lexus nx
Fourth report: Hybrid SUV's 'bouncy' ride doesn't impress our youngest tester
Verdict 3
I couldn't have put it better than my three-year-old daughter: the NX's ride is bouncy, and isn't becoming of a luxury SUV. In many other respects, the car impresses. It looks great, has loads of kit and the hybrid drivetrain works pretty well. But at this price, it's just not comfortable enough.
Mileage: 12,607
Economy: 35.8mpg
Spending time with our Lexus NX hybrid has been revealing – but not for the reasons you might expect. Instead, my daughter has used the SUV to show her potential as a future Auto Express road tester.
Three-year-old Isla praised the lofty seating position, and loved the full-length panoramic sunroof to look at the night sky – a perk I had missed from the front seat.But her judgement of the ride quality is what impressed me – within a couple of miles, she said: “This car is very bouncy!” And she’s right: the NX fidgets over larger bumps, magnifying smaller jolts you’d expect this high-riding SUV to shrug off.
It’s not in the pursuit of more sporty pleasures, either. The body feels well controlled through bends, but the steering is lacking in feedback. It seems more susceptible to crosswinds on the motorway than I had expected, too.
• Best hybrid cars
Because of this, I’m grateful we’ve got the top-of-the-range Premier model, and not the F Sport variant, which features even firmer suspension on its spec list.
At least the seats are typical Lexus – they’re extremely comfortable and provide plenty of support. The steering wheel adjusts electrically for both reach and rake, so you can get snug and comfortable behind the wheel. It’s a shame, as this all adds up to a sensible long-distance cruiser – it’s only let down by that firm ride.And it looks like I’ll be delegating the tyre repair to somebody else, as my time with the NX has now come to an abrupt end. Another member of the Auto Express team, who has a young family, is taking the reins of the Lexus, and they will certainly make better use of the car’s excellent practicality. Being a single man, I didn’t use its full capacity very often, although I have to admit that the NX 300h definitely grew on me during my time with it.
What I’ll miss most is how special it made me feel. For me, few cars manage to make an impact with their styling and remain elegantly classy at the same time, yet the Lexus did exactly that. Plus, my driveway will seem a lot duller without this piece of mobile modern art adorning it. And I fear that film shoots will feel a little less glitzy without my upmarket, Japanese-made dressing room.For starters, servicing has a fixed price: £245 for the NX’s first visit at any franchise. Plus, the dealerships have a great reputation – they’ve consistently finished on top in our Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys.
As part of the NX’s service, Lexus Edgware Road fixed an issue with a slightly loose speaker on the dashboard, and the technician also discovered that there was a nail in the centre of one of the tyres. I was aware of this, as the tyre pressure warning light had come on a few days earlier. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had time to repair it because I was in a hurry to get to a video shoot of my own. The puncture was slow, so it was safe to drive on, as long as I kept the pressure topped up.The Lexus wasn’t the star of one of our videos, though; instead, it took centre stage at the brand’s Edgware Road dealership in north London. Just 48 hours after I called to make the booking, the car was in for its routine check-up – clearly Lexus’ efficiency extends beyond its hybrid models.
I was familiar with the dealer, as I had visited it a few years earlier when I was running our CT 200h, so I knew exactly what to expect: first-class service and my own VIP room to wait in should I desire.
• Lexus NX vs Audi Q5
However, this time there was a new option I could try: the video maintenance report. It’s a ‘free’ scheme, which many dealers from various franchises are now offering. Essentially, the technician who’s working on your car records a little video explaining the work they’re doing and points out any issues they may have spotted. You’re then sent a link to watch it onlin.
Image 15 of 37
Lexus NX 300h long term test - lexus dealer
Image 15 of 37
Meanwhile, when you prod the throttle you must wait while it, the petrol engine and the electric motor reach a consensus before the car accelerates. When it finally does, the unimpressive progress is underlined by a strained mooing from the engine. I daren’t drive past a farm because the owner will think his Friesians are calving…
All could be forgiven if the hybrid was saving money at the pumps. But our 34.9mpg average is less than the 35.3mpg we had out of our VW Golf GTI. Experience with a CT 200h has taught me it should be just about possible to eke out the claimed 53.4mpg… but only if I drive slower than Miss Daisy. Quite frankly, life is too short.
all this is a shame, because I want to love the Lexus. Really I do. But so far it appears that beauty is only skin deep.
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three penalty points.
Verdict 3
I couldn't have put it better than my three-year-old daughter: the NX's ride is bouncy, and isn't becoming of a luxury SUV. In many other respects, the car impresses. It looks great, has loads of kit and the hybrid drivetrain works pretty well. But at this price, it's just not comfortable enough.
Mileage: 12,607
Economy: 35.8mpg
Spending time with our Lexus NX hybrid has been revealing – but not for the reasons you might expect. Instead, my daughter has used the SUV to show her potential as a future Auto Express road tester.
Three-year-old Isla praised the lofty seating position, and loved the full-length panoramic sunroof to look at the night sky – a perk I had missed from the front seat.But her judgement of the ride quality is what impressed me – within a couple of miles, she said: “This car is very bouncy!” And she’s right: the NX fidgets over larger bumps, magnifying smaller jolts you’d expect this high-riding SUV to shrug off.
It’s not in the pursuit of more sporty pleasures, either. The body feels well controlled through bends, but the steering is lacking in feedback. It seems more susceptible to crosswinds on the motorway than I had expected, too.
• Best hybrid cars
Because of this, I’m grateful we’ve got the top-of-the-range Premier model, and not the F Sport variant, which features even firmer suspension on its spec list.
At least the seats are typical Lexus – they’re extremely comfortable and provide plenty of support. The steering wheel adjusts electrically for both reach and rake, so you can get snug and comfortable behind the wheel. It’s a shame, as this all adds up to a sensible long-distance cruiser – it’s only let down by that firm ride.And it looks like I’ll be delegating the tyre repair to somebody else, as my time with the NX has now come to an abrupt end. Another member of the Auto Express team, who has a young family, is taking the reins of the Lexus, and they will certainly make better use of the car’s excellent practicality. Being a single man, I didn’t use its full capacity very often, although I have to admit that the NX 300h definitely grew on me during my time with it.
What I’ll miss most is how special it made me feel. For me, few cars manage to make an impact with their styling and remain elegantly classy at the same time, yet the Lexus did exactly that. Plus, my driveway will seem a lot duller without this piece of mobile modern art adorning it. And I fear that film shoots will feel a little less glitzy without my upmarket, Japanese-made dressing room.For starters, servicing has a fixed price: £245 for the NX’s first visit at any franchise. Plus, the dealerships have a great reputation – they’ve consistently finished on top in our Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys.
As part of the NX’s service, Lexus Edgware Road fixed an issue with a slightly loose speaker on the dashboard, and the technician also discovered that there was a nail in the centre of one of the tyres. I was aware of this, as the tyre pressure warning light had come on a few days earlier. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had time to repair it because I was in a hurry to get to a video shoot of my own. The puncture was slow, so it was safe to drive on, as long as I kept the pressure topped up.The Lexus wasn’t the star of one of our videos, though; instead, it took centre stage at the brand’s Edgware Road dealership in north London. Just 48 hours after I called to make the booking, the car was in for its routine check-up – clearly Lexus’ efficiency extends beyond its hybrid models.
I was familiar with the dealer, as I had visited it a few years earlier when I was running our CT 200h, so I knew exactly what to expect: first-class service and my own VIP room to wait in should I desire.
• Lexus NX vs Audi Q5
However, this time there was a new option I could try: the video maintenance report. It’s a ‘free’ scheme, which many dealers from various franchises are now offering. Essentially, the technician who’s working on your car records a little video explaining the work they’re doing and points out any issues they may have spotted. You’re then sent a link to watch it onlin.
Image 15 of 37
Lexus NX 300h long term test - lexus dealer
Image 15 of 37
Meanwhile, when you prod the throttle you must wait while it, the petrol engine and the electric motor reach a consensus before the car accelerates. When it finally does, the unimpressive progress is underlined by a strained mooing from the engine. I daren’t drive past a farm because the owner will think his Friesians are calving…
All could be forgiven if the hybrid was saving money at the pumps. But our 34.9mpg average is less than the 35.3mpg we had out of our VW Golf GTI. Experience with a CT 200h has taught me it should be just about possible to eke out the claimed 53.4mpg… but only if I drive slower than Miss Daisy. Quite frankly, life is too short.
all this is a shame, because I want to love the Lexus. Really I do. But so far it appears that beauty is only skin deep.
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three penalty points.
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