Front-wheel-drive Lexus NX 300h relaunched
Lexus NX SUV reintroduced with front-wheel-drive after a two-year hiatus, improving fuel economy by around eight percent
Production of the front-wheel-drive Lexus NX will soon be restarted, the company has confirmed. The model was discontinued in 2018, but the company has now reintroduced the powertrain as an optional extra in the hope of attracting more fuel economy-conscious buyers. Prices start from £35,860, with first deliveries set to arrive shortly after the government-imposed coronavirus lockdown ends.
It’s powered by the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the four-wheel-drive NX, but only features a single electric motor on the front axle. Combined system output stands at 195bhp and 210Nm of torque which – as is the case with the four-wheel-drive model – is fed to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox.
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The front-wheel-drive NX’s smaller, 17-inch alloy wheels and lower kerb-weight (due to its lack of a rear-mounted electric motor) means it’s around eight per cent more fuel efficient and six per cent less polluting than the equivalent four-wheel-drive model. Lexus claims a fuel economy figure of 39.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 161g/km.
Lexus’s front-driven NX 300h is only available in the company’s entry-level specification. As such, standard equipment includes automatic LED headlamps, LED daytime running lamps and a pair of heated, auto-folding door mirrors. Front and rear parking sensors are also included, along with a reversing camera and pre-collision assistance.
Inside, buyers get a pair of heated, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats, LED lighting, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a pair of USB sockets, an eight-speaker stereo system and an eight-inch infotainment screen with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Lexus also offers a handful of option packs, which add items such as a larger 10.3-inch infotainment system with integrated sat-nav, leather upholstery, rear privacy glass, a heated steering wheel and a wireless smartphone charger. Buyers can also spec a few extra driver assistance features, including a blind-spot monitoring system and rear cross traffic alert.
Do you think the front-driven Lexus NX 300h will be a hit the second time around? Let us know in the comments below…
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