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A broad range of 17 variants will be offered on the second-generation of Australia’s favourite Lexus model – the midsize NX SUV
The 2022 Lexus NX midsize SUV will be released in Australia in about a month’s time – late January 2022 – with a broad range of 17 variants spanning four powertrains, three trim levels and three available enhancement packs.
Taking in a non-turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine badged NX 250, a turbocharged 2.4-litre NX 350, a series-parallel hybrid NX 350h and the brand’s first plug-in hybrid – the NX 450h+ that was last month confirmed for Australia – the NX lineup will be one of the most broad in the luxury SUV segment.
Competing with rivals like the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Volvo XC60 and Land Rover Discovery Sport, Lexus has continued to double down on its popular hybrid powertrain that is expected to be the volume seller.
The range kicks off with a $60,800 NX 250 price leader, but 10 of the 17 NX variants wear NX 350h badging, utilising a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid engine that makes 179kW of power with a choice of front- and all-wheel-drive.
Lexus’s trademark Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury trim levels return. The entry-level 152kW NX 250 is available solely as a Luxury while the 205kW 2.4-litre turbo NX 350 and 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid, 227kW NX 450h+ can be had only in more athletic F Sport guise – but the NX 350h hybrid can be had with any of the three trim levels.
Two available enhancement packs can also be selected to bolster the specification of many of the grades.
The Lexus NX will be available with three familiar grades: Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury. These will accompany the range which begins with the NX 250 and works all the way to the top of the range NX 450h.
The entry level Luxury specification includes standard 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail lights and fog lights, along with a power tailgate, heated eight-way adjustable front seats and dual zone climate control. A 9.8-inch central touchscreen is standard which features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB digital radio.
The NX is capable of wireless projection of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the range, but the car will launch in January without the feature. A spokesperson for Lexus said that wireless CarPlay and Android Auto will be deployed in a future dealer update for customers, but specific timing of when the update would become available was not provided.
The F Sport trim level steps things up a notch in terms of sporting flair, with additional front and rear chassis bracing and adaptive variable suspension which offer several different drive modes.
The F Sport also receives a more aggressive body kit, 20-inch alloy wheels and tri-beam LED headlights. F Sport buyers will gain a bigger 14.0-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, heads up display and a 360-degree camera.
The NX Sports Luxury trim includes all of the above and builds further on this with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, heated steering wheel and sunroof. Intelligent park assist is available on the hybrid NX 350h exclusively.
The Luxury grade of the new NX – available from $60,800 in the NX 250 – includes the following features:
A $3000 enhancement pack adds the following features:
The F Sport grades of the NX, which is available on the NX 350h hybrid and is standard on the turbocharged NX 350 and plug-in NX 450h+ includes – over and above the Luxury:
Two enhancement packs are available on the NX 350 and NX 350h F Sport. The $3000 Enhancement Pack 1 adds a panoramic sunroof, while Enhancement Pack 2 ($6000) gets the same first-for-NX panoramic sunroof, plus:
The NX 450h+ ($89,900) comes standard with a sunroof, digital rear-view mirror, and a heated steering wheel.
The Sports Luxury grade shares its tri-beam LED headlights, Mark Levinson stereo, cooled front seats, 360-degree camera and wireless charging with the F Sport, but adds:
A panoramic sunroof is available on the NX 350h Sports Luxury for $3000, while the $6000 Enhancement Pack 2 adds the pano-roof plus:
The entry level NX 250 starts the range with a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine which produces 152kW of power and 243Nm of torque.
The NX 350 uses a beefier 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine and pushes out 205kW/430Nm to all four wheels.
The NX 350h pairs the 2.5-litre petrol engine noted above with electric power to produce up to 179kW of power and is available in both front or all-wheel drive.
The range-topping NX 450h+ uses the same 2.5-litre engine but incorporates three motors (two at the front and one at the rear) to produce a combined 227kW of power. The plug-in hybrid NX is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 6.3sec, Lexus says, while it is expected to provide an electric driving range of 76km (WLTP).
The Lexus NX comes standard with 10 airbags and the model received a five-star safety rating from ANCAP back in 2017.
As standard and even on the entry level NX 250, the vehicle comes with features such as safe exit assist, intersection turn assist, emergency steering assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring, radar active cruise control, lane tracing assist and road sign detection.
Every Lexus NX comes with a standard five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, while the hybrid models receive a ten-year, unlimited-kilometre battery warranty.
The Encore ownership programme also includes owner benefits such as hotel offers, fuel discounts and other special experiences.
Servicing pricing will be announced at the launch of the NX in January.
With additional reporting by Zak Adkins
Lexus NX 2022: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
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