"Lingzhi, life is satisfactory", the "older generation" in the Pearl River Delta region has a special love for the Lexus brand. In addition to the fact that its name is indeed more auspicious, Lexus has never disappointed in terms of human touch and brand temperature. I have always felt that Lexus is very representative of the character of the people of the Pearl River Delta, low-key and pragmatic, and it is no wonder that Hunter's "charter public" and "charter wife" like it so much.
However, in the face of an increasingly ageing consumer market, Lexus must change. In 2014, Lexus mid-size SUV - NX series turned out to be a sharp appearance and personality positioning, which made it stand out in the highly homogenized medium-sized SUV market at that time, attracting many young consumers.
At last year's Guangzhou Auto Show, the second-generation Lexus NX was officially launched, with a price range of 318,880-54.88 million yuan. I believe that many people, like me, have full expectations for this new generation of NX that has been innovated from the inside out and is saddled with the opening of a new chapter in the electrification of the Lexus brand. No, it's coming.
Sharp appearance Unchanged personality
The new NX is based on the TNGA architecture, and the shape of the front of the car continues the family spindle design style, but the size has become larger and the visual impact is stronger. The iconic "Nike" daytime running lights of Lexus brand models have also been integrated into the headlight group, and the overall shape has become sharper. This feeling is even more pronounced on F SPORT models, where the blackened grille and the foggy light grille on both sides are quite eye-catching.
For me, the best part of the new Lexus NX is still on the side. The sharp lines and the large body surface complement each other, combined with the low front and rear high body posture and the further shortened suspension travel, it is difficult not to notice its presence; the rear of the vehicle has also kept up with the trend of the times, and the design of the through-type taillight group further broadens the visual effect.
The sharp appearance brings a sporty personality, but with it comes a fairly compact body. The new generation of NX has a length, width and height of 4660/1865/1670mm and a wheelbase of 2690mm, which is slightly worse than the mainstream opponents of the same level.
It is worth mentioning that the new generation of NX has also "kept pace" with the design of electronic door handles, and this configuration is standard. The door can be easily opened with a single tap of a button hidden inside the door handle, and the same is true inside the car, where you can gracefully open and close the door by pressing the button on the door. The high-end model is also equipped with a safety auxiliary function, if the system detects that there is an incoming car behind, it will temporarily prohibit the action of opening the door.
In addition, the 16-inch wheels of the previous generation model that were spat out also disappeared in the configuration table, replaced by a starting 18-inch wheel, and the high-end model has a 20-inch two-color wheel, the shape is very dynamic, giving a good review.
Warm and delicate interior design
Friends who are accustomed to Lexus symmetrical design interiors may have a hard time accepting the asymmetrical, slightly tilted center console on the new generation of NX at once, at least I am. But there is no doubt that this interior is more driver-friendly. The interior, designed with tazuna reins in mind, is designed to connect people and the car intuitively, allowing the driver to focus more on driving. The one-touch start button, the main driver air conditioning knob, the driving mode knob and the electronic barrier are all on the same design line, reducing the impact on the driver.
The 7-inch LCD instrument cluster and the 14-inch huge central control screen make a qualitative leap in the new generation of NX's interior technology. Multimedia systems have also kept up with the trend in terms of functionality, supporting voice operations, online navigation, online OTA upgrades and so on. In addition, the new generation of NX also adds the most popular CarPlay and CarLife functions of old car owners, and it is also standard for all series, and wireless connectivity can be achieved through OTA upgrades in the future.
However, the low-end model uses a 9.8-inch central control screen. Although it is not shabby, it is inevitable to see a bare piece on the center console. My advice is to choose a high match if you can choose a high match.
In terms of interior workmanship and materials, Lexus is an old player. The lines and shapes of the whole interior are quite warm, the sense of surround is very strong, and sitting in it can make you relax immediately. The use of piano lacquer and ash panels is just right, and the leather exudes a faint fragrance, showing the craftsmanship spirit of Lexus everywhere. The steering wheel is full of shape, rounded grip, delicate feel, and there is no place to pick.
Unlike those new forces who "smash" you with a large screen at every turn, the new generation of NX can still grab your eyeballs and wallets with the brand's unique sense of luxury and delicacy after adding a huge central control screen. These "people-oriented" detailed design, independent luxury car companies should indeed learn it well.
Linearity and balance
Earlier, Akio Toyoda had said that Lexus would officially transform into a pure electric luxury brand in 2030. As the first plug-in hybrid model of the Lexus brand, the new generation of NX can be described as the "pioneering work" of Lexus's electrification chapter.
So let's first talk about the dynamic performance of the plug-in model NX400h+. When the power is sufficient, it drives very much like a pure electric vehicle, with fast speed and sensitive throttle response. Moreover, even if it is driven to more than 120km/h, the engine will not intervene, and its driving logic is to prioritize the power to run out. We started from Guangzhou Tianhe to Conghua Shangshui Ecological Town, the distance is about 60km, and the electricity is just exhausted. If it is a day's commute, it is almost impossible to start the engine.
Let's talk about the NX350h that everyone is more interested in. The hybrid system dominated by the 2.5L engine is believed to be very familiar to everyone. The start was equally responsive, and the overtaking was clean and neat. Its motivation is not like the "sudden impulse" of the small hairy heads of the new forces, but more like a big brother who sees through the red dust, calm and relaxed, quite calm.
Lexus has never been a brand that focuses on handling and sports, so even if the new generation of NX looks very sporty, its bottom is still comfortable. Chassis and suspension tuning pay attention to "linearity" and "balance", the strength of the steering wheel is very soft, but the pointing is clear and delicate, and the retraction is free; the suspension adjustment of the front McPherson after the multi-link is relatively thick, which is also one of the characteristics of the TNGA architecture, the filter force is relatively moderate; the force of the initial brake section is slightly softer, as always, Lexus.
In short, it is a top "water master", whether it is a young white who has just got a driver's license or a ten-year-old driver, it is very easy to get started, and the new generation of NX is a very good car to drive.
The sharp exterior creates its individual positioning, and the interior design retains the unique temperature of Lexus, while adding more considerate features such as electronic door handles. However, the price range of 318,800-548,800 is indeed a bit expensive, and 350h and 400h+ are certainly not the most expensive models, and more people may still choose the pure fuel NX260. Compared with the previous generation, this generation of NX started with the 260, and it was also equipped with a more stable 8AT transmission.
The all-new NX is the first plug-in hybrid model of the Lexus brand and the first model in Lexus to cover pure fuel, oil-electric hybrid and plug-in hybrid. In the days to come, we will definitely see more electrified models of the Lexus brand, and the launch of the new generation of NX is the best proof that Lexus wants to tell the world that "I can also do electrification".