Is the Lexus NX Right for You?
The popularity of SUVs has never been stronger as more and more models are introduced. Automakers are still making large ones, of course, but small SUVs is where the real growth is, including in the luxury field.
Related: 2015 Lexus NX Expert Review
One of the earliest successes in this category has been Lexus’ NX. It comes in turbocharged 200t and hybrid 300h flavors, and we’ve tested them both. In terms of driving enjoyment nearly all the editors lean toward the 200t, but how well do the NX 200t and 300h deliver in other areas? Who exactly are they the right match for?
Dog lovers?
I was impressed by how well the cargo area fit one of my boxer dogs on a solo trip, and with one rear seat folded, both of my dogs enjoyed a short ride in the NX 200t. This isn’t a full-size SUV, so large-dog lovers will likely be out of luck.
Gardeners?
The NX 200t’s cargo area is a respectable 17.7 cubic feet with the second-row seats up; the 300h has slightly less room at 16.8 cubic feet. I was able to load three 55-pound bags of soil in the NX 200t with room for more bags or, you know, plants.
Coffee drinkers?
A venti and grande latte can coexist together comfortably in the front cupholders.
Music fans?
Sorry, music fans, the Entune system remains a sore spot with our editors thanks mainly to the flat touchpad needed to select and enter commands. Scrolling through the pages of favorite radio stations, for example, requires much more effort than it should take.
Parents?
Besides earning scores of As and Bs on its Car Seat Check by our certified car seat technicians/editors, I also found the NX 200t a perfect runabout for my two young children. They were able to climb in easily and had plenty of legroom.
The budget conscious?
We tested both a fully decked out NX 300h and NX 200t F Sport and the sticker shock of just over and just under $50,000, respectively, still haunts us. Build an all-wheel-drive NX 200t and add navigation and a few other niceties and you’ve got a little SUV for just less than $40,000, including a destination fee. That’s right in line, if not a little less, than a similarly equipped 2016 Acura RDX, but it’s a few grand more than the Audi Q3, which is a bit smaller than both SUVs.
Fans of the color silver?
There are choices of two shades of silver paint and one shade of gray for the NX’s exterior along with white and black. Our office’s Bradley Cooper fans are particularly fond of Silver Lining Metallic. At least the NX has colorful options outside of the black and white spectrum such as red and blue. The Audi’s Q3’s only color of … color is Tundra Brown.
