisticated but less aggressively styled, a Genesis GV70 is worth looking at.

And, if you’re not bothered by the badge, then the NX has the same underpinnings as the Toyota RAV4, which is quite a bit cheaper.

Verdict & Next Steps

Despite not being incredibly inspiring, the old NX was popular, so goodness only knows how Lexus will keep up with demand for the NX 350h.

It is a huge step forward from the old one in every conceivable way, from the styling to the interior design and the infotainment system, not to mention the technology.

To drive, those seeking thrills will be better off looking towards Audi or BMW. But for those who want a luxurious, comfortable cruiser that’s attractive for company car tax, the NX 350h is a solid contender.

Thanks to the CVT gearbox, the engine does get a bit noisy under acceleration, and it isn’t geared towards sportiness, even in F Sport trim.

But the new 350h is an excellent all-rounder, it’s cheaper than its rivals and, when you’re not flooring the throttle, it’s lovely, quiet, and relaxing.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews of the Lexus NX 350h

**Correct as of 16/02/2022. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments or £3,269.16 Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.