[Aika Car Test Drive Original]
When it comes to sports, car companies always have endless stories. Backed by the Nürburgring Nordstrand, German cars have created countless classics and their engineering achievements are highly respected. American cars favor wild roads and use NASCAR to win the enthusiasm of cowboys. In contrast, the eastern hemisphere brand seems to have less emotional blessings, often being put on the "home" hat, and sports are more on the outside.
For many years, Japanese brands have always held their breath and wanted to challenge European and American players. Toyota has sacrificed the GR brand to interpret pure driving pleasure. As a luxury brand, Lexus did not simply and rudely copy the "JDM Dafa", but put forward its own driving philosophy - Lexus driving imprint. Lexus NX, which completed the replacement not long ago, is the vanguard of Ray's new car concept.
How does movement manifest itself? The F SPORT logo is clearly not enough. Wanting to rely on superficial kung fu to perfunctory, Akio Toyoda was the first not to agree. In the automotive industry, it is no secret that President Toyota loves to drive, and TNGA's good mechanical quality is due to him. Akio Toyoda even created the Century GRMN for himself, making sports the calling card of Toyota cars. But these are far from enough, Lexus is the president's "heart disease". It is docile in temperament, delicate in texture, sitting in the eastern way and elegant, but it lacks some charm that hits the soul.
It's time for a change.
Anyone who has run a mountain track knows what a 75m drop is like. Based on 3m/floor estimate, 75m is equivalent to 25 floors. The track is overshadowed and the curves are doped with ramps, posing a very high challenge to the performance of the vehicle. Here, Lexus NX has gone through a purgatory test. Readers may wish to feel the trick of "going down the mountain" through the following video:
Lexus understands the scale of luxury sports, so the new NX did not make a big change, but completed a minor cosmetic surgery. Looking at the new NX from a distance, you might think that the design is not much different from the old model, but in fact, almost every detail has been re-polished. The new car features a Tazuna rein concept cockpit, which makes the operation in the car as intuitive as riding a horse with a rope, and the cost of learning is minimized.
The multimedia configuration is a highlight of the new NX. Nowadays, CarPlay has finally become the standard of the whole series, and the interconnection function is more grounded. A little sad, the 14-inch large screen threshold is slightly higher. You need to pay at least 405,800 yuan to enjoy the joy of "full screen". Previously, we had a detailed static experience with the NX 350h F SPORT. Interested readers should click on the link below to review the static article "Real Shot New Lexus NX For Gentle To Wear Sportswear".
Notice that NX is "down the hill"!
If you want to create a sports image, strong motivation is not a prerequisite, but weak motivation is certainly not OK. After this replacement, Lexus NX uses the TNGA architecture (GA-K platform), and the powertrain has been fully upgraded. The NX offers three power levels of 260, 350h and 400h+, with maximum power covering the range of 151kW to 195kW, and you can maintain confidence in the face of 2.0T Ashkenazi competitors.
Specific to the medium-sized version, the power threshold of the new NX has been improved, and the starting point has changed from 200 to 260. The NX 260 is powered by a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and is the only model in the series that can run on No. 92 gasoline. Hybrid models have a slightly improved fuel economy, but the use of No. 95 gasoline is required, and the Engel coefficient is probably higher than that of the previous game. The 350h all-wheel drive version is the only four-wheel drive model, powering the rear axle based on a P4 motor.
With the completion of the NX, the Lexus family for the first time in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model , the NX 400h+. Unlike the overseas version of the NX 450h+, the NX 400h+ cancels the rear axle motor, the power performance is slightly reduced, and the advantage is that the battery life and fuel consumption are pleasing. The car is equipped with an 18.12kWh ternary lithium battery, and the WLTC has a pure electric mileage of 76km or 73km. For users with a daily travel radius of less than 30km, the NX 400h+ can only use electricity and no gas.
The media test drive provided both the NX 350h and NX 400h+ powerhouses, and the NX 260 was unfortunately absent. Between HEV and PHEV, it is clear that the former is the main sales force, and the latter exists mainly to cater to the green card policy. With that in mind, we focused on experiencing the NX 350h. The test drive model is the NX 350h sub-top, equipped with a hybrid system consisting of a 2.5L engine and an electric motor, and is equipped with an independent rear axle motor.
Like all Toyota hybrid models, the NX 350h has a strong affinity and a degree of tension in the powertrain. With the help of the electric motor, the power response is incredibly brisk. As soon as the right foot is placed on the accelerator, the torque is released happily, making people feel that the car is very "heeled". Note that being brisk doesn't mean being oversensitive, and the NX 350h knows how to juggle "fast" and "smooth".
Planetary gear systems have many advantages, but they also have drawbacks that cannot be ignored. In the start-up state, there is a rigid connection between the engine and the planetary platoon, the vibration transmission is more direct, and the NVH performance is slightly sacrificed. Fortunately, after layers of isolation, the vibrations on the steering wheel and floor are not annoying, and the performance is worthy of the luxury brand identity. Engine noise control is improved compared to the past, but given the positioning, the new NX has a reason to do better.
The NX 400h+ reduces the rear axle motor and is more rugged, sounding like a gentler character. In fact, the large-capacity battery pack has a higher charge and discharge power, and the "electric" part of the hybrid system is more confident. Compared to the NX 350h, the NX 400h+ throttle initial response is more aggressive and more aggressive. If the NX 350h is simply brisk, then the NX 400h+ has a fierce taste. Keep in mind, however, that the above conclusions only apply to the half of the gas front, which is the daily driving scene. If you want to accelerate at full speed, the difference between the two is not obvious.
In EV mode, the NX 400h+ is driven entirely by electric motors and feels the same as an electric car. Thanks to batteries with high charge and discharge rates, the NX 400h+ offers enhanced energy recovery. Whether it is NX 350h or NX 400h+, the brake foot feel has made a lot of progress, and the foot force and braking force have basically matched linearly. When driving for the first time, the brake pedal does not feel like it is empty.
Handsome enough, fast enough?
For Lexus, the hybrid system is undoubtedly self-reserved, and it is a part that must be done well and will be done well. However, to create a recognizable driving experience, it is not enough to do a good job of hybridization. As the first of its kind, the Lexus Driving Mark, the new NX must make a difference in the chassis. From a technical point of view, simple imitation is easy, but it is destined to be just a follower. Walking the path of others often leaves you with nowhere to go. That being the case, it is better to set up another portal and form a faction of its own.
The new NX features front McPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link independent suspension, in line with other models under the GA-K platform. In this regard, Lexus NX is judged to be a "luxury version of the bloom"? It's wrong to think that way. In a suspension system, the most important components are the shock absorber and bushing. Replace the root damper, the driving quality can be very different. Judging from the results, the new NX is fully worthy of the "LEXUS" logo.
Entering the second generation, the Lexus NX has significantly adjusted the suspension geometry. The front suspension's main pin rear inclination increased by about 15 percent to 5.35 degrees. The main effect of the increased backslash of the mainspin is to increase the mechanical grip when turning at large angles, making the tires more attached to the ground. The rear wheel has an outclination angle of 1.35 degrees, which fully takes care of stability.
The same goes for the actual driving experience. In the small angle range of the central area, the NX's steering response is not "thief", the front point retains a hint of laziness, and the straight line is more worry-free. With the increase of steering angle, the willingness of the car to enter the corner gradually increases, and the steering wheel becomes more flexible as it turns. Walking through the mountain roads of Conghua, the NX is even more of a sport sedan than an SUV.
Is there a difference between the chassis section, NX 400h+ and NX 350h? The answer is yes. Perhaps considering that the NX 400h+ is heavier, engineers equipped it with a larger proportion of steering machines. The NX 400h+ requires 360+90 degrees to play on one side, while the NX 350h only needs 360+45 degrees, and the difference is visible to the naked eye. In addition, the NX 400h+ has a slightly heavier steering hand, in an effort to create a more stable handling texture.
Due to the limited time for the test drive, we were not able to experience the NX 350h F SPORT model. Referring to previous experience in testing the ES 300h F SPORT, the NX 350h F SPORT is likely to have more sophisticated handling. But even if it is the ordinary version of the NX 350h, the mountain road is completely flexible. Don't talk about the platform, today's Lexus NX really has two hits.
Editor's Note: In the world of luxury brands, Lexus is a special presence. It does not show off the power, does not win with configuration, and even the terminal price has no advantage, but has a very strong emotional strength, and can always impress the user with a certain mood. In the past, Lexus's sensibility was mainly manifested in the keywords of comfort, elegance and peace of mind. In today's youthful and sporty world, Lexus has redefined the core of the brand and written "driving" in its motto. The new Lexus NX is by no means the most athletic player in its class, but it has managed to add the cream of driving pleasure to the relaxed cake preform. Even users who have no feeling for the car can feel its clear and refreshing side, and then understand the beauty of driving.
Lexus Driving Fun Formula