The Lexus Ethos

Cargazing
By Derek Price

There’s something to be said for predictability, and the 2024 Lexus NX says it loudly.

If you’ve owned a Lexus or know anything about the brand, the NX delivers exactly what’s expected: a buttery driving feel, quality materials in its cabin, ample tech features and a reputation for dependability.

That makes it a great choice for people who use logic to shop. It’s not very exciting, at least from an Earth-shaking engine and wild styling standpoint, but it does deliver what a lot of luxury buyers are looking for in everyday driving: comfort, style and value.

If the NX were to surprise anyone, it would be because of the number of powertrains offered. There are four, including two gasoline engines and two hybrid options.

The base model is fitted with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 203 horsepower, enough to reach 60 mph in a somewhat sluggish 8.2 seconds, Lexus claims.

On the upside, it delivers a whole lot of value with a base price around $40,000. It also gets a decent gas-mileage rating from the wonks in Washington, 28 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

With a starting price around $40,000, the 2024 Lexus NX offers a smooth ride and good value in a luxury crossover.

If you want more power and have around $4,000 extra to spend, a turbocharged gasoline engine can get you to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, a much better match for a premium car. It also comes with all-wheel drive.

Drivers who want better gas mileage can choose from two different hybrid powertrains.

The traditional hybrid, called the NX 350h, uses a gasoline engine and two electric motors to earn a 39-mpg rating.

A plug-in hybrid, awkwardly called the NX 450h+, can drive for up to 37 miles on battery power alone before the engine kicks in. To me, this is a great choice for people who want to dip their toes into driving an electric car but don’t want to deal with the downsides.

My tester, the 350h traditional hybrid, was perhaps the best choice for this vehicle’s mission. It’s quiet, highly practical and also a terrific value starting under $44,000.

I liked a lot of things about it — the stylish but not overly aggressive body, the sumptuously soft leather in the cabin, the hushed sounds on city streets — but would improve two things if I could wave my magic wand.

One, I’d want it to be a little quieter at highway speeds. There’s more wind noise than I’d like to hear in a Lexus.

Two, I can’t help but wish for a little more excitement somewhere in the lineup. You can buy it with the F SPORT package, both on the NX 350 and the 450h+, which might help matters compared to my softer-tuned Luxury-trim tester.

A 9.8-inch touchscreen comes standard in the 2024 NX.

As for money, I think the lower end trims deliver a lot of value for where they’re priced. As is traditional from upscale brands, the case is less compelling once you add on pricey options. I was surprised — well, as surprised as one can be about an NX — that Lexus added roughly $10,000 in options onto an already well-equipped car with a base price around $49,000.

For people who can control their option-sheet impulses, it makes more sense. It includes a lot of technology and upscale design for the money, including a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen that runs Lexus’ new digital interface, which recently underwent a dramatic improvement.

At A Glance