THERE’S NO QUESTION Australian buyers are moving towards SUVs. And with so much choice, it must be a difficult decision. Now, things have just become even more complicated with the release of the all-new Lexus NX.
The new NX debuts a powerful 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a more advanced petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.
A three-tier line-up comprising NX 350h, NX 350 and NX 250 will arrive in Australia in November, the same month as the arrival of the first Lexus battery electric vehicle (BEV), the UX 300e luxury compact SUV.
The new NX will also become the first Lexus plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and further details will be released about the NX 450h+ in due course.
With an all-new, stronger platform boasting larger dimensions including a longer wheelbase, the NX defines next-generation Lexus design language.
This dynamic exterior design reflects both the technology within the advanced Tazuna Concept – a cockpit concept making its Lexus production vehicle debut – and a heighted focus on performance, ride comfort and handling.
The Tazuna Concept is a cockpit concept that allows the driver to intuitively connect with the car and concentrate more on driving operations.
It blends trademark Lexus quality with a new design, a luxurious blend of tones and textures, and a combination of button tactility with next-generation multimedia featuring 14.0-inch widescreen, touch-display capability.
A Lexus-first E-Latch system electronically controls the latching and unlatching of doors, combining with a blind-spot monitor to provide a Lexus-first safe exit assist (SEA) function that helps prevent accidents caused by door operation when the vehicle is stopped.
These advancements form part of the extensive next-generation Lexus Safety System+, adopting the latest preventive safety technologies and advanced technologies that enhance convenience, based on a human-centered approach.
An evolution of the Lexus Driving Signature, which targets vehicle behaviour faithful to a driver’s intentions, is born from extensive dynamic development at the company’s technical centre in Shimoyama, Japan.
While inheriting the linear steering feel that Lexus has thoroughly pursued to date, Lexus has focused on developing the driving control to deliver a precise driving feel.
Delivering a superb blend of high response and low fuel consumption, the new-generation petrol-electric NX 350h combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with electrified performance supported by a new high-capacity Lithium-ion battery pack, in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD).
A newly developed, electronically controlled full-time AWD system is standard for the new NX 350 variant and its 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine (400cc larger capacity compared with the previous NX 300).
With a focus on light, agile driving dynamics, a new NX 250 variant joins the luxury medium SUV range with a responsive 2.5-litre petrol engine delivering high thermal efficiency, offered in FWD.
The globally available NX 450h+ PHEV (not confirmed for Australia) features a thermally-efficient 2.5-litre petrol engine, front and rear motors, and a Lithium-ion battery pack with an impressive 18.1kWh power output.
Lexus Australia Chief Executive Scott Thompson said the all-new NX represented a leap forward for the luxury lifestyle brand and a luxury medium SUV that is the most popular Lexus in Australia.
“The all-new Lexus NX is an extensive leap forward for design, performance and technology, with its athletic exterior matched by a dynamic new cockpit concept, advanced powertrains, plus engaging steering and handling,” Mr Thompson said.
“When these attributes combine with trademark-Lexus quality and luxury, ride comfort and refinement, we are confident the all-new NX will create a new luxury medium SUV benchmark when it arrives in November.”
The all-new NX is based on the development concept of “Vital x Tech Gear” that combines vital dynamism with advanced technology.
This entirely renews the incredibly successful first-generation NX, which launched in 2014 with a “Premium Urban Sports Gear” concept, and focused on driving performance that enables agile urban driving and SUV-like power.
As of the end of April 2021, the Lexus NX has sold a cumulative total of approximately one million units in more than 90 countries and regions, growing to become a core global model for Lexus.