For the brand that basically invented the luxury crossover and what some may cite as the first modern crossover – period – you’d think Lexus would’ve been one of the first automobile brands to offer something in one of today’s fastest growing vehicle segments: luxury compact crossovers. Well, after years of leaving it to other luxury brands, many of which are now introducing subcompact CUVs, Lexus has finally added a smaller crossover slotting below the RX. Enter the NX.
Although the NX’s platform and basic architecture is shared with the Toyota RAV4, Lexus engineers and designers have gone to great lengths to make the NX look and feel like a Lexus, and more importantly, make it worthy of Lexus’ more prestigious badge.
The first thing that jumps out at you upon seeing the NX is its bold, razor-edged, and very in-your-face styling than can’t be ignored. Lexus may have received its fair share of criticism for boring designs over the years, but this is certainly not one of them. Given the basic crossover architecture designers had to work with, it’s quite an impressive effort to distinguish the NX from other look-alike crossovers, and in your author’s opinion, one of the best interpretations of Lexus’ current design language thus far.
Naturally, the NX’s styling may be a bit too aggressive and busy for some people’s tastes, but even those who are turned off by it should give Lexus credit for attempting a design that stands out in a generally conservative class. In fact, designers are even quoted with saying “it’s not meant to please everyone”.
The NX blends current Lexus design elements with the crossover body surprisingly well. Unlike the RX, GX, and LX, it’s the first all-new CUV/SUV design from the brand since this bolder styling trend began. Its adaptation of the controversial “Spindle Grille” is easily the best to date, looking less like the gaping hole on other Lexus’. Sharp projector LED headlights and separate “check mark” LED running lights flank the upper spindle, with sharply styled lower air intakes and a power bulge hood completing the NX’s very aggressive front end.
This aggressive theme continues along the side of the car, with sharp character lines and creases, and large, rugged wheel arches. Around back things are much more restrained, with high-mounted horizontal taillights and a thin chrome bar above the license plate cavity, in RX-like fashion. One could say that the NX design is effectively reverse-mullet, party out in front, business as usual in the back.
(Note: Some pictures are from the showroom model, others from the actual NX I drove)
Stepping inside the Lexus NX reveals a very luxurious and finely crafted environment. Eschewing forests of wood trim, the NX doesn’t exude the same kind of Teutonic opulence as rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Regardless, the NX’s cabin is a very sumptuous place to be, with either real metal or stitched leather (or leather-like material) covering every visible surface.
The shape of its center stack mirrors the spindle grille, and its thick metal outline gives it a premium look. Like many new cars today, a 7-inch infotainment screen rises out of the dash, controlled by a either a joystick-like rotary knob or a trackpad (when equipped with navigation) located on the console next to the gear shifter. A plethora of buttons still dominates the instrument panel, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Personally, I still think physical buttons safer and easier than trying to use a trackpad and look at a screen while driving.
Seats offer high levels of comfort and support, with standard eight-way power adjustments for the driver and passenger. I was able to find my optimal seating position with just a few quick adjustments, something that’s not usually so easy for me. Given that it was a ninety-degree summer day, I decided to take advantage of the NX’s optional cooled seats, something I’ve never experienced before. While it’s not yet something I’d consider a must-have in a new car, they were quite nice. You don’t necessarily feel a “cold” sensation in the way you do warmth from heated seats, but it’s thoroughly refreshing to not stick to the seats when you go to move.
These cooled seats are optional, as are real leather seating surfaces. My tester featured Lexus’s synthetic “NuLuxe” leatherette in a very attractive “Flaxen” color. Seriously, let these seats be an end to the debate of whether or not leatherette is acceptable in a luxury car once and for all! They’re just as rich looking and feeling as one would expect from real leather, and among the softest, supplest, and most breathable “hide” I’ve ever experienced in a car. Plus, for those who hold it as a priority, NuLuxe is vegan-friendly.
Lexus offers the NX in three distinctive flavors: 200t, 200t F Sport, and 300h. Both 200t models are powered by a 2.0L turbocharged I4 making 235 horsepower and 258 pound-foot of torque, and this engine is notably Lexus’ first use of a turbo. Using a Lexus-developed twin-scroll turbocharger, it uses a four-into-two exhaust manifold system to reduce turbo lag and an air-to-liquid intercooler to lower intake temperature without affecting output. Lexus claims zero-sixty times are 7.2 seconds with front-wheel drive and 7-flat when equipped with all-wheel drive.
The 200t F Sport uses the same engine as the 200t with identical output numbers, but includes several cosmetic and handling upgrades, more befitting of its performance personality. The gasoline-electric hybrid 300h is powered by a 2.5L four cylinder, for total output of 194 horsepower and 152 pound-foot of torque. All-wheel drive models also employ an additional electric motor to drive the rear axle while the front is running on gas or electric power.
I chose to test-drive the regular 200t model, as this is the volume leader of the NX lineup. In my decent-length test drive, I was able to take the NX 200t up a few miles on the highway, and come back on the main roads, driving on some pretty rough patches of Route 53, as well as some very smoothly paved roads through Assinippi Industrial Park.
Handling is very good for a front-wheel drive-based crossover. Under mixed driving conditions, the NX feels well planted at all times, which is especially notable given my test vehicle rode on pretty average-width (225mm) all-season tires. Its advanced “Dynamic Torque Control” all-wheel drive system greatly benefits the car’s handling. There were many times under acceleration that I felt substantial power coming from the rear wheels, as if it was a pure rear-driver.
Steering has very good feedback, requiring the amount of effort most enthusiasts like in a car, owing to a greater sense of control. The NX’s thick, leather wrapped steering wheel makes this even more of a feast for the senses. This steering is very accurate in emergency maneuvers with confident brake pedal feel going to its four-wheel disc brakes.
Lexus rightfully gave the NX’s six-speed automatic transmission a turbo optimized torque converter, as well as the IS F Sport’s G-force artificial intelligence system that chooses the correct gear and downshift pattern by sensing the car’s current G force. To make a long story short, shifts are slick and precise.
The NX is no sports sedan, but it does have a very sporty feel from behind the wheel. Its turbo I4 packs quite a punch, with brisk acceleration and engaging revs. Lexus engineers clearly put a lot of effort into the brand’s first turbocharged engine. With no noticeable turbo lag or whine, it feels just as robust as a V6. Yet while the NX 200t can hold its own regarding handling and performance, it’s the vehicle’s ride quality and comfort that the majority of buyers will likely hold higher among their priorities.
In these respects, the NX delivers the smooth ride and quiet cabin that Lexus has been known for since day one. Suspension is significantly firmer than one would find in say, an ES 350, but engineers intentionally gave the NX a performance-tuned suspension that’s much more IS-like than ES. That being said, the NX’s ride is never harsh, doing a great job at canceling out bumps and potholes.
(The NX 200t F Sport, which I was also able to sample at a launch event back in March. I beat the hell out of it in a timed lap through a course with turns as razor-sharp as its spindle grille. I was very impressed with its handling when pushed to its limits, though I’m not a fan of the larger and more obnoxious mesh spindle grille.)
My Final Verdict:
With Lexus arriving rather late to the party, there are plenty of other small luxury crossovers which the NX competes with. Picking the “best” in this class is no easy task, as each one has its strong points. The NX may not have the 3-Series driving dynamics of the X3 or the stately interior of the GLK (or new GLC), but these cars start at noticeably higher prices. The MKC and RDX are more closely aligned in price and equipment levels, but have interiors that aren’t quite as elegant or refined as the NX.
I haven’t driven the MKC yet, but found the 2015 RDX’s steering overly light-weighted and artificial, something Lexus has done a good job dialing out. With this in mind, the Audi Q5 is probably the NX’s nearest competitor, as it offers similar power, features, and driving dynamics for a similar price. Its exterior styling is far more conservative, which can be a positive or negative depending on individual preference. Its interior however, is unquestionably very dated after eight years in production.
There are those of course who’d say “well I could just buy a loaded RAV4…”, but in truth, a fully-loaded Toyota RAV4 Limited comes in at just about $33,000, or only about $1,000 less than a base NX. Platform sharing between luxury and non-luxury cars has been very common for years now, so it’s really nothing to throw a tantrum about (but predictably, some still will). And while that RAV4 may have certain technology features that will push the Lexus’ price further north, the Lexus boasts unique engines, suspension systems, and styling, and most notably an interior which the utilitarian RAV4 can’t come anywhere close in refinement.
Despite sharing a platform with the RAV4, Lexus had made numerous mechanical, drivetrain, styling, and equipment upgrades to the NX, befitting of a true luxury vehicle and the Lexus name. At least in 200t form, the NX has adequate power, handles with a sporty demeanor, delivers a comfortable ride, and offers plenty of available luxury and high-tech goodies. The NX should appeal to a broad range of compact luxury CUV buyers, and to those it doesn’t, Lexus will undoubtably laugh them off all the way to the bank with this one.
Sorry, I can’t get past the styling of that thing. A pity, because the vehicle has a lot of redeeming features and a gorgeous interior. It really looks bad, particularly compared to the equivalent Audi. I do not see a consistent theme in it’s exterior design, just a jumbled assortment of sharp lines and points. The effect is worse in darker colors, reflections add to the confusion. I would guess little thought was given to how light hits this car, which is something a good automotive stylist always considers. Sad to say I don’t think garish is too strong a word here.
Ditto, regarding its styling. Especially the pointy Braun shaver nose, that looks like something from a tuning house, sticked to the factory nose.
Below the “all new” Lexus LS. Side skirts, massive rims and a low hanging bumper, on a die-hard Toyota BOF 4×4 chassis. For crying out loud, just get the original Land Cruiser model and leave it alone.
It looks like a dead fish
Can’t find anything to say but “Ouch !”
Yep , I hate that front grill too , and it’s on all the new Toyotas , right down to the Corollas and Yaris. I won’t buy a new Toyota , but I’ll get a 2014 Corolla or Yaris instead.
Just an FYI, I took the pictures of this car around 11:30am on a hazy 90-degree day – not the optimal conditions for photographing any car. High noon on a sunny day always makes for bad reflections in pictures, especially on darker cars. When I can I usually try to go for evening or early morning before the sun is fully out. With all my pictures I use here, I play around with the color, light, and definition settings, and I’ll admit sometimes I get a bit carried away, which also may translate to some of the weird reflections in these pictures, if that helps you at all.
I noticed the same thing with the 2015 Mustangs, that car looks good at two specific times in a day and absolutely awful the rest of the time due to the many many deep creases, which just show off odd shadows and reflections, in pictures AND in person, and I totally agree, this Lexus is loaded with them.
I wonder if designers still use clay models or if they’re 100% reliant on computer drafting, if not I’d lay the blame for the bad shadows squarely on the possible departure of that practice, if they do still use clay, shame on them.
I can’t say for sure if designers still use clay but I would imagine it has all but disappeared. Aside from being time consuming, it was found that contact with the clay over long periods exposed designers to what was once a rare form of cancer.
Not the same thing, but last night I was watching a news broadcast on PBS that had a segment on the Chinese auto industry. (Apparently) there is a computer program used by car designers that lets them simulate the body motions of a vehicle as it travels over various surfaces. The designer selects how he (or she) wants the body to react, say to a cobblestone pavement…..and the computer “tells” them which spring and shock rates will be needed to achieve the desired bounce and/or roll of the body.
And it won’t be much longer before speedometer, tachometer, and other gauges will disappear to be replaced by digitally generated replicas.
I hate this styling theme. It makes me think “Cylon”.
The Lexus interior and reliability with the Audi’s exterior would be perfect. This Batmobile styling is going to age soooooo quickly.
I much prefer the front bumper treatment of the FSport… The normal NX looks like it has an overbite, and Aus-spec models don’t have this (I think American-only?) bumper treatment.
I love the styling. When I saw the concept that would spawn the NX, I thought it was a hot mess. The production version is much more resolved and kudos for not looking like every other SUV on the market. Lexus’ new design language is sometimes a bit messy, but it is bold and distinctive and has actually made me a Lexus fan, as have their beautiful interiors. Bob is right though, darker colors don’t work as well on the NX.
You’re right about Lexus being late to the game, bizarrely. They invent the segment and yet let rivals beat them to the punch with compact and subcompact crossovers, as well as turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Baffling. These NXs are already EVERYWHERE here though, and I like them a helluva lot more than the Q5/X3 etc, even if they might not handle as well.
The Lexus I really want though is an RC. Absolutely gorgeous, I don’t care if its not as good to drive as a 4-Series, I just love the way it looks inside and out.
Also nice that Lexus is finally ditching the weak 2.5 V6. The 2.0T is being rolled out across the IS, NX and GS ranges, at long last.
Its certainly horrible to look at not that the RAV is any beauty to begin with, but I guess theres a demographic out there prepared to a premium for aluminium painted plastic and faux Mtex seats it has actually beaten Hondas effort for ugly well done Toyota.
…annnnnd our 3 local dealers can’t keep them in stock. Perhaps Lexus was late to the game; yet I have a feeling they’re going to clean up….
Nowadays, car styling makes me think of the end of the 60’s or the 70’s when a change in styling trends was badly needed.
At the end of the 60’s, tailfins went over the top while, at the end of the 70’s, it seemed that there wasn’t enough vynil tops, chrome, tufted seats to be content with…
Same thing today : it seems that there are never enough edges, creases, curbs and counter curbs on cars.
In the near future, I hope that some designers will find the virtues of simplicity and straight lines again, devoid of any mannerism, like everybody did in the 60’s or GM with its “sheer look” at the end of the 70’s.
Such as the new Q7:
Agreed. The whole VAG-stable is basically filled with cars with “simple” lines, something I like. Below the current Seat Leon Cupra 280. This looks so much better than the Honda Civic Type-R. IMveryHO, of course.
That’s true.
VAG products (mostly Volkwagen and SEAT) have some kind of simplicity and basicness that appeal to me.
> At the end of the 60’s, tailfins went over the top
You mean the end of the 50’s? Huge fins and tons of chrome became passé after the 1961 Lincoln debuted.
I like that cars are starting to get some unique character again, but then I love cars of the 50’s and 60’s. I thought the early 80’s through mid 90’s was an awful time for automotive design. Everything looked like a boring box; then Ford made all their cars look like bubbles, and then everything had to look like a bubble.
I like the current Lexus look, particularly on their sedans. I don’t think it works so well on their CUV/SUVs. I’d have to see one of these in person, but I don’t think I like it. The front with the point high up reminds me of a shoe or the prow of a ship or something. The lack of anything resembling a bumper looks odd, and makes me think it would be particularly expensive to repair in a minor front-ender.
Good job on the interior though, especially if those are real metal accents. Nice to see something other than all black or grey.
Yes, I meant the end of the 50’s, not the 60’s.
To be precise, I was thinking of mopar products, mostly Plymouth. IMHO, 1957 and 1958 Plymouths were beautiful whereas 1960 Plymouths looks like caricatures of former model years.
Same thing with the 70’s : 69-71 full-size cars, albeit heavy, were sleek and great looking, while 77-78 were a bit gaudy because of too much padded vynil top,opera windows, concealed headlights and so forth.
I have the same feeling with current styling trends. It’s so complicated and affected that cars look like caricatures, like their design had “jump the shark”.
I know designers try to avoid the “cars all look the same” design from the 80’s and the 90’s but they try too hard.
To put it in a nutshell, I feel that current styling trends are too “outré”.
EDIT : well, I must admit that I’m currently driving a ’79 Caprice and that I would love to own a Gran Fury from the 80’s… I guess I watched too many american TV shows from that era.
For me the curved hips and fuselage look of the late ’60s got old fast; the end of the ’70’s going into the ’80s started seeing squareness again. But with gingerbread at times.
First impression; This (with a few divisional-identity tweaks) is what the 2015 Pontiac Aztek would look like.
Second; All stitched dashboards remind me of the molded stitching on a Dodge Omni. Also, you like the leatherette but whatever happened to really nice cloth seats? Japan did them as well or better than anyone in the ’80s. I suspect its’ related to how many luxury cars are leased.
Third; I like the blue F Sport. Still needs more low, but then it’d be a wagon and (sigh) salesproof.
It looks like somebody left their tablet on the dash. I see they took the Ford route as well, where even with a massive console they still couldn’t find a way to make all controls accessible when the gear shifter is in in park.
And the styling is just awful. Not a fan of the sloping rear, huge d-pillars, and pointy overwrought lines. That nose may be one of the worst ever.
Most new car styling turns me off, and this is no exception. Basically, the front end evokes an older steam-powered locomotive while the rear styling evokes jet fighter aircraft.
The interior? Better than most Toyotas, but that’s not saying much. Most Toyota products look like they start with a featureless slab of a dashboard and the designers then hack lines and slits into the slab….almost at random. There also seems to be a concerted effort to make sure there are no curves in the interior….to make up for an abundance on the exterior. And like others here, I’m not crazy about faux stitching.
For those interested: Toyota/Lexus sold fewer cars last year than the year before, yet managed higher profits.
Beautiful interior in a very ugly vehicle Toyota reliability with Nissan styling.
I`m not really cowed by these look alike CUVs or SUVs, or whatever they call them, and this Lexus is no exception.Ugliest front clip since the `61 Rambler Ambassador,and totally nondescript rear end that does absolutely nothing for this vehicle stylistically. I`m sure it will be a sales success,but I`m not buying it. This makes the unlamented Honda Crosstour look good!
I don’t think the spindle grille theme is controversial… Nobody likes it. It’s a desperate attempt at difference…. “Please notice me!” Why don’t they just hook up with Pininfarina or someone and call it good?
“I don’t think the spindle grille theme is controversial… Nobody likes it.”
That must be why Lexus sales are up 13.6% year to date thus far compared to 2014.
All luxury vehicle sales are up this year… I don’t think the styling is the reason for the sales increase. Don’t get me wrong, they’re “good cars” but I speak only on their butt-ugly mixed with bland styling.
If it isn’t the styling, what is it then? I can’t think of any other aspect about what makes a Lexus a “Lexus” that has changed. It is true most luxury brands are seeing sales increases, but none are at the level Lexus is achieving, and the only luxury make that has sold more cars is Mercedes Benz (and just barely).
The misconception that some have that Lexus is somehow reading the market wrong is grossly inaccurate; the following figures are year to date sales thru July, and the growth or decline each brand has seen up to this point from the year before:
Lexus +13.6% (188,664)
Acura +12.8% (90,431)
Audi +12.4% (111,269)
Infiniti +10.1% (67,879)
Lincoln +8.1% (56,648)
Mercedes Benz +7.7% (192,496)
BMW +6.4% (183,791)
Cadillac -2.4% (95,053)
Interesting to note Cadillac’s decline; arguably their best lineup in years and yet this. Not a good sign.
Agree, Lexus is doing a lot of things right. The IS250, slammed by Consumer Reports and many other reviewers, is omnipresent here in SoCal. The look is contemporary, it is right-sized, dead reliable, and has a smooth and quiet powerplant that, while considered underpowered by today’s standards, can easily keep up with urban traffic in a densely populated area where more HP can rarely be used. RX sales continue to climb and the NX appears to be selling well here, if the streets around me are any indication.
I’m not crazy about the spindle grille but many like it (and the Q50 offers a good imitation). The NX pushes me to the limit with its extreme version of current styling – it looks poised for attack rather than to perform. But Brendan and William are far from alone in their approval of this look.
Their competitive advantage is in the areas of reliability and customer service. Not the styling. At this point the styling could be literally anything and the Lexus Loyal would still buy no matter what.
The predator styling is polarizing, but it seems to have jumpstarted sales of the IS/RC – which is good because a few years ago people were calling Lexus an old person brand.
As for Cadillac, they are trying to get away from the GM rebate volume strategy to build the brand. Sales are way down, transaction prices are way up. They are sorta in transition right now anyway with all their models being renamed.
Donald Trump and the Kardashians are popular. Driving while playing with your phone is popular. Vinyl covered car roofs used to be popular. Popularity does not always equal class, or ageless style.
This has to be the most hideous looking nose I’ve seen on a car in such a long time. This, and Nissan/Infiniti’s cars have the damned hideous front end styling. Whoever designed this should be taken out into the middle of nowhere, and shot!
Brendan: no amount of good lighting could show this vehicle to advantage.
For those concerned about faux stitching, why has no one complained about faux cow hide graining of plastics? Same thing. Not an issue. It’s all plastic made to look like something else.
All that energy, time, talent and money to “help” the consumer with 5 MPH bumpers and lower repair costs brought us to this? That front end will be a body shop’s dream.
And stop with the over size consoles, please. What a waste of space.
To each and his own. I happen to like the styling of this vehicle.
Well you’re wrong Brendan and you should stop writing on the internet.
Just kidding – your perspective was excellent. I just think the over-the-top styling will age quickly and gracelessly but I’ve been wrong before. Many times.
Good write up.
OK, I will not apologize for my contrarian opinion: I like the way this thing looks. It’s no Alfa, but it’s no RAV4, either. If they played it safe like the RAV4, we’d be here criticizing Toyota for being boring and derivative.
+1
Another luxury CUV to see on the streets, yay………………………………….
Just what this world needs,like another superhero movie or another remake.
Compact SUVs were the single largest segment in new vehicle sales in 2014. For an automaker not to tap into this segment is unwise. Like ’em or not, crossovers are here to stay for the near future.
Agreed. I think for a very long time. What could be next?
This Lexus brings to mind the French expression “jolie laide” which roughly translates to “beautifully ugly” and is meant to describe a person or thing with unconventional features that is somehow compelling to look at. I agree Lexus has done a good job differentiating the NX from the RAV4, and it certainly is a sharp contrast (pun intended) to the anodyne blobs that comprise the cute ute segment.
But… I’m not sure the RX will do much to broaden the Lexus base. My sister-in-law comes to mind as the likely buyer: she is on her 3rd IS, bought not because they were sporty (she would have no idea that it’s RWD), but because they were the right size for her and came from Lexus, which gives the cars instant respectability with the promise of excellent comfort and quality along with exemplary dealer service. She’d be a prospect for the NX because the segment is trendy, and it’s a Lexus. So transferring customers within the franchise seems most likely to me. New-to-the-brand, trendy buyers likely still view Lexus as the modern day Buick, and therefore are not likely to be interested, irregardless of the extreme styling and turbo power. Conquest from Acura, sure, but how big is that pool? So at the end of the day, the NX somehow just seems not-quite-right and a bit unclear on its intended purpose.
That was a very thorough review Brendan, thank you. My neighbor has a white F-Sport and I really like the looks. Not too cutesy like some of the CUVs and the car looks substantial. I did not know about the leatherette availability on Lexus. I’ve always loved MB Tex and before that thought good old-fashioned vinyl was preferable to cloth for cleanability and long service life reasons. Glad to see it’s making a comeback — MB, VW, BMW, Mazda and now Lexus. Hadn’t thought of the Vegan angle lol.
On the joy stick i find using that to select a new item on the screen is far safer than having to click on a button using the touchscreen. To do the latter requires having to look away from the road. With the joy stick it’s done more by feel.
Looking forward to the pendulum swinging and an element of restraint returning to the landscape of automotive design.
I really like Lexus. I suspect they are a company that solves the problem of buying a used premium vehicle and having reliability at the same time with its Toyota lineage; sad to say I’ve been burned by Mercedes in the past doing this. Anyway, if I were to do it all over again now, I would buy a late model used Lexus. Styling stops me, however. Call it superficial reasoning, but I can’t get past that “pucker face” grille. It’s absolutely hideous! And doing a quick Google Image search of 2015 Lexus models, I can safely say they all have that same ugly fascia. I know I’m not the only one here that thinks that, because in image conscious Vancouver, I hardly see these around. Thankfully! In fact I’ll even say that I see more older model LS400s than I do LS460s — which, in my opinion, says two things about the brand, going full circle back to my original thought on longevity.
From “boring” to ridiculous, whatever happened to moderate or balanced design at Lexus?
I fully agree with you Mouat. I think it is ok for a manufacturer to style their cars with some edge, but too much edge can almost come across as tacky. Lexus has always been a class act, and I think their new designs may be off-putting to many.
Brendan, great review/summary and one I’ve been anticipating with pleasure.
The interior of the NX 200t has a much more luxurious and finished look than the IS models, especially the metal (that is metal, correct?) surround for the center stack that avoids the all-plastic look on the IS sedans. I want to like this car because the overall package is so appealing but the extreme exterior appearance is a real turn off. The NX is selling well in my neighborhood in SoCal and I think they are even more radical in appearance in the metal than in pictures.
The IS sedans I like and am giving serious thought to the IS 200t when it arrives here next year. My understanding is that it will have the 8-speed automatic rather than the 6-speed assigned to the NX – is that difference related to RWD vs. FWD?
Thanks, it was an enjoyable car to review. I’m actually considering the IS as well for my next car (leasing of course). The build and price feature for the IS 200t is already up too. It does have the 8-speed, and can be nicely equipped for a good several thousand less than the IS 350.
I’m only hoping that my local dealer gets some in inventory, as it’s only RWD. I really don’t need the AWD, as I don’t drive much in the snow anyway. The driving portion of my weekday commute is all of 5.5 miles round trip to the train station. AWD only adds weight and price I don’t want either.
I predict the IS200t will do well here in SoCal. With more horsepower and torque and better mileage, it addresses major concerns with both the current 250 and 350 models. If they get rid of the mouse controller and bring the interior quality up to the level of the NX, the IS200t should be a huge success.
Another big concern with the current AWD models is the hump that intrudes into the driver’s space ordinarily used to rest the right foot while using cruise control.
Aztek Brougham?
Great review as always, Brendan! I have very mixed feelings about these. I know I work for Acura and I am partial to my product, but I have a lot of customers comparing our RDX to the NX and they all seem to like the RDX a lot better. Ours comes standard with a V-6, and our vehicle seems to be a lot roomier too. I’ve driven the NX and it seems small and less substantial than the RDX. I think the overall look is ok but it will become dated in no time, similar to the new Nissan Murano and Maxima. Different styling is ok to make a car stand out, but overstyling tends to make a car seem dated faster than it should. Our subtle refresh on the 2016 RDX has made them even more popular than they were in 2015. Just giving my opinion.
Thanks Tom! I like the RDX a lot too, particularly the refreshed 2016 version. My main gripe with it is that the interior isn’t quite a premium as the TLX, which is similarly-priced. Give it the same quality interior as the MDX, just in a smaller package and I’d seriously consider the RDX would skyrocket near to top of my list for next cars.
And if I read correctly, the RDX doesn’t have cooled seats. wth
Striking, individualistic styling, and vinyl aka “leatherette” trim is very serviceable in a vehicle that might see a variety of recreational uses. Should sell a shedload to Californians.
I drove one of these for an overnight. Between the hideous styling (which you fortunately can’t see while driving) and that execrable “remote touch” pad, I couldn’t wait to give it back.
and what is it with this trend of making the center display look like a tablet just plunked on top of the dash?
Lexus knows their audience, it looks like a smaller angrier RX350. As an aside my in-laws stopped by today with a service loaner RX350, which is now top of the list to replace their RX330 so Lexus is doing something right..
That thing is criminally ugly.
One word: ‘rhinoplasty’… But nicely written up Brendan.