2015 Lexus NX300h Hybrid FWD

2015 Lexus NX300h Hybrid FWD 2015 Lexus NX300h Hybrid FWD
Instrumented Test

Lexus wades into the compact-luxury-utility waters just as the segment reaches flood stage. Its new offering—sized and priced below the mid-size RX crossover—is the dramatically styled NX, in NX200t (turbocharged four-cylinder–powered) and NX300h (hybridized) versions. Of the two, the NX300h is the least thrilling, but it’s also the sole hybrid among compact luxe-UVs, boasting EPA ratings of 35 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. As such, the NX300h is the only contender to specifically target ardent greeniacs.

So what exactly are those contenders? The NX scales in close to the Audi Q5, although its wheelbase, shared with the Toyota RAV4 platform, is much shorter. Lexus cites the Audi, the BMW X3, and the Mercedes-Benz GLK as direct bogeys, but a closer match is the Lincoln MKC. The real question is, beyond blowing the top off the segment fuel-economy curve, does this hybrid measure up as a Lexus?

Hybrid Performance: A Relative Expression

The NX300h’s Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine assisted by an electric motor is essentially the Lexus ES300h powertrain (unless you opt for all-wheel drive, which adds a second motor for the rear axle). Strapping our test gear to a front-wheel-drive NX300h, we received relatively good news at the track. It beat Lexus’s performance estimate by 0.8 second, hitting 60 mph in 8.3 ticks.

Even so, taking more than eight seconds to get to freeway speeds is demure for this class. Customers dropping more than 40 grand for an ostensibly luxurious vehicle expect better. Or maybe not: If Lexus added grunt, the NX300h probably wouldn’t see the aforementioned fuel-economy figures. It’s efficient in the real world, at least, with our leadfoot drivers averaging 30 mpg, not too far from the 33-mpg EPA combined rating. Bragging on your high fuel economy is the whole point of getting the hybrid over the more powerful NX200t, right?

It’s certainly not to have fun. Even with this example’s optional 18-inch wheels, handling feels limp. The shocks, springs, and tires conspire to deliver a comfortable ride over most surfaces—but at the expense of body control, turn-in sharpness, and grip. The NX300h achieved a modest 0.77 g on the skidpad, understeering heavily.

Convincing Luxury in Frenetic Dress

Hushed as a prep-school library, the NX300h lets a mere 71 decibels of noise into the cabin at wide-open throttle and only 68 when cruising at 70 mph (the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 measured 75 decibels wide open and 67 cruising). The interior is a snug, personal space with its high center console and central dash jutting out toward the occupants, creating a platform for the stand-up center screen. The new Remote Touch Interface touchpad-style controller with haptic feedback handled secondary controls in our test vehicle; it takes some getting used to but works better than the old Lexus toggle-mouse thing.

Overall, the interior design seems interesting and fresh, though we wish Lexus would upgrade its cheap, metallic patina–colored plastic trim on the doors, dash, and even the “L” on the steering wheel to something more, well, metal. The front seats are excellent, the rears just shy of great. The high beltline and small windows give a bit of BMW X4–like intimacy back there. Also like the X4, the sloping roofline restricts the usable cargo space.

The C/D jury is still out on the NX’s styling. The hybrid model’s take on Lexus’s spindle grille features thick horizontal slats, while the lighting elements look busy. Similarly, the body mixes soft surfaces and Ginsu-sharp edges. Most agree that the sculpted body looks fresh and modern, if a bit frenetic.

Bring More Money: It’s a Lexus and a Hybrid

At $40,645, the front-wheel-drive NX300h starts at a hefty $5240 more than the NX200t. Our car came with optional LED headlights ($1160), exterior mirrors with memory and reverse tilt, which also adds blind-spot information and cross-traffic alert ($660), parking assist ($500), a built-in wireless phone-charging pad ($220), and finally, the $2670 Premium package (heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof, nicer 18-inch wheels, as well as power tilt/telescope steering and three-position driver’s-seat memory). All in, our NX300h registered at nearly $46,000.

As with its big brother, the RX450h, the NX300h is more about buffing up your carbon-footprint-related cocktail-party conversation than it is about making any real sacrifices. Lexus expects that less than 10 percent of NX customers will choose the hybrid. The other 90-plus percent will get both a better deal and a better crossover.

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