2022 Lexus NX

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Review

It is important to note that for the foreseeable future, Lexus Malaysia does not have units of the Lexus NX in stock as there is an all-new model for 2022 that was globally launched earlier in the year and has yet to be released locally. For the time being, we will cover the models that have currently been sold up until this point for a sense of continuity.

As a product, the Lexus NX may seem like a fairly new car in the Lexus range as it has a singular generation of existence – but the reality is that it technically stretches back as far as the 1990s. The Lexus NX is the technical successor to the Lexus RX in terms of size and purpose, giving it a fairly long and storied lineage.

The reasoning behind this is simple – as the years have passed, the Lexus RX has grown in size and complexity, eventually becoming the seven-seater SUV that we see today (at least in other markets). In turn, Lexus needed a product to fill the SUV sized void, and that is where the Lexus NX came into existence as effectively a replacement.

To further solidify this argument is the fact that the Lexus NX is the classier, more luxurious, turbocharged alternative to the Toyota Harrier – which the Lexus RX was a counterpart to over the last few generations. From the very beginning, the Lexus NX was designed to meet the needs and requirements of a mid-sized SUV.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Specifications

There is but a singular engine option for the Lexus NX in Malaysia, and that’s a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 235 hp and 350 Nm of torque. This is paired with a six-speed conventional automatic transmission that splits power across all four wheels, and the engine layout is of the transverse nature meaning that torque splits are generally front-biased.

For the purposes of clarification, when the Lexus NX was launched it became the posterchild for the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine as Lexus had never employed forced induction in their vehicles. When it was first launched, the designation for the powertrain was 200t, as it was a 2.0-litre turbo – as at the time, Lexus’ naming convention still followed strict displacement numbers with the exception of their hybrids.

As it was confusing for most consumers, Lexus defaulted to the more common “equivalent performance” number that quite nearly every manufacturer uses these days, resulting in the transition from 200t to 300 as a powertrain designation. There was a hybrid variant for a time as well, but it was eventually phased out as the model progressed over the years.

The dimensions of the Lexus NX are as you would expect for a car in this class – designed as a product to meet rather exact specifications set by rivals. The length comes in at 4,640 mm, with a width of 1,845 mm, and a height of 1,630 mm. The wheelbase runs out at 2,660 mm, with a kerb weight of 1,860 kg – surprisingly hefty, though not unexpected given Lexus’ thicker construction.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Exterior

Between all variants of the Lexus NX, the exteriors are fairly similar. Both the Urban and Premium variants come with 18-inch wheels, as well as LED projector headlamps with adaptive high beam and auto levelling. LED daytime running lights are expected and present, as are LED tail lamps. Sequential signals are a nice touch, though it has become a common luxury car item.  

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Interior

There are definitely a lot of things to discover with the interior of the Lexus NX, striking a clever balance between modern design and that traditional craftsmanship that Lexus loves to talk about. In the case of our local models, leather is the majority of the medium, with Silver Film and Wood for the Urban and Premium variants respectively. The steering wheels are leather wrapped as well, with a 4.2-inch multi-information display sitting front and centre for the driver.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Safety Features

There are pretty flat safety features across the range of Lexus NX variants, and thankfully they are plentiful in the advanced systems category. Lexus Safety System+ comes as standard, though there is a distinction in that the Urban does without the Blind Spot monitor and rear Cross Traffic Alert. All other items are present in all variants – Active Cornering Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, and so on. Passive safety comes in the form of eight airbags, as well as your usual ISOFIX car child seat mounting system for a more secure, more consistent seat mounting. That being said, there are bound to be more complex items with the next generation model as systems become more integrated.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

Whenever there’s a new product in an automaker’s line-up, the opportunity is presented for the car to make a name for itself with a completely blank canvas. In the case of the Lexus NX, there was brilliant planning with some slightly lacklustre execution – though perhaps that’s more an issue with the way in which cars evolved and market trends changed between the inception and launch of the NX.

In simpler terms, consumers decided they needed more complexity in their products – and that comes in the form of connectivity and autonomous driving. Lexus, meanwhile, was focused more on the driving pleasure and refinement aspects, as well as nailing the overall size and packaging – and to their credit they did a fantastic job. The only issue is that while the Lexus NX was being extremely good as a mid-sized SUV, there was nothing about it that really stood out.

The turbocharged powertrain may have been something new for Lexus, but it was close to a decade behind the competition, and even longer than that if you factor in how long Audi has been playing with turbocharged powertrains for the majority of their product line-up. In a nutshell, the Lexus NX’s strengths are in its packaging, refinement, and build quality – while its weaknesses were in its timing and lack of autonomous features.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Price

Of the three variants of the Lexus NX on offer, it is the Urban variant that comes in at the most price-friendly, starting at RM 306,117.00. The next step up is the Premium variant, which goes for RM 324,850.00, while the range-topper is naturally the F-SPORT that will set you back RM 339,018.50. All variants of the Lexus NX are, as mentioned before, packaged with the same powertrain. For the time being Lexus Malaysia has no stock of this model as the next generation product is due for launch in the coming months.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Features

While there are plenty of luxuries when it comes to the Lexus NX, many of them are traditional offerings that are more requirements rather than defining items. There is an eight-speaker surround sound system, along with an eight-inch display unit sitting front and centre on the dashboard and the touch-pad type control unit for navigating. There is also the excellent addition of Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go function that allows you to use it all the way down to traffic jam speeds – an extremely handy addition on your daily commute.

Lexus NX 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

There are no local quoted figures for the fuel consumption of the Lexus NX, although if we look at overseas markets you will find that the rough figures stand at between 8.5 and 10.7 litres per 100 kilometres, which translates to between 9.3 and 11.7 kilometres per litre of fuel. Bearing in mind that this is a turbocharged car, your mileage may severely vary depending on the way in which you drive.