alright, i am still testing more on the car but i don't want to leave everyone hanging, here are some feedback i have right now

- pure highway, regular mode (not sport), reasonable driving, i was getting over 28mpg
- mixed driving (50/50) and some occasional "fun" driving, i am seeing around mid 23mpg
- the front seats are not bad at all. firm but comfortable and supportive. as mentioned, very similar to the 3is ones
- i will say more about cargo space and rear seats later
- head room is very reasonable imho. i am 5'7" so not very tall and there are still plenty of head room with my seating position
- will report more on the middle console room
- i will likely do a separate review on the infotainment system. honestly it's very similar to that on the 3is except the new remote touch pad

the car drives great, so far i am loving it. it's not the fastest obviously, but response and power is plenty for what it is imho. especially highway speed, it's performing extremely well

handling is simply awesome, again for what it is. i love tossing the car around and it's going in and out of traffic like it's nothing

the car is nothing like the rx, in a good way imho. rx is plush, everything feels disconnected. if you read my review i am not thrilled about the rx f sport at all.

the nx is completely different. it has more road noise than rx but a much more refined engine tone. car insulation is way better. you get TONS more road feel with the nx which i love. suspension is firm. not necessary stiff but much stiffer and harsher than the rx. but again, the rx is so soft you feel like you are driving a boat and you are floating everywhere. nx is precise, firm, planted, and you feel confident doing everything

the nav screen is actually ok, the resolution and contrast is good enough to read. however, the climate control and surrounding buttons suffer big time. they are completely washed out during the day, very hard for me to tell what temperature i have set, and what modes i have selected

i have tried this even at noon time when sun is right above the car

i have to recall back more on the 3is but it feels like they are very similar seats. the nx f sport seats do have noticeable bolsters if that's what you worry about. interesting coz' my wife is 5' and she had no problem getting in and out of the 3is (or isf).

if the side bolster on the thigh is the problem, now with the nx even higher, i am not sure if that makes it even harder for us to get over that "hump" and get out of the car? my wife will get in the car this weekend so i can see if she has any issues. will report back

i personally would say the nx rides NOTHING like the rx or rx f sport at all. if anything the whole nx drives more like a 3is. my problem with the rx is lack of refinement. it's hard to describe but driving the rx i don't feel i am "protected", everything seems a bit raw, engine sound is raw, road noise is raw. the nx has more road noise, but the sounds are refined.

i personally think it drives more like a car, a raised 3is? fwiw, i never felt the rx drives like a suv anyway.

my understanding is this is still a prototype but very close to production. i have to go back to the option list, but it has f sport packages, awd (standard on f sport), led headlights and foglights. it doesn't have hud (i doubt it would make it to the US), but it does have bsm and wireless phone charging. no 360 camera (again i doubt that option would make it here). it has heated front seats but no ventilated front seats. i don't think it has rcta either (or at least it hasn't been triggered at all if any). it does have the pre-collision alert system

 

is the grille/front end as hideous in person as is in photos?

 

that's really subjective. imho, the grille is big and definitely not for everyone. but given the target audience of this car and the flow on the rest of the car? i am ok with the look

 

Thanks for the additional info! Does the screen pivot at all? I remember on my mom's old SC430, the screen had several different angles that were available to improve visibility throughout the day

 

In my experience, concerns about nav screens in direct sunlight is no longer a real issue. The improved contrast and anti-glare properties of the newer systems keep this from being an issue. Here's a picture I took of my 3IS screen, which also has no shroud, in the direct sunlight.

 

The one I saw last Wednesday was a red F Sport. The grill is definitely over the top, as is the L in the center. Appears to be too many creases as well; just doesn't "flow". The front end doesn't seem to stick out quite as much in person as it appears to in photos, though. Need to see a non - F grill in person before my mind is fully made up. This design appears reminiscent of the odd Japanese designs form the 70's and 80's where they were trying a lot of "creative" design things to differentiate themselves and the net result was off in some cases. Same goes for the rear tail lamp assemblies. They protrude way out from the body making a horizontal shelf, a bit like the FJ. Too bad Lexus decided to go that route here. It will appeal to some, but IMHO, most aren't going to swallow it.

 

i don't see any ability to tilt the screen but nonetheless it doesn't affect the sharpness. simply put i never had issue reading details on the screen

 

How good are the LED headlights? compared to hids in the RX. Can u post pictures of the lights (low and high beams) against a wall and in a dark place please.. Also are the rear turning and reverse lights LED?

 

Is the NAV screen size bigger than 7" from 3IS. In the picture it looks bigger.

 

Acura tried a 'big grille' thing and quickly went back to some more subtle (aka not accepted by the Acura buying community)

Currently I have an 06 IS350 (had since new) and my next car will be a lux small crossover/suv. Dimension wise the NX is what I would be looking for especially since I am a dedicated Toyota customer..but if the fugly grille is still there when it's time to replace the IS, Lexus won't be getting my money.

I find it odd that Lexus which since birth has been a pretty conservative brand..now all of a sudden he go radical (not just the NX but across the line)? Pretty dumb IMHO…


My guess is they 'pull an Acura' and go back to a more conservative look in a year or two max

 

Fact is, unlike Acura's attempt, the spindle grille has elevated Lexus sales so expect it to show up in upcoming Lexus models as well.





Posted from ClubLexus.com App for Android

 

pretty early to rate the spindle grille a success. Lexus traditional customers are generally older (I'm 54) and don't go for all the new fangled stuff.. Time will tell if it was a good move by Toyota/Lexus.

I guess Scion hasn't work so well so far..attracting the 'hip' crowd..

 

I like the big honeycomb front grill but I was wondering how protected it is to people parking and bumping your front bumper. Will the grill crack?

 

The GX doubled in sales the last 12 months since the spindle was put on the front while all else remained the same.

 

I think you are forgetting that the front fish-eye headlight have been replaced by LED's. This is but one reason we are considering a GX as a future purchase.