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Lexus NX Luxury 2018 review: snapshot

Lexus Lexus Reviews Lexus NX Lexus NX Reviews Lexus NX 2018 Lexus NX300H Lexus NX300H Reviews Lexus NX300H 2018 SUV Best SUV Cars Lexus SUV Range Prestige & Luxury Cars Car Reviews
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EXPERT RATING
7.0

Likes

  • Stylish new exterior
  • Top-shelf safety offering
  • No need to start ticking options

Dislikes

  • Infotainment system is very fiddly
  • Not too much in the way of updates here
  • Not quite as cosseting inside as we'd hoped
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
20 Oct 2017
2 min read

It might not sound like it, but the Luxury is actually the entry point to the Lexus NX range. Yours for $54,800 for the NX 300 and $57,300 for the NX 300h in two-wheel drive, or $59,300 and $61,800 respectively if you spring for the AWD variants, the Luxury models happily arrive with enough equipment to ensure you won't be frantically reaching for the options list.

Under the bonnet, the 300-badged cars are packing a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 175kW at 4800rpm and 350Nm at 1650rpm. It's paired with a six-speed automatic driving either the front or all four wheels.

The 300h models are hybrid cars that make use of a 2.5-litre engine that pairs with an electric motor, lifting total output to 147kW and 270Nm. The AWD models are then fitted with a second motor at the rear wheels, producing an extra 50kW and 139Nm, although that bonus power is only intended to be used to help with initial traction, and doesn't impact overall outputs. That setup pairs with a CVT auto.

New for this mid-life update are auto-dipping wing mirrors, a bigger 10.3-inch multimedia screen controlled through a bigger remote-touch controller, a shark-fin antenna and new interior colours. That all joins the existing standard kit, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10-speaker stereo and leather-trimmed seats.

Every NX now gets the Lexus 'Safety System+' package as standard, which includes AEB, active cruise and a lane-departure-warning system that will apply an individual brake to drag you back into your lane if it senses you starting to drift. All that stuff joins blind-spot motoring, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer-sway control and an upgraded reversing camera with a new widescreen mode.

Read the full 2018 Lexus NX review

Lexus NX300H 2018: Luxury Hybrid (awd)

Engine Type Inline 4, 2.5L
Fuel Type Unleaded Petrol/Electric
Fuel Efficiency 5.7L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $38,060 - $44,770
Safety Rating

Pricing Guides

$40,127
Based on 10 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$27,990
HIGHEST PRICE
$45,990
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.

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