2015 NX 200t F-Sport AWD Review
02-17-16, 10:15 AM
#1
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2015 NX 200t F-Sport AWD Review
Hey guys,
We leased a fully loaded 200t F-Sport for my wife on New Year's eve. It wasn't our first choice but it was the last 2015 car that the dealer had so they gave us a good deal and got us out of our CT200h lease 5 months early. We've already put more than 3k miles on the car and here is my brief review.
Likes:
1) Steering is well-weighted and very direct. It feels more like a hydraulic setup than an electric one. It can feel a little heavy around the parking lot but once on the move it feels better than my (previously owned) Bmw 428xDrive.
2) Handling is very tight for a taller and nose-heavy vehicle. Body roll is minimal, front bite is good, and (combined with the awesome steering) the car feels very secure overall.
3) 2 liter turbo engine fits the car perfectly. Turbo lag is minimal and the power is spread evenly across the rev range. I have seen 27-28 mpg on mostly highway driving and on mixed driving we are getting around 24 mpg, which I think is decent for this type of vehicle.
4) We got the triple beam LEDs and they are really bright. Especially the high beams are very impressive but I wish the car had the auto high beams too...
5) Interior is definitely spacious enough for 4 people and their cargo.
Dislikes:
1) Ride gets choppy over broken pavement. I have not driven the regular NX with 17 inch wheels but our F-Sport does not ride like a luxury vehicle. I know I raved about the handling above and you might say that is the trade-off. The car just feels over-dampened and Lexus engineers just weren't able to find the right balance between ride and handling imho. I would easily trade a little more body roll for a more compliant ride over broken pavement.
2) Rattles over broken pavement are unacceptable for a luxury brand. The choppy ride mentioned above also provides so much rattling (especially from the hatch) that makes me feel like driving a budget car.
3) The sound system (we have the Nav package so have two extra speakers over the base system) is awful. You cannot turn the volume past 15 if you don't want the hatch to rattle like crazy. I am seriously hoping that the subwoofer is somehow loose in the hatch and that Lexus service can fix the problem because as is the audio is only for listening NPR and audio books.
4) When you lift off or tip the throttle (while cruising in higher gears) the next gear shift is noticeable (read jerky).
5) F-Sport seats and the driver side in general is more snug than I would prefer.
6) The infotainment system is a joke compared to my Hyundai Genesis. Lexus really needs to invest in Apple CarPlay and Anroid Auto. If we were ordering the car, I would definitely skip the Nav package.
7) Lack of crash prevention systems is surprising. Auto emergency breaking can be an option but at least it should be on most of the cars in dealer lots.
Overall I think the NX is a great start for Lexus and they just have some minor issues (suspension tuning, audio/infotainment system) to fix.
We leased a fully loaded 200t F-Sport for my wife on New Year's eve. It wasn't our first choice but it was the last 2015 car that the dealer had so they gave us a good deal and got us out of our CT200h lease 5 months early. We've already put more than 3k miles on the car and here is my brief review.
Likes:
1) Steering is well-weighted and very direct. It feels more like a hydraulic setup than an electric one. It can feel a little heavy around the parking lot but once on the move it feels better than my (previously owned) Bmw 428xDrive.
2) Handling is very tight for a taller and nose-heavy vehicle. Body roll is minimal, front bite is good, and (combined with the awesome steering) the car feels very secure overall.
3) 2 liter turbo engine fits the car perfectly. Turbo lag is minimal and the power is spread evenly across the rev range. I have seen 27-28 mpg on mostly highway driving and on mixed driving we are getting around 24 mpg, which I think is decent for this type of vehicle.
4) We got the triple beam LEDs and they are really bright. Especially the high beams are very impressive but I wish the car had the auto high beams too...
5) Interior is definitely spacious enough for 4 people and their cargo.
Dislikes:
1) Ride gets choppy over broken pavement. I have not driven the regular NX with 17 inch wheels but our F-Sport does not ride like a luxury vehicle. I know I raved about the handling above and you might say that is the trade-off. The car just feels over-dampened and Lexus engineers just weren't able to find the right balance between ride and handling imho. I would easily trade a little more body roll for a more compliant ride over broken pavement.
2) Rattles over broken pavement are unacceptable for a luxury brand. The choppy ride mentioned above also provides so much rattling (especially from the hatch) that makes me feel like driving a budget car.
3) The sound system (we have the Nav package so have two extra speakers over the base system) is awful. You cannot turn the volume past 15 if you don't want the hatch to rattle like crazy. I am seriously hoping that the subwoofer is somehow loose in the hatch and that Lexus service can fix the problem because as is the audio is only for listening NPR and audio books.
4) When you lift off or tip the throttle (while cruising in higher gears) the next gear shift is noticeable (read jerky).
5) F-Sport seats and the driver side in general is more snug than I would prefer.
6) The infotainment system is a joke compared to my Hyundai Genesis. Lexus really needs to invest in Apple CarPlay and Anroid Auto. If we were ordering the car, I would definitely skip the Nav package.
7) Lack of crash prevention systems is surprising. Auto emergency breaking can be an option but at least it should be on most of the cars in dealer lots.
Overall I think the NX is a great start for Lexus and they just have some minor issues (suspension tuning, audio/infotainment system) to fix.
02-17-16, 11:29 AM
#2
Some of you dislikes can be fixed by going with a loaded Luxury Model instead of an F Sport. Ride is better, seats are more comfortable, lane keep and pre collision are available, auto high beam is available. Although fully loaded models are hard to find.
02-17-16, 12:53 PM
#3
It wasn't our first choice
02-17-16, 05:01 PM
#4
The pursuit of F
Moodyhank, thanks for your detailed review. Check the FAQ/DIY sticky thread on options to address rattles in the car including the rear hatch. I've had some including the rear hatch which have been addressed.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...tart-here.html
As for ride quality, I agree the F Sport (non AVS) is a little choppy and it's too bad the US doesn't get the AVS suspension - it makes for a much smoother and composed ride.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...tart-here.html
As for ride quality, I agree the F Sport (non AVS) is a little choppy and it's too bad the US doesn't get the AVS suspension - it makes for a much smoother and composed ride.
02-17-16, 06:46 PM
#5
Real wood and leather trim, too.
02-18-16, 03:57 AM
#6
Ditto. I have the reg NX 200t non Fsport and have none of the mentioned issues.
02-18-16, 09:46 AM
#7
Driver School Candidate
I got that too and it had to do with my license plate rattling. I put foam weatherstriping on the back of the plate and bent it outwards a little. No more rattles for me.
The infotainment system is horrible. It's slow, cumbersome, doesn't connect all the time, and the interface feels like the first garmin gps I ever bought. It's the same as the 2014 IS that I had as well. I can't help but feel ripped off every time I look at the thing or try to use it.
The infotainment system is horrible. It's slow, cumbersome, doesn't connect all the time, and the interface feels like the first garmin gps I ever bought. It's the same as the 2014 IS that I had as well. I can't help but feel ripped off every time I look at the thing or try to use it.
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