If you’re a married man with a university education, kids, and a household income of $165,000, you’re the target buyer for the 2016 Lexus NX 200t?
So your thoughts on the busy sheetmetal of this compact luxury crossover? Makes me dizzy. There’s nothing here to pull everything together, to make all these visually “noisy” elements one. And the grille! Ugh.
The counter argument? Lexus types say that when half the target buyers go shopping, they kick their left brains to the curb. Instead, they go all right brain – all emotional and intuitive — when comparing the NX to the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3 or Porsche Macan. Really? Do otherwise sober, intelligent, family-first guys go all goofy when it comes to rigs like the NX, with its swirls and curves and creases.
This also suggests that Lexus believes its tamer German rivals have a dull sameness to them — as if they were all penned by the same designer in Stuttgart or Munich. I disagree.
Looks aside, the NX is, indeed, nimble thanks in large part to the independent rear suspension and a strong (235 horsepower/258 lb-ft or torque) turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood. Yes, the electric power steering is a little numb and a tad noisy, but this car holds a cornering line quite nicely.
The $56,371.25 tester here ($41,950 base price) represents the most sophisticated version of the NX. The Smart Access feature opens the doors automatically and the multi-information display delivers a pile of detail about what’s at work — from the radar cruise control to which of the six gear ratios is engaged.
The seven-inch colour display at the top of the dashboard is not a touchscreen, however; it’s managed through traditional controls or a finicky touch-pad controller located just below the driver’s left hand on the centre console. Buttons on the steering wheel direct audio and voice recognition, as well as the information display and other things.
You will need to take a few moments to get comfortable with all the space-age stuff here, and how to manage it. There is a small confusion of controls, buttons, knobs and the like at your fingertips. I resorted to the owner’s manual to avoid getting lost in complexity.
The cabin as a whole is as roomy as others in this class and that’s good. The rear seatbacks easily flip and fold 60/40 with the lift of a lever. The front buckets could have more long-distance padding, however, and at highway speeds the cabin should be quieter.
Fuel economy at 10.8 city/8.8 highway (litres/100 km) is okay, but premium fuel is recommended. If you want to save at the pump, the $53,550 (base) hybrid NX 300h is for you.
Of course, the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship throughout this rig are obvious. Lexus knows how to build vehicles that last and don’t break. But I like simple designs and instantly intuitive technology, neither of which you’ll find in the NX.
The Germans needn’t be concerned.
2016 LEXUS NX 200t
THE LOOK: Here we have a confusion of lines and cuts
and creases and curves. Less is more in design. Here, more is less.
THE DRIVE: The NX is quick and powerful, though the four-cylinder turbo is buzzy and the electric power steering makes noises you can hear in the cabin.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS: Beneath the skin is a combination of pieces and engineering taken from the Toyota RAV4 and the Lexus CT 200h. Standard fancy gear includes vehicle stability control, traction control, hill-start assist control, and a three-setting drive mode select system (Sport, Normal and Eco) and more. Disc
brakes are ventilated up front, and enhanced with antilock braking, brake assist, and electronic brake-force distribution technologies, plus an electric parking brake. The range of advanced technologies is quite impressive, from available radar cruise control to voice activated controls.
THE CABIN/STORAGE: Lots of room for this class, 60/40 folding rear seats and more.
THE BRAND: Lexus appeals to people who value reliability above all, though the design here shows Lexus wants to be a more emotional brand.
WHY BUYS? Married, educated men with a household income of $165,000 or more.
Price: $56,371.25 as tested ($41,950 base).
Powertrain: 2.0-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged (235 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque).
Drive: all-wheel.
Transmission: six-speed automatic.
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 10.8 city/8.8 highway using premium fuel.
Comparables: Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC.