Latest NX is an evolution of the crossover’s sporty, sophisticated styling along with sharper handling performance and smoother overall ride quality.
19 Apr 2017 | 43964 Views | By Autocar Pro News Desk
Toyota’s luxury car brand Lexus today revealed the model year 2018 NX crossover aimed at enhancing the vehicle’s image of a stylish and spacious compact SUV with exciting driving dynamics and high fuel efficiency.
For the 2018 NX, Lexus designers have enhanced the design of the original model. The ...
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Toyota’s luxury car brand Lexus today revealed the model year 2018 NX crossover aimed at enhancing the vehicle’s image of a stylish and spacious compact SUV with exciting driving dynamics and high fuel efficiency.
For the 2018 NX, Lexus designers have enhanced the design of the original model. The entire front fascia of the new NX has been refreshed, with the upper portion of the grille and the front bumpers redesigned to more fluidly blend into the hood and front doors, resulting in a sleeker overall shape and excellent aerodynamics.
The new NX's available AHS-equipped headlamps and triple projectors are similar to those equipped on the LC luxury coupe and help give the NX's face a sportier aura. Satin and smoked chrome trim elements have been applied to the grille treatment in addition to new vertical elements added to the grille's inner portion.
"Starting at the spindle grille, the way the front edges connect to the front fenders results in a much bolder expression than before, clearly highlighting the NX's style design architecture," the NX's exterior designer, Shin Kamiura from Lexus Design Division, said. "We've also changed the shape of the lower front bumper to better support the spindle grille, as well as relocating the fog lamps to the corner of the front bumpers, separating them from the ducts. The result is a front fascia with a stronger and more aggressive presence."
The 2018 NX rear end has received styling touches to help match the sportiness of the front. The lower rear bumper cover now involves elements of the grille's spindle motif and has been broadened to enhance the vehicle's wide stance and low-centre-of-gravity look. In addition, the NX's revised taillights have been elongated, and the black garnish has been revised to better emphasize the ‘L’-shaped lenses. Also, the new NX features larger chrome-tipped exhaust tips that are integrated into the vehicle's revised bumper cover design and new rear underbody spoiler. For the NX Hybrid, a slotted sectional piece with an L-shaped satin chrome border blends flawlessly into the underbody spoiler.
Two new high-grade aluminium 18-inch wheels have been added to the mix, including a bronze-colored machine-finished piece. The others are equally striking, combining a bright machined-finish with dark metallic paint to express a three-dimensional design with an increased sense of depth.
Reworked interiors turn sporty
The interior of the new NX has also been slightly reworked to exude a sportier nature, a more luxurious feel, and with enhanced control interfaces. There is a larger display on the centre dashboard, which has grown from 7 inches to 10.3 inches.
Also, the design of the HVAC control panel has been dramatically simplified by replacing the small section of buttons with four easy-to-operate toggle switches adorned with tiny ‘Ls’ on their surface. And, rear-seat passengers will now be able to set the temperature in their own compartment via a switch on the rear console. The analogue clock features a cleaner, simpler design than before with an outer ring that's more pronounced. It has also been slightly enlarged for better readability and now includes satellite control, which automatically sets the time in different time zones.
Nearly all the controls and switches inside the new NX, including the drive mode selector, shift knob and door handles, now have a metallic satin finish, enhancing the premium look and feel of the cabin. Even the audio knob and window switches feature a metallic coating.
On the centre console, the remote touch interface pad has been enlarged and redesigned for easier operation, and the palm rest has been reshaped for maximum wrist comfort. The wireless charger tray has also grown in size to accommodate larger smart phones. In addition, the USB ports have been more optimally positioned in the center console, and their amperage has been increased for faster charging. For models equipped with the Heads Up Display (HUD), the unit is now integrated into the upper instrument panel, resulting in a smooth dash surface that looks identical to those of non-HUD-equipped models.
The 2018 NX adds the convenience of a foot-operated rear hatch that can be used when the user's hands or arms are full, such as when carrying goods. Placing or kicking up one of your feet toward a sensor beneath the rear-bumper cover opens or closes the electrically-actuated rear hatch.
Power and performance
Powering the NX 300, formerly called the NX 200t, will be Lexus' powerful and fuel-efficient turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-4, while the NX 300h's hybrid drivetrain will continue with a 2.5-litre inline-4 combined with a pair of electric motors, offering customers class-leading power and fuel economy. Both drivetrains offer customers a richer, sportier engine sound and exhaust note that is reproduced through the speakers by Lexus' Active Sound Control (ASC).
According to Lexus, while the NX's straight-line performance will essentially remain the same, significant improvements have been made to the vehicle's suspension tuning to enhance ride and handling. The springs, stabiliser bars and bushings have been retuned for improved turn-in response and steady-state cornering. Also, new shock absorbers improve the quality of the NX's already smooth ride. But the biggest new change to the NX's chassis is the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), now based on the advanced system found in the LC 500, which offers a range of up to 650 instantaneous compression and damping adjustments (up from 30) to more precisely control overall handling stability and control.
The 2018 NX features reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), thanks to a combination of suspension tuning and the addition of strategically placed sound deadening within the vehicle's body.
Already one of the safest vehicles in its class, the new NX will include the brand's innovative Lexus Safety System +, which integrates active safety technologies, such as the Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control System, Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB). It will also be equipped with Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS).
NX F Sport
Also read: Lexus debuts in India with a hybrid-focused model line-up