Last year when Lexus showed the LF-NX Concept SUV at the 2013 Frankfurt and Tokyo Motor Shows, it had received mixed reviews from industry experts. Some loved the over-the-top design of the concept luxury SUV, while others thought the design was too busy and won’t look too appealing on a production car. Surprising everyone, Lexus has unveiled the production version of the NX Compact SUV at the New York International Auto Show and Beijing Motor Show simultaneously. But as everyone expected, the polarizing design of the concept which had too many line and snappy curves has been toned down for the production version, but the design is still striking and looks sexy.
The Lexus NX will compete against the likes of similarly positioned crossovers like the Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Macan. The compact crossover will be available with three engine options including two petrol and one hybrid variant. The flagship model is named the NX200t and will be powered by a 2.0 liter turbo engine which produces 250bhp. The second petrol variant is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0 liter engine and both the models can be opted with either front-wheel or four-wheel drive.
The Hybrid variant is named NX300h and is powered by a 2.5 liter four-cylinder Atkinson petrol engine. An electric motor is fitted to the rear axle which adds extra performance when needed. As far as the design is concerned, the huge spindle grille at the front of the vehicle dominates the styling of the exterior. It doesn’t have the same bonkers styling like the concept but it has plenty of spirited styling features. The headlights are inspired by the RC 350F and it looks great. On the inside, the cabin of the NX is styled to look sporty and features a host of new gadgets including a wireless charging tray for smartphones and iPads, a head-up display, panoramic cameras, G-sensor and boost meter. As of now the pricing and the availability has not been confirmed, but we expect it to reach the showrooms by this fall and the pricing to be kept close to the Range Rover Evoque.
