The 2022 Lexus NX has some big shoes to fill as the outgoing first-generation was the best seller in the compact luxury SUV segment and the second most successful product in the Lexus line-up. As this SUV class is important for Lexus, the manufacturer has gone back to its four pillars — Design, Lexus Driving Signature, Electrification, and Advanced Technology — and has completely upgraded them. Not only is this second-generation SUV bigger, in terms of dimensions, but Lexus has ironed out the flaws that marred its predecessor. The new NX is based on the popular Toyota RAV4 chassis and shares the same powertrains, making it the first Lexus to be equipped with a plug-in powertrain (PHEV). The NX continues to have an aggressive road presence, but Lexus has spruced up its cabin and has finally replaced the archaic infotainment, and more importantly is offering multiple engine options.
Let’s take a closer look at why the 2022 NX is a serious upgrade from its previous generation.
Delicate Balance Of Performance And Economy
Let’s start with the top-of-the-line NX450h+ PHEV. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder with the added afterburners of the plug-in hybrid powertrain from the RAV4 Prime pushing its total output to 302 hp. It, not only, manages to do 0-60 mph in 6 seconds, but according to Lexus, the new SUV returns a class-leading 36-mile range in electric mode. The two electric motors on both the front and rear axles along with a lithium-ion battery churn an output of 24 hp. According to Lexus, the NX450h+ can be fully charged in two-and-a-half hours when the optional 6.6 kW Expedited Onboard Charger is used and with a charging current of 240V. On the other hand, with the standard 3.3 kW onboard charger, the SUV is fully charged in approximately four-and-a-half hours.
The PHEV offers four driving modes — EV mode, Auto EV/HV mode, HV mode, and Self-charge mode at the touch of a switch. EV mode is pretty straightforward as it switches to an all-electric mode where it offers a range of 36 miles, while in the Auto EV/HV, the vehicle changes the mode depending on different driving conditions, based on inputs on the route and traffic information from the navigation system. HV mode is where both the engine and the electric motor work together and Self Charge mode is all about getting the best efficiency where the vehicle automatically chooses the electric or petrol mode. This top trim starts from $55,560.
The NX 350h, which replaces the NX300h, pumps out 239 hp from a 2.5-liter hybrid system, that’s 42 ponies more. Like the NX 450h+, it comes standard with all-wheel-drive, and does 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds, making it 1.5 seconds faster than the NX300h. This trim is available at $41,050.
Moving on to the NX 350, it gets a new 2.4-liter turbo with 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque under the hood. It propels from standstill to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and comes standard with all-wheel drive. Also, for the first time, Lexus has plonked a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter for the entry-level NX that churns out 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. It is also equipped with a start/stop function. It’s available in both FWD and AWD options and the former does 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds and 8.6 seconds for the latter. All the NX models are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The NX 350 starts from $41,550 while the NX 250 FWD and NX 250 AWD cost $37,950 and $39,550 respectively.
The Cabin Is A Fortress Of Solitude
Even though Lexus has retained a clean cabin design, the NX comes standard with a brand new 9.8-inch touchscreen. There’s also an option for a 14-inch infotainment system that includes a three-year trial for Drive Connect services with Cloud Navigation, Destination Assist and Intelligent Assistant. Keeping it user-friendly and intuitive, the interface can retain the mobile phone’s settings by simply syncing it via the Lexus App. This also makes the phone a smart key. It now provides over-the-air (OTA) updates like real-time updates for mapping. The NX comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability and offers a wireless charger as an optional feature. The Lexus offers some additional upgrades like a 7-inch multi-information display in the instrument console and a 10-inch Head-Up Display.
The Fast And The Furious: Plenty Of Features
Lexus has decided to up its game in the performance and driving dynamics department with the F Sport Handling package that is only available in the NX 350h and NX 450h trims. These variants come with additional bells and whistles like enhanced styling elements like an aggressive front grille, bigger and bolder front and rear bumpers. They also sport all-black 20-inch alloys instead of the standard 18-inch ones, which complement the black roof rails. The cabin gets bolstered sport seats, a newly developed steering wheel with touch-sensitive buttons, aluminum pedals and scuff plates. The F Sport offers additional luxury features like a 14-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charger, 360-degree camera, tri-beam LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam and cabin ambient lighting. This range is available in three exclusive colors — Ultra White, Obsidian and Ultrasonic Blue 2.0.
The F Sport is not just a great looker but also a great handler thanks to its adaptive suspension system or as Lexus likes to call it Active Variable Suspension (AVS) and adaptative front and rear dampers. It adapts to different driving conditions automatically and offers multiple settings — Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+. While the standard NX models’ top speed is limited to around 124 mph, the F Sport trims hit the 127 mph mark. The F Sport range starts from over $47,000.