2023 Lexus NX350 F-Sport

Price as tested: $51,000

Specs:

2.4 Liter Turbo 4 Cylinder

275 HP / 315 TQ

20 MPG as tested

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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi

This is the Lexus NX350, if you’re thinking ‘Holy crap!  350?  That means, they dropped in a 3.5 Liter V6??  Is it turbo??  OMG it is isn’t!?!?!?  

No.  

No they didn’t.  

Okay now you are probably thinking.  ‘Okay fine.  Maybe…just maybe.  Did Lexus squeezed out 350 horsepower out of the NX!?!?’

No.

No they didn’t.

But they did bump up the displacement from 2.0 liters to 2.4 liters…so there is that.

…yay?

Okay now I got that annoyance out of the way.  The NX is a fundamentally different crossover from the last generation. The engine is different, which means it drives different BUT the biggest introduction is the new UI system!

The atrocious previous infotainment system has been banished to the netherworld and it’s place is a massive screen, crisp graphics and actual easability! Or to put it another way: It’s not the best but finally it’s no longer the worst!

With that infotainment update comes a slightly different interior treatment but overall it still feels like a NX. Which isn’t a bad thing, because the NX does something it’s rivals can’t touch.

Just a luxurious driving experience.

The German competitors have designed their crossovers to be a compliment to their sport sedans.  Minus the higher ride height, you would be hard pressed to really tell the difference behind the wheel.  It’s pretty remarkable.  With that though you have a stiffer ride, heavier steering and touchier throttle.  Which I am ALL for but you are not me.  

90% buyers out there are not me.  They want comfort, practicality, efficiency and reliability.  So the natural choice is a Lexus crossover.  The RX has been a rocketing sales success since it’s initial introduction and due to the fact that Lexus understood the market.  That formula has spread across the rest of the crossover range of vehicles to great success.  

So, in essence, the NX is a mini RX.  It brings to the market everything that makes the RX such a fantastic luxury vehicle but in a smaller package.  Smaller can be and sometimes should be a more ‘sporty’ package but in this case…it isn’t.  Which is fine because that’s what Lexus buyers want.  They prefer to have a more coddling ride at the risk of skid pad numbers.  Same can be applied to the drivetrain.  Could it be more exciting?  Oh God yes.  But does it work for it’s target demographic?  Yup.  It has enough power to pass someone without too much of a sweat but not enough to overpower the experience.  The transmission is designed to shift seamlessly in the background rather than firm and immediate shifts.  

Add all of that together you get the perfect Lexus crossover.  Does those ingredients add up to you?  If so, then there you go….