2022 Lexus NX – Australian specs confirmed, NX 350h hybrid, 275 hp NX 350 with new 2.4T, base 2.5L NX 250

Specs for the second-generation Lexus NX – which made its debut in June – has been revealed for the Australian market. The 2022 Lexus NX will be available in three variants there – the NX 350h hybrid, the NX 350 and the NX 250.

The NX 350h – which Lexus Australia expects to be the best selling model in the family – is not Lexus’ first ever plug-in hybrid system (that’s the NX 450h+), but a regular hybrid that combines a 2.5 litre petrol engine with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery. With 239 hp combined, it’s the most powerful four-cylinder Lexus hybrid ever sold Down Under. e-Four AWD is an option.

Lexus Australia says that the NX 350h develops more power than German diesel four-cylinder luxury medium SUV models, while recording lower fuel consumption – from 5.0 litres per 100 km. Compared to the outgoing hybrid, the new NX 350h boasts 20% more power and up to 12% better fuel economy.

For the more performance-minded, the NX 350 debuts a 2.4 litre turbo-four producing 275 hp and 430 Nm of torque between 1,700 and 3,600 rpm. With standard AWD and an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission, the NX 350 “provides incredible traction and immediate response befitting the engaging and confidence-inspiring traits of the Lexus Driving Signature”.

In the Aussie market, the NX 350 – which replaces the 2.0L NX 300 as the turbo ICE offering – produces more power and torque than its German turbo SUV rivals.

The base model is the NX 250, which uses a 2.5 litre NA engine with 204 hp/243 Nm. Power goes to the front wheels via an eight-speed auto, which has a short first gear for immediate response, and tall eighth gear for good FC, which stands at 6.9 litres per 100 km. Lexus says that the NX 250 has the lowest kerb weight among luxury medium SUV models – from 1705 kg, the SUV is within 25 kg of the ES 250 sedan.

The NX 350h will be available in Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury grades. The NX 350 is exclusively available in F Sport, while the NX 250 is only available in Luxury.

While the slightly softer exterior design and smooth rear end with Lexus lettering is noticeable, the big news with this second-generation NX is the cabin, which adopts an all-new Tazuna cockpit concept – inspired by a rider controlling the reins of a horse. The point is to ensure that all commands are placed within intuitive reach, and we have a touchscreen replacing the fiddly old Remote Touch Controller.

F Sport and Sports Luxury grades feature the ultimate Tazuna cockpit concept with a huge 14.0-inch touchscreen, a panoramic view monitor, wireless smartphone charging, touch-sensitive steering wheel controls and a colour head-up display. The Luxury makes do with a 9.8-inch screen.

All grades feature voice control with “Hey Lexus!” natural speech recognition, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as standard. Also present across the range is the debuting e-latch – an electrically activated door handle that enables new safe-exit assist functionality. It detect cyclists or vehicles, warns the driver and keeps the door closed if required.

The Luxury gets 18-inch alloys, LED headlamps and foglamps, automatic high beam, smart entry and start, powered tailgate, power adjustable steering column, eight-way powered front seats, heated front seats and dual-zone climate control as standard.

Both the F Sport and Sports Luxury feature 20-inch alloys, tri-beam LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam, multi-colour interior illumination and ventilated front seats as standard.

F Sport exclusive items include a bodykit, sports seats and dials, front and rear performance dampers (bracing) and adaptive variable suspension. Sports Luxury grades include a digital rear-view mirror and 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system as standard – both are optional for the F Sport AWD. Optional with the AWD powertrains of both grades are a panoramic moonroof, heated steering wheel and Intelligent Park Assist (NX 350h AWD only).

Other new technologies include Lexus Connected Services, Intersection Turn Assist and Emergency Steering Assist. Lexus Connected Services includes SOS call, automatic collision notification and stolen vehicle tracking functionality. The new NX will have the richest suite of Connected Services across the entire Lexus Australia range – details are to come.

Intersection Turn Assist can help the driver by issuing warnings and automatic braking if, at an intersection, the car turns in front of either an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane, or pedestrians walking in the opposite direction to the vehicle. Emergency Steering Assist can aid the driver when initiating an evasive steering manoeuvre, helping maintain vehicle stability in the event of a sudden steering input by striving to keep the vehicle in its own lane.

Other standard safety features include a pre-collision system with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, parking support brake (PKSB) with obstacle and vehicle detection, blind-spot monitor (BSM), dynamic radar cruise control (DRCC), lane tracing assist (LTA), road sign assist (RSA) and tyre pressure warning monitor.

The NX is Lexus’ best selling model in Australia, and the outgoing model even achieved sales growth in a challenging 2020. The second-generation NX will hit the market there in January 2022. We’ve covered the new NX extensively from its digital world debut, and you can read all about it here. It’s sure to enter Malaysia, perhaps sometime next year.

GALLERY: 2022 Lexus NX

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