If you think no other brands would make front grilles as big as the ones on a BMW, take a look at the Lexus NX. Available in the 250 Luxury and the 350 F Sport variants, it is priced between RM375,888 and RM415,888, on the road without insurance. What you see in the picture here is the 2023 Lexus NX 350 F Sport.
Let’s address the elephant in the room, you’ll either love or hate the massive predator-like F-sport front grille upfront. However, most would agree that the triple LED headlights accompanied by the “Nike Swoosh“ DRLs strike a perfect balance between being sleek and fierce. They are also very distinctive, especially at night. It’s a different look on the NX 250 Luxury, which gets the brand’s Spindle grille.
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Moving down, you will also find extensions of the F Sport grille and fog lamps within them. On the sides, you’ll find a traditional SUV silhouette with sharp creases and folds extending towards the rear end of the car, like an origami piece with metal instead of paper.
F Sport emblems are present on both front fenders. The F Sport variant also sits on 20-inch Super Gloss Black Metallic Aluminium wheels which give the test unit here, a stealthy black-on-black profile.
At the back, Lexus has also jumped on the bandwagon and has given the second-generation NX a continuous LED light strip that runs across the entire boot lid. The all-new NX gets a pair of redesigned L-shaped brake lights and the Lexus logo has been replaced by the “LEXUS” text in chrome.
Performance-wise, the Lexus NX 350 F Sport is powered by a 2.4-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pushes out 275 hp and 430 Nm. Mated to a Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, the Lexus NX is capable of completing the 0-100 km/h sprint in seven seconds, onwards to a top speed of 200 km/h.
On the inside, you’ll be greeted by a pair of rather good-looking F Sport seats with the F Sport Logo embossed on the headrests, taken straight out of the LC500 if not similar.
Compared to the previous model, the analogue clock and physical buttons are now replaced by a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen display with two climate control knobs beneath it, with temperature displays inside each one of them. This of course means that you get dual-zone climate control in the NX 350 F sport.
This new design has also made way for a wireless mobile phone charging pad that is retractable for even more storage area underneath it! A 12V socket is neatly tucked away in this hidden compartment. If one wireless charging pad is not enough, there’s also another one inside the centre armrest storage box.
The driver’s display has also been updated to a fully digital one. Like most Lexus models, the theme of the driver’s display will change depending on what driving mode you’re in.
Sadly, even the top-of-the-range NX doesn’t come with a panoramic sunroof. With the headliner in black, the cabin can feel a bit dark at times.
Safety-wise, the car comes with the Lexus Safety + package, which includes features such as:
- Front pre-collision system
- Dynamic radar cruise control (with stop & go)
- Lane keep assist (with lane tracing assist and lane departure alert)
- Adaptive high beam assist
- Break assist (BA)
- Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
- Blind-spot monitoring system (BSM)
- Rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA)
- Panoramic view monitor (with road surface view)
To recap, the Lexus NX 350 F Sport is priced at RM415,888 on the road without insurance. Included in the price is also a 5-year/unlimited mileage warranty from the date of registration.
GALLERY
