Lexus’s latest entry into the premium compact SUV is here, and is called the NX. The NX in the name stands for Nimble Crossover, and shares the structure and wheelbase with the Toyota RAV4. The rest of the NX however, is new. For us here in Malaysia, we will be getting five variants of the Lexus NX, starting from the NX 200t, NX 200t Premium, NX 200t Luxury, NX 200t F SPORT and the NX 300 Hybrid.
From the exterior, much of the Lexus NX has been toned down from its original LF-NX concept days, but at the same time, most of the styling cues remain. Up front, the NX 200t has regular halogen bulbs with LED daytime running lights, while the rest of the variants (NX 200t Premium, NX 200t Luxury, NX 200t F SPORT and the NX 300 Hybrid) all sport a 3 LED headlamp set up, also with LED daytime running lights. All variants sport LED rear combination light as well. A rear powered back door is found on all models of the Lexus NX, except the NX 200t. The NX 200t F SPORT gets a more aggressive front end treatment compared to the regular models.
Under the hood, the Lexus NX utilizes their new 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine. This new engine produces a total of 235 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, and a total of 250 Nm of torque, readily available from 1,650 rpm. A six speed automatic takes care of gear shifting, and power is transferred to all four wheels. The NX 300 Hybrid sports a different engine from the NX 200t variant, as it has a 2.5-litre engine paired to a pair of electric motors. The petrol engine on the hybrid model utilizes the Atkinson cycle and produces a total of 153 horsepower at 5,700 rpm, while the peak torque of 210 Nm comes in at 4,400 rpm. The hybrid variant of the Lexus NX utilizes a continuously variable transmission and power goes to all four wheels. The NX 200t models can achieve 100 km/h from standstill in just 7.1 seconds, while the hybrid variant takes a leisurely 9.2 seconds to complete the same sprint.
Those keen on safety would be glad to know that the Lexus NX comes with a whole suit of safety equipment, as this premium compact SUV comes with no less than 8 airbags, which includes a driver knee airbag and front passenger cushion airbag. The Lexus NX will also come with the usual ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control (TRC), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and a reverse camera as standard fitment.
Selling price for the Lexus NX starts from RM299,873 for the NX 200t, while the NX 200t Premium retails for RM331,679. The NX 200t Luxury retails for RM352,199 while the NX 200t F SPORT retails for RM378,875. Finally, the NX 300 Hybrid will set you back from RM385,063. All prices are OTR with insurance.
The Lexus NX comes in 5 different colours, namely Platinum Silver Metallic, Fire Agate Mica Metallic, Red Mica Crystal Shine, Starlight Black Glass Flake and Sonic Titanium. The Lexus NX Hybrid, on the other hand, adds another exclusive colour called Sonic Quartz. The Lexus NX will be backed by Lexus Malaysia’s 3-year/100,000 km warranty.
Our initial impressions of the car can be found here.
Lexus NX photo gallery
