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Lexus NX

When it was first introduced, the Lexus NX was positioned as the Japanese brand’s answer to the BMW X3, Range Rover Evoque and even the Volvo XC60.

It was perfectly proportioned for those who wanted the space and versatility the Lexus CT offered, with the ride height of the RX.

Before the introduction of the NX, the price gap between the CT and the RX was vast. Giving Lexus the perfect opportunity to plug the gap with a mid-sized SUV.

And the strategy worked. Ever since its introduction, the NX has contributed 25% of total sales for Lexus Malaysia.

The RX remains as the most popular Lexus in Malaysia.

As popular as it may have been, the first-generation NX had its flaws. It was too soft to attract a younger audience who preferred a sporting element to their cars. And the interior design was just not attractive enough to compete against the likes of the BMW X3 or the Mercedes GLC.

There was lots of room for improvement, and the all-new Lexus NX 350 has hit all the right spots.

Let’s start with the exterior design. The spindle grille is an integral part of the Lexus design language so that has been retained, though refreshed.

The positioning of the grille is now more vertical than before, and the chrome frame has been replaced with a gloss black frame for the F-Sport model, which is the model you are seeing here.

The lights too are all-new. The daytime running lights are the biggest change. Gone is the detached DRL that was previously placed at the bottom of the main headlight. It has now been integrated directly into the headlight while the 3-eye jewel like LED lights have been retained.

Lexus says the brightness of the DRL is now dependent on the speed at which the car is travelling. The slower you drive the dimmer the light and vice versa.

The are also aerodynamic elements placed right above the front lip that help to channel air towards the engine to aid cooling.

Towards the side, the wheel wells are now in the same colour as the body, which is a refreshing touch and gives the NX an elegant presence.

The body features grooves and lines that play with the light to give the car a bigger, bolder presence than before.

The door handles are among one of the most significant updates to the NX. The handles are now updated with something called e-latch. To open the door, you don’t have to pull the door handle anymore but instead just gently press on a button placed behind the door handle, and pull the door as you usually would.

You also open the door the same way from the inside as well, with a gentle push a latch that doubles as a button, and push the door outwards as usual.

The back of the car too has been totally refreshed. The biggest change is the inclusion of an LED light strip (light bar in Lexus lingo) that runs across the back of the car, very much like the one we saw with the UX and LM.

The NX is also the first car to do without the Lexus logo placed at the back of the car. The Lexus name is now spelt out across the back of the car, very much like what you see on a Porsche.

What I appreciate the most about the back of the NX is the total omission of exhaust pipes, in design at least. The pipes are definitely still there, tucked away neatly behind the bumper. But Lexus has not bothered to create any fake tail pipes like what we see with a lot of other premium brands.

Inside is the biggest change a Lexus has seen in recent years. And the most welcomed.

But before you step inside the new NX, take some time out to appreciate the seats. They are one of the best looking seats you will ever see, and also quite comfortable.

The other thing that you will notice is the mega 14-inch screen that houses everything from entertainment, navigation and every other setting for the car. It also features wireless Apple CarPlay while Android Auto users will still need to use a cable.

For me the mega screen signals the return of the glory days of Lexus because the brand has finally removed the annoying and terribly difficult to use Remote Touch Interface.

The RTI in short, was a mouse pad lookalike that helped you navigate around the entertainment system, navigation and everything else.

It sounds simple enough but imagine driving while using a mousepad, one eye on the road and the other on the screen to make sure you are clicking on the right icon. It was counter intuitive distracting and I am glad it’s time has arrived.

The overall fit and finish is typically Lexus but turned up a couple of notches. I love the way the air-conditioning dials have a tiny monitor in them that indicates the temperature. That’s a very nifty touch that feels like it belongs in more expensive cars.

Current Lexus owners will notice one thing about the interior, and that is the obvious lack of buttons everywhere. But that’s not only because everything has been neatly tucked away in the aforementioned 14-inch screen, but this is also part of the new Lexus Driving Signature that has been defined by the Tazuna Concept.

The Tazuna Concept simply draws on the relationship between a jockey and his horse. This coming together of man and beast is what Lexus draws inspiration from, especially the subtle commands the jockey gives his horse which intuitively understands what its rider wants.

This is felt in the way the car behaves when driven, but this is also particularly apparent with the obvious reduction of switchgears around the interior. As compared to the previous generation NX which has 78 buttons and dials around the interior, the new NX has just 45.

And this time, there’s also a new heads-up display which gives you essential data such as speed, gear position, GPS directions and a few more.

Powering the new Lexus NX F-Sport variant is a 2.4-litre turbocharged engine that produces 275hp and 430Nm of torque. It is mated to a new 8-speed automatic gearbox which features Artificial Intelligence shift control that works by using a camera to scan the road ahead, and then matches its shift pattern to the terrain. Talk about genius.

For the first time, the Lexus NX comes with an electronically-controlled full-time AWD system. This AWD system sends power on a 50:50 ratio between the front and back wheels when you first start driving. Then depending on the driving condition, it will split power accordingly and reduces under or over steer if needed.

But the beautiful thing about driving the Lexus NX 350 F-Sport is that it does not try to be something that it is not. It toes the line between comfort and sporting abilities but does not lean too hard in any direction.

The luxury and comfort it offers is understated. While the sporting abilities lets you have fun when the road allows you too. It does the 0-100km/h in about seven seconds, which isn’t anything to shout about, but Lexus is not saying that the NX is a mid-sized SUV with sporting abilities.

But let’s not for a second think that Lexus does not know how to make good handling cars. This is a company has made legendary sports cars like the LFA and won multiple races. And has continued to do so for decades.

We got to drive the Lexus NX 350 F-Sport for about 35 minutes around the south track of the Sepang International Circuit. And the NX felt very much at home.

We were among the last group of the day, so about 20 other members of the media had already given the NX a good spanking before we got to drive.

And yet the brakes stood up to the test with zero signs of fade. The engine still hummed smoothly along and provided power at demand with zero hint of lag or slip.

Sure there was a little body roll through the fast corners, the NX does not have adaptive suspension to keep the body in check. But owners will be thankful for not having adaptive suspension in the long run.

But in terms of driving the NX, there is one thing that it offers that just about anyone can appreciate is a good quiet interior. Lexus has achieved this by using Active Noise Cancellation technology that uses a microphone to detect unwanted noises then emits noise cancellation frequency to cancel out those unwanted noises through the speakers.

It is a simple yet ingenious technology that makes the car feel comfortable and reduces fatigue over long distances.

Making the Lexus NX 350 F-Sport even more appealing is the new colour variants. A total of eight new colours are available for the Lexus NX, including a new Sonic Chrome that Lexus says is the flagship colour for the new NX, while the F-Sport variant gets two exclusive colours.

Interior colours are limited to just black and dark rose, while the luxury variant gets a new hazel interior. F-Sport owners will get the option of a black or a flare red interior.

The Lexus NX has matured to be an impressive mid-sized SUV that will appeal to those who want a good looking SUV without the pomp and glamour of a BMW or a Mercedes.

It comes with the well-known reliability as well as the legendary after-sales service Lexus is known for.

The new Lexus NX doesn’t seem to have put a wheel wrong in any direction, but if there’s one thing that is a thorn on the side of Lexus Malaysia that would be the grey market.

If you are thinking that you could buy a new Lexus NX 350 in the grey market for cheaper, you would be right. But you would be missing out on the official after sales service and all the luxuries a Lexus centre has to offer. And that would be missing out on a huge chunk of the Lexus experience that the brand is so well known for.

Lets not forget, buying and driving a Lexus is just one half of the car, while enjoying the luxurious after sales service Lexus offers is the other half. Why miss out on the other half by buying a Lexus on the grey market?

The Lexus NX 350 F-Sport is now available for booking in Malaysia for RM389,888 for the F-Sport variant while the Luxury variant is priced at RM370,888 on the road without insurance.

When the Lexus NX was launched in 2014, it arrived at the right time when SUVs were progressively downsizing as customers preferred more compact models. The RX had been a huge success ever since it was launched in 1997 and pushed the premium luxury makes into offering SUVs as well but new niches below it were growing.

Having proven to have a successful formula, the Lexus designers have not tried to make major changes visually, retaining the looks of the first generation for this new one. However, under all the sheet metal, the engineering is new and as would be expected, the structure and platform utilize the Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA), in this case, the GA-K platform. This has similarities to the latest Toyota RAV4 but Lexus engineers would also have added enhancements for the NX.

2021 Lexus NX

2021 Lexus NX

The new Lexus has increased dimensions all round, with 20 mm more overall length, 20 mm extra width and a wheelbase that is 30 mm longer. Virtually every aspect is said to be new and only about 5% of the entire SUV has parts that can be found in the model it replaces.

GA-K platform
The GA-K architecture and platform gave the engineers a lightweight, highly rigid body with a low centre of gravity that made it easier for them to achieve the superior handling that was a target. The basic performance of the vehicle has been greatly improved, and it has the ‘Lexus Driving Signature’ which is said to achieve a balance between linear steering feel and driving force in an SUV.

2021 Lexus NX

2021 Lexus NX

4 powertrains, including a PHEV
Depending on the market, there are up to four powertrains with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The 4-cylinder combustion engines have 2.5-litre and 2.4-litre displacements, the latter with a turbocharger. The bigger engine is also part of two hybrid powertrains, one of which is the first plug-in (PHEV) hybrid for Lexus. While the brand has already gone further with an all-electric UX (the smaller SUV), it has so far been offering hybrids rather than PHEVs.

2021 Lexus NX
NX 450h PHEV

The NX PHEV is the big news and it comes with the E-FOUR AWD system with constantly variable front-to-rear torque distribution between 100:0 and 20:80 modes. Technical details are not available at this time although it is expected to be the most powerful NX variant that will be designated the NX 450h.

The hybrid versions are unlikely to be promoted strongly in Malaysia as, without any government incentives to offset their high price, they will be expensive. At this time, the government has mentioned having some sort of incentive program but some of its sounds like the one that was used the last time and brought prices of hybrid models down.

2021 Lexus NX

PHEV unlikely for Malaysia
So it is likely that Lexus Malaysia will focus on the combustion engine versions, and most likely that 2.4-litre turbocharged one (above) which has a new high-torque Direct Shift 8-speed automatic transmission and and a newly developed electronically-controlled full-time AWD system. There is also an F Sport version which could be the top version offered.

2021 Lexus NX

Tazuna Concept
The cabin has a cockpit design based on the Tazuna Concept, an interior concept first introduced in the LF-30 Electrified concept car in 2019. The word ‘tazuna’ is derived from the ‘reins’ used to control horses, and applied to the NX cockpit layout, it aims to give the driver stronger interaction with the vehicle.

2021 Lexus NX

2021 Lexus NX

The layout of the information system components leading from the Head-Up Display to the metters and to the centre display allows for smoother, less distracted eye movement while driving. In addition, the start button, shift lever, and drive mode select switch are placed around the steering wheel where they can be operated more naturally.

The ratio of the driver and passenger floor is designed to create the optimal space. For the interior colour scheme, a diverse colour line-up is offered, with the newly developed ‘3D Cutting Black’ theme. This is a geometric pattern that gradually becomes denser towards the rear to help enhance the sense of dynamism and advanced technology.

2021 Lexus NX

2021 Lexus NX

64 colours of interior illumination are used to accentuate the beauty of the interior shapes and materials, colouring the entire cockpit. 14 recommended colors are preset, these expressing the emotions and changes in feelings that occur when looking at beautiful natural phenomena. If a driver desires to freely select other colors, they can choose from 50 other colors in the color palette of the centre display, providing an atmosphere that better aligns with their mood.

Lexus also provides owners with a Digital Key which uses a special application on a compatible smartphone. This can lock, unlock, and start the engine without operating the screen anddDigital keys can be shared between smartphones, making it possible for family and friends to borrow and lend vehicles remotely.

Lexus Safety System+
The new NX has a more advanced Lexus Safety System+ with the existing features and functions enhanced for better and more intelligent performance. For example, the detection range of the millimetre-wave radar and monocular camera are expanded, while an advanced driving support technology provides safe, secure and smooth parking. Additionally, a new function has been added to allow remote parking using a smartphone.

2021 Lexus NX

Replacing the latch/unlatch mechanism of the doors with electrical control by switches (e-Latch) makes for smoother and effortless operation. This complements the Safe Exit Assist (SEA) system which is linked to the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) sensor and e-latch system. When exiting the vehicle, the system uses the sensors of the BSM to detect vehicles approaching from behind, including bicycles. If the system determines that there is a possibility of a collision with an open door or an alighting occupant, the indicator in the outer mirror will light up to alert the driver.

In addition, if the driver tries to open the door, the system cancels the door opening in cooperation with the e-latch system. This world-first system notifies the occupants with a buzzer, flashing indicator in the outer mirror, display on the meter, and voice notification.

2021 Lexus NX

Lexus reveals DIRECT4 technology for future hybrids and EVs

Lexus Malaysia recently announced that the updated 2019 Lexus NX300 is already open for booking and to further highlights its new features, a drive to Port Dickson was organised for the members of media. In short? We love it to bits and if money is not an issue, you should highly consider what this beauty has to offer. (more…)

Ahead of its official launch, Lexus Malaysia is now accepting pre-launch bookings for their upcoming 2019 Lexus NX300. The latest addition into the current luxury SUV market is regarded by many as one of the most stylish and safest SUVs in its category. (more…)

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT), distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Malaysia, has announced a Special Service Campaign (SSC) to inspect, and if required, replace the airbag sensor of certain units of the Toyota Corolla Altis, Lexus NX Lexus RX model. 

This SSC was announced following the move by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) to start a global Special Service Campaign regarding an Airbag Sensor which was announced on 31st January. Based on information received from TMC, the number affected are 2,800 units of Toyota Corolla Altis, and around 500 units of Lexus NX and Lexus RX. These cars were manufactured from June 2015 to January 2016 and distributed by UMWT and Lexus Malaysia.

The defect relates to manufacturing issues as there are possibilities that the insulation of Integrated Circuit (IC) chips in affected Pressure sensors and G sensors could peel off over time, creating an open circuit in the IC chip.  If this were to occur, the airbag warning light will illuminate. Further, the side/curtain airbags and/or front airbags can become deactivated and will not deploy when required to. This could increase the risk of injury to the occupants in the event of a crash.

TMC is currently working on obtaining the necessary parts for the SSC and when the parts are available, UMWT will notify affected owners to request them to bring their cars to an authorised Toyota or Lexus authorized service centre to make the necessary replacements. The work should take about 30 minutes to 4 hours (depending on model) and while it can all costs involved for the replacement will be borne by UMWT.

Owners of affected cars can contact any authorised Toyota service centre or call the Toyota Freephone at 1800-8-TOYOTA (869682).  For Lexus owners, customers can contact Lexus authorised dealers nationwide or contact its Freephone; 1800 88 53987 (1-800-88-LEXUS) or visit lexus.com.my.

Toyota owners can also visit Toyota’s Special Service Campaign webpage through this link: toyota.com.my to check whether their vehicle is involved, through Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Checker. To those who have uploaded the Toyota Drive Apps, there is also a link to Toyota’s SSC page and the VIN Checker.  Information on other vital SSCs is also available on the webpage.

The evening of 24th January saw a gathering of bon vivant treated to a gastronomical affair, in conjunction with the exclusive preview of Lexus’ new RX 350L and the new NX 300. Scheduled for a February release, patrons of the night were the first in Malaysia to receive an opportunity to get up close and personal with Lexus’ latest luxury crossovers.

Built for greater versatility, the Lexus RX 350L is a combination of functionality, technology, comfort, and luxury. Now with a third row to seat up to seven passengers and ample space to suit diverse lifestyles, the RX 350L enables endless possibilities. The new Lexus NX 300 on the other hand is a standout in the urban jungle. Ramping up its sporty credentials with a distinctive makeover, the NX is a striking blend of sports meets luxury that promises to create a feeling of pure exhilaration without compromising on comfort.

These two vehicles served as a platform for Lexus to host the gathering, where all senses – sight, sound, and taste – were heightened in a night of amazing experiences. Beyond the elegant introduction of its two new luxury crossovers, Lexus remained true to its reputation as the best in hospitality by pampering patrons with culinary delights and memorable mingling. The evening affair was set in the lifestyle hub in the city, The Gasket Alley, where guests were served tasteful cuisines paired with specially concocted drinks created by renowned celebrity chef Sherson Lian (below).

“The splendour of crafted gourmet literally makes life flavourful and is key in creating remarkable experiences. When people are looking for a good time, a delicious dish must accompany that experience – and this is exactly what we at Lexus aim to do. While we are proud makers of bold luxury cars, we are also identified as the best in hospitality. Every element of this night is a demonstration of the values we practise at Lexus, and this is our way of extending an invitation to our guests to truly experience amazing,” said Mr. Ravindran Kurusamy, (below, second from right) President of Lexus Malaysia.

Guests of Lexus were treated to a delectable 8-course canape led by Chef Sherson Lian. As a host chef on the Asian Food Channel, he has received international recognition for his talent and was ever delighted to share the rationale behind every dish and its representation of Lexus. Lian additionally paired his cuisines with complementing cocktail creations, tickling and tantalizing the taste buds of everyone present.

“It is an honour to be a part of this evening with Lexus. The Lexus brand and I share the common goal of providing the best hospitality possible to create unforgettable experiences. Every dish served to tonight was meticulously thought through, and I believe that Lexus’ message of amazing experience marked by culinary gratification was successfully conveyed,” said Lian.

While guests and representatives from Lexus feasted on the exquisite cuisines, the night was also an opportunity to strengthen relationships and build new ones. “We hope that we were able to connect with our guests on a deeper level, and that they were able to experience Lexus’ hospitality at its finest. This evening’s affair is one to remember, as it is the night we introduce our guests to luxury in the form of our new cars, as well as a warm reception,” concluded Mr Ravindran Kurusamy.

This is the first of many events that will take place in 2018, and through these happenings, Lexus will continue to bring its partners, guests, and visitors on a journey to Experience Amazing.

For the FULL details on the NX & RX, click below:

2018 Lexus NX Range Product Information

2018 Lexus RX350L Product Information

Lexus Redefines Luxury Through Two New Models & A Gastronomic Treat Photo Gallery…

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