Lexus NX Review Singapore 2022 - 350h Hybrid 2.5(A)

The Lexus NX 350h is the only self charging hybrid version of the Lexus NX in the Singapore lineup beside the NX 450 plug-in hybrid and the petrol powered NX 350, sharing the same E-CVT found in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. A high end premium luxury SUV that goes up against the likes of the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5, the Lexus NX is all about user comfort, providing a top notch cabin, along with creature comforts like cruise control, multiple drive modes, Apple Carplay or Android Auto, as well as a multi function steering wheel.

When the first images of the new Lexus NX were unveiled, I was taken aback by the beauty of the car's exterior facade - a far cry from the car's rather frumpy looking predecessor. While the previous NX was somewhat devoid of character, the new Lexus NX exudes it in abundance, showing us that an old dog can indeed be taught new tricks. Even though recent iterations of Lexus' RX and IS models have shown a certain flair for design, the NX in my opinion nails it, giving the car a persona that makes it more accessible to continental - biased consumers. To put it simply, it looks the least Japanese, and for that reason, looks the most desirable.

In person, the car lives up to the images, and adopts a strong and muscular stance - and looks bigger than it actually is. From the front, the massive front grille is imposing and pretty to look at, pairing beautifully with its sleek headlamps and front apron. With a bonnet panel that rakes forward and downward, there is a sportiness to the car, and somehow reminds me of a Ford Mustang - a good thing in my opinion. Moving down the rear, the car continues to look as sporty, with a beautifully designed C-Pillar that accentuates the very angularly shaped quarter windows. A continuous light bar style rear tail lamp dominates the rear fascia, and the rear emblem has been replaced by the word "Lexus" - a subtle move that gives the car an extremely continental feel.

Inside, the cabin impresses with build quality, along with the use of premium materials that cover most frequently touched places in the cabin. Overall, there is clear indication that the cabin is a premium one, especially with the rather large 14 inch touchscreen dominating the dashboard. That said, I did find that button placements around the cabin were not the most intuitive to find or operate, and will probably take some time to get used to if you aren't already a Lexus driver. I also found that the interior lacked a distinct and authentic personality, looking rather generic as far as cars go - even the custom artwork by Tiffany Lovage on the door panels of our test car didn't seem to aid this, and.instead looked a little out of place if I were to be perfectly honest. However, if you are the type of person who has always been cut more from utility than from flair, then I think you'll likely feel right at home in this cabin, because aside from from my rather subjective opinion about the cabin's personality, there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with the cabin.

Seats are propped quite high up in the NX, and you get the feeling that the car is catered for the driver who likes to sit high up in the car, with an extended view of the car and its surroundings. Seat adjustment is actually quite limited, so if like me, you like to sit in a low slung position, you're hard out of luck with the NX. On the other spectrum of things, the car's roofline actually rakes forward a little resulting in limited driver headroom, so if you're taller than 175cm, you'll definitely want to visit the showroom to try out the sitting positions in this car to see if it works for you. It doesn't help that the panoramic roof does also eat into headroom a little bit.

Up on the road, I experienced something of a dilemma with the NX. On one hand, I felt that the although the NX's handling exceeded my expectations and did very well, the car's drivetrain, and in large part due to the E-CVT, droned a little bit too hard under acceleration for my liking, and ultimately proved quite uninspiring to drive, detracting greatly from the sporty image that the car's styling conveys. Despite this, power is accessible, and will easily climb past 100km/h if you aren't paying attention. On the other hand, when I'm not particularly in a hurry and just trying to make my way across the island, the NX is so easy and comfortable to drive, offering a fuss free travel experience that is ultra smooth. I turned up the volume and managed to adequately mask some of the CVT drone, and I kind of just got from point A to point B without really realising it, and I arrived fresh and relaxed.

To put things into perspective then, this is not a driver oriented vehicle. It's not engaging, and it's not inspiring - a shame Lexus didn't fit the 350h with the Aisin torque converter which would have brought out a completely different dimension to the car. That said, how often do we really want to be engaged and tuned in during our drives around our sunny island? There are days where you just want to get in the car, zone out, and get to your destination with as little fuss as possible. For these types of trips, the NX is perfect and proves to be a very capable daily driver in that regard, that also just so happen to look amazing.