Lexus NX 300 - Welcome to the editors
A new year means new goals, decisions, plans... And in our editorial office it is also a new car that we will test over a longer distance. This time we are greeted by the smallest Lexus SUV, and it is, of course, the NX. For all of us, this car is perfectly associated with the streets of Polish cities, and the bold and distinctive design of both the NX and any other Lexus currently offered does not allow one to confuse this brand with any competitor on the market. And while we associate Lexus more with hybrids, this time around we got a turbocharged petrol version that recently changed its designation from NX 200t to NX 300. This is, of course, due to the very subtle facelift the NX received in 2018. year of issue.
With the smaller Lexus SUV, we'll spend the next two months testing its usability, especially in winter conditions in and out of the city. Our expectations are high, because this is a premium car!
Good morning, please introduce yourself...
The Lexus NX 300 is powered by a two-liter turbocharged engine with 238 hp. and a torque of 350 Nm. The standard equipment of the car includes a six-speed automatic transmission, which can be controlled using the paddles on the steering wheel. The drive is transmitted to all wheels through the E-FOUR system, and by pressing a button we can forcibly turn on permanent four-wheel drive at low speeds - in any other case, the computer decides where and in what percentage torque is transmitted. . The curb weight of the car is 1860 kg, and in combination with the power unit described above, acceleration to the first “hundred”, according to the manufacturer, should take 7,1 seconds. Claimed average fuel consumption is 10,7 / 6,6 / 8,1 liters per 100 km (urban / suburban / mixed), respectively. Of course, we will check ourselves whether the fuel consumption and acceleration data are only declarations or representations of reality, and the results of the measurements will be available in special videos.
Maximum luxury, sporty enough
The version of equipment we tested is the F-SPORT version, additionally equipped with TECHNO, AVS, FUJI and TOUCH packages - this means that our example has all the additional options available for this variety.
What makes the F-SPORT version different from other variants? The interior features aluminum trim with the F-SPORT emblem and a black roof lining. The upholstery is made of genuine leather and two-tone, namely black and red. Outwardly, it is distinguished by a styling package that includes black mirror caps, a front spoiler, mesh air intake panels and F-SPORT badges. There were also changes from the technical side - body vibration dampers, stiffer shock absorber springs and the AVS active suspension control system with a choice of 4 driving modes were used.
The equipment is really rich: multimedia is controlled using a touch trackpad, and displayed on a widescreen eight-inch display. The car is equipped with a system of all-round cameras with parking sensors and an emergency braking function. We also have a head-up display that displays the driving parameters directly on the windshield. The front seats are heated and ventilated, as well as electrically adjustable in several directions. We will definitely inform you about the qualities of individual pieces of equipment during video tests and in articles.
A car configured in this way is not cheap: the catalog price is PLN 300, excluding current discounts. Compared to similar competitor models such as the Audi Q950, BMW X3 or Range Rover Evoque, this price does not seem intimidatingly high. In the coming weeks, we will see how the performance of the car and the level of equipment ultimately influence our perception of this premium Japanese SUV and whether it will convince us.
Japan counterattacks
The premium segment, which has been dominated by German brands for years, has recently gained a lot of competition. This group includes Infiniti, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, as well as Lexus, which first seriously entered the market almost 4 years ago - this was also the year the NX model was launched. In our country, the smallest SUV of this brand turned out to be quite successful, and the success of the car is the fact that the facelift made in the 2018 model year is very delicate and did not bring any revolutionary changes, especially stylistic ones. So, it's time to get behind the wheel of the NX, drive a few miles and share our driving experience with you as soon as possible.
