Lexus NX Hybrid

The driving position in the 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid isn't fully perfect. Taller riders may have to sit a bit hunched in front of the steering wheel. The dashboard and the steering should have been mounted a bit higher. The driving position isn't perfect. The cabin of the NX Hybrid, otherwise, is much improved from its earlier version. All seats are of soft leather. The black pore wood-trim cabin is optional. The dashboard gets a driver-focussed 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with a multi-speaker stereo system connected to a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. The door handles, both outside and inside, can be operated electrically which the company calls the e-latch system.   

The 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid may not look much different from its previous-generation model. The familiarity is quite strong, particularly in the angular design language. The headlights remain angular and narrow. The large spindle grille is retained along with the low-mounted fog lights. The latter gets a more angular housing that somewhat projects out like a short front-wing. The shoulder line runs across the length of the car, splitting into two at the rear, and travels below and above the rear door handle. The rear part too is all-angular like the earlier version. But the taillight stretches across the body. It looks net with the matt-type diffused LED light bars. The Lexus logo is at the centre. The car runs on 20-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin of the 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid is spacious and the electrically adjustable front seats are among the best among all crossover-SUVs. The seats are heavily bolstered and have generous legroom and headroom. All seats get great padding and lumbar support, making long rides less tiresome. The back seats are spacious though accommodating three adults may be a bit tough. But bigger cars often have less space than the 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid. There's a pretty large hump in the middle of the floor. Anyone in the middle seat won’t have much legroom. The rear seat gets cupholders, door bins, and pockets on the front-seat's backside. The boot capacity is 545 litres that can be expanded by folding the rear seat 60:40. The suspension absorbs all potholes and bumps with minimal impact in the cabin.  

The 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid is hauled by a turbocharged, four-cylinder, 2.5-litre petrol engine that produces 275 PS/430 Nm. The motor is mated to an 8-speed automatic. The hybrid setup helps increase mileage. The car isn't very wide and threading on narrow streets is easy. The steering wheel is nicely balanced and promptly obeys commands. Turning corners is easy with the NX Hybrid. The engine gets a bit loud during hard acceleration. But it offers a deeply comfortable and relaxed drive on long trips.

The 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid comes with a 360-degree panoramic parking camera. It's a really handy feature that gives a birds-eye view of the car and makes easier to park in tight spaces. Other safety features include pedestrian detection, autonomous emergency braking, road sign recognition, and adaptive headlights. The Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 RFT tyres have great road grip.

With a starting price of AED 220,000, the 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid Premier isn't the cheapest premium crossover out there. It boasts of a nice cabin and offers great travelling comfort, a few compromises notwithstanding. It's more of a four-passenger car. Buyers looking for a bit of luxury among crossovers can keep the 2024 Lexus NX Hybrid on their watchlist.