Lexus NX 300h F-Sport, road test and review

This week in Highmotor’s road test section we have put to the test one of the most attractive models from Lexus.

The NX300h reached our market about a year ago, and it has already become one of the brand’s flagships. We tested it in its sportiest version, the F-Sport.

Exterior design

At Lexus they decided some time ago to leave boredom and conservative lines behind in their designs. As part of that bet, the Japanese have decided to give all their designs a strong personality, for better or for worse, and the NX is no exception.

The compact premium SUV turns heads wherever it goes, even more so in this F-Sport version with this very bright colour, the 18″ wheels and the gloss black details. Whichever way you look at it, the NX shows no bland or sagging line: absolutely every line has a purpose, and most of them have a function too.

If you want to go unnoticed… look for another SUV

The NX’s front end oozes personality. The grille is already the brand’s signature, large and arrow-shaped. In addition, in the F-Sport version the interior trim has a honeycomb shape. The brand badge is also “generously” sized, hiding behind it the radar for the cruise control and pre-collision systems.

The front headlights are split into two parts, always with elongated shapes. In the upper part, in this version, three LED modules (again in an L shape) handle the low and high beam lighting, of good quality in both quantity and intensity, while the lower part, a small strip, performs the functions of daytime running light and indicator, again using LED technology. At the bottom of the bumper, located at the ends, are the fog lights, also LED.

The side of the bodywork shows a lot of personality thanks to the profusion of creases and edges. The angular shapes create a robust look, aided by rectangular wheel arches with a granulated black plastic trim, a trend also followed by the new generation of the RX, which we tested a few weeks ago in Lisbon. The wheels on this version, 18″, have a specific design and are painted anthracite.

The rear of the NX follows the angular trend of the rest of the bodywork. The light clusters are a fundamental part of the rear ensemble. They use LED technology for some indications, although others such as the indicators still use incandescent bulbs, giving a somewhat “anachronistic” feel. The rear bumper includes the reflectors, but hides the exhaust outlets, something common in Lexus hybrids.

The NX’s dimensions are in line with the segment average, with a length of 4630 mm, a width of 1845 mm and a height of 1645 mm. The wheelbase is 2660 mm. It is the same length as an Audi Q5, 30 mm shorter than an BMW X3, and 10 mm shorter than an Volvo XC60.

Interior design

For the interior, Lexus has chosen to continue the exterior trend. The design language of the bodywork carries over into the dashboard, with very fluid lines wherever you look. Some similarity can be found with the interior of the IS, the brand’s smallest saloon, although the evolution is clear.

The guys at Lexus have designed a two-level dashboard, clearly differentiating one from the other. On one side we have the upper part, which we generally don’t touch but do look at. The lower part is the one we normally use, and it is where in the NX the controls, buttons and switches are gathered.

Build quality is, as in any Lexus, more than good. The materials used are all of very good quality, with a pleasant feel wherever you put your hand. We find padded plastics across the whole dashboard, as well as on the upper part of the doors. In addition, some parts are trimmed in leather, such as the door armrests or the centre console, which further enhance the perceived quality.

There are some curious details, such as the use of engraved screws, identical to those Lexus used for the interior of the LFA, the brand’s supercar. The seats, with sportier shapes as befits the F-Sport version, are really comfortable, hold the body well, have electric adjustment and, in addition, three-level heating.

The steering wheel is the brand’s usual one, as is the instrument cluster, similar to that of the IS. There is also the central screen, in a raised position, where we view all the vehicle’s entertainment systems, as well as the navigation and climate control. There is still a high number of buttons both on the dashboard and on the centre console, which can be “dizzying” and require a period of adaptation.

The interior lighting is LED which, together with other details such as the wireless phone charger or the “damping” of the windows when they reach the end of their travel, gives the NX a very pleasant “technological” aura. The space in both the first and second rows of seats is more than sufficient for four people. The centre seat of the second row is somewhat narrow and uncomfortable due to the shape of the backrest and the excessively wide central tunnel at foot level.

The rear seats also have backrest recline adjustment, allowing a greater angle that improves occupant comfort, or a smaller one that increases boot capacity. Speaking of the boot, the minimum cargo capacity is 555 litres, expandable to a maximum of 1600 litres. It has a very useful false floor with room for several bags and large items.

Time to start the NX’s engine – the engines. We say “engines” because this NX, like a good hybrid, has more than one powerplant. In this case there are three motors that move this premium SUV. Of course, starting is done with a button, as in all Lexus models. At that moment, the hybrid system comes into operation without us being aware of it.

The NX 300h mounts a 2.5-litre four-cylinder combustion engine, which operates on the Atkinson cycle, and delivers 155 CV and 210 Nm. The electric motor on the front axle offers 143 CV and 270 Nm, while the rear electric motor has 68 CV and 140 Nm. Together, the total system output is 197 CV, since, as in all Toyota/Lexus hybrids, the power of the different motors is not simply added together.

All this power is controlled through a continuously variable automatic transmission, with a setup especially designed to favour efficiency over performance. In practical terms, the NX’s 0-100 km/h acceleration is 9.3 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 180 km/h.

Orange cables warn of high-voltage current

The feeling at the wheel is, as is usual in this type of vehicle, contradictory. When accelerating hard, all the powerplants work at their maximum power output, which means that the noise and vibrations (not especially refined for a four-cylinder engine rather than the six-cylinder of other Lexus hybrids) make themselves clearly felt while the speed climbs in a not entirely harmonious way.

The truth is that, although it is not a slow vehicle, the NX 300h does not feel like a particularly quick car, considering we are talking about a vehicle with around 200 CV. Both the gearbox and the weight – 1860 kg – work against sportiness in pure figures. Dynamically, the NX 300h F-Sport has an addition over the other versions, as it fits an electronic suspension with several operating modes.

On fast bends, the car behaves very well, maintaining notable stability and comfort. When slow corners come, things change, as the NX is reluctant to “dive into the bend”. What’s more, the steering is not very informative, so we don’t know what is happening with the grip of the front wheels. The braking capacity is good, although the feel is typical of a hybrid vehicle, with two distinct zones in the pedal travel. Either way, the NX has a whole series of electronic aids that act promptly and nip in the bud any hint of instability… and of fun too.

The NX comes as standard with a circular selector with which we can choose between different driving modes depending on the needs of each situation. In this F-Sport version there are four operating modes, allowing a choice between ECO, with a poorer throttle response, a softer steering and a gentler air conditioning, the NORMAL position, and the sporty SPORT and SPORT+ modes, which act on both the accelerator pedal and the steering, reducing assistance. The damping shows its firmer profile, the traction battery voltage rises – from 500 to 650 V – and the ASC – Active Sound Control – system is activated, which emits “sporty” sound through the car’s speakers. I did not like the system, and I kept it switched off all week.

How much does the unit you see cost?

Before gathering all the information about the NX range, let’s find out what an identical unit to the one in the photographs costs, to get an idea. The NX that Lexus provided us is an NX 300h 4×4 in F-Sport trim. It is the second most expensive trim in the range, behind only the Luxury. Its starting price is €55,900.

On this occasion the sums are easy, as the unit shown has only one optional extra, metallic paint in “Azul eléctrico” blue, a colour exclusive to the F-Sport version, which costs €1,100, so the addition is simple. The final price is €57,000, always with taxes included but without counting any possible discounts.

Range, prices, equipment

The Lexus NX range is structured in our country into five trims, two with front-wheel drive only and three others with intelligent all-wheel drive. The starting point is the ECO version, with a starting price of €38,300. Notable standard equipment includes LED headlights for low beam, the 8-speaker audio system with USB input, and 17″ alloy wheels.

Above it is the CORPORATE version, priced at €40,200, which adds elements such as LED fog lights, cruise control, the interior rear-view mirror with electrochromic adjustment, and light and rain sensors.

Interior trim completely in black which gives a sporty look

The next level up is the EXECUTIVE, which starts at €46,700, and adds plenty of equipment such as intelligent 4×4 traction, 18″ alloy wheels, a wireless phone charger, heated front seats or leather upholstery, among others. Lexus is banking on this trim as its best-selling one in our country according to its forecasts.

The top level is the F-SPORT, the one we tested. Its price, as noted earlier, starts at €55,900, and in addition to the EXECUTIVE level it fits adaptive variable suspension (AVS), the simulated sound system Active Sound Control (ASC), sport seats with eight adjustments for driver and passenger, perforated leather on the gear knob and steering wheel, metal pedals, electrically adjustable steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and a pre-collision system with emergency braking.

Finally, as a more luxurious alternative, there is the LUXURY version, with a launch price of €64,500. Its most notable additions are the lane change assist system (LKA), the blind spot detection system (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), adaptive high beam system (AHB), electrochromic exterior mirrors, 360º cameras, Mark Levinson sound system with 14 speakers, and a Head-Up Display (HUD).

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

Off-RoadLexus NX18 versions · from 54,050 €