My last Lexus was a '13 GS F Sport (excellent car), traded for a '15 Audi S5, so I've been out of the market for a few years. Our lease is coming up in June on our Infiniti G37 Vert and we want a crossover for more utility. We are into downsizing right now when it comes to vehicles, which I why I chose an A4 that I currently have.

I've been seriously looking at the NX, the Infiniti QX30 and the Audi A5 Sportback (who knows when that will even be available). The Audi is my first choice, but they are probably arriving at dealers in June, just as our lease is up, so negotiating probably won't be an option, if they even have the right model/color/equipment at all. So I'm back to the NX and QX30.

Anyone drive both and have any comparisons? Anyone have an NX and just love it? How is the sound system in the NX? Any huge negatives to owning the NX? I really like the interior of the car.

Would like to do further research, since we may end up with one.

 

I own a 2017 nx fsport and my sister in law owns a 2017 audi q5. I think the audi has more features and is probably a bit better than the nx, but I hate the looks of audi's and despise german vehicles for maintenance. Im a toyota/lexus guy for life probably.

 

Asking on a Lexus forum might give biased answers.

I looked into and test drove pretty much every premium crossover on the market. Ended up buying an NX because in the end it's the best value, the most reliable and will last the longest. If you're leasing though, pretty much any of them will be decent.

Here's kinda a rough ranking if I were to make it of the ones I drove:
BMW X3 - 5/10
Audi Q5 - 6/10
Merc GLA - 4/10
Merc GLC - 5/10
Porsche Macan - 9/10
Jaguar F-Pace 8/10
Land Rover Evoque - 1/10
Land Rover Discovery - 2/10
Volvo XC60 - 5/10
Lexus NX 200t - 7/10

I didn't look at Infiniti because I've had bad experiences with Nissan and I didn't look at Acura because they're fugly.

 

I would have to agree with the previous post!
drove all of those and a Ford Edge. Must say, the ford really drove well and felt good.
the porch really felt the best, but we also are downsizing, so that budget was a bit out of where we wanted to be.
Came down to Edge vs NX (gasp!)
Fully (mostly) loaded, AWD, Sport models were pretty much evenly priced! While edge had better interior room and felt power, Reliability, owner experience, and future value made this a no brainier for the next long term family vehicle.
Now that we have almost 500 miles on her, I can honestly say, we are loving our NX Fsport, AWD Trucklet!

 

Thanks for the input, guys! I will test drive the NX soon.

 

QX30 is a crossover, based on the GLA250, 208hp mehh..I don't think it can be compared with the Nx.

 

How about Audi Allroad? QX30 is a result of joint project between Nisan and MB. They broke off the project after QX30. Most Nisan
vehicles have CVT which I don't like much.

 

QX30 has the same GLA250 motor and transmission. 7 Speed Dual Clutch (DCT)

 

That is also on my list. They are just very scarce so negotiation may be tough.

 

dseag2, nice to see you in this forum. Well, you know my story about the A4 so for me Audis at this time are out. Also, if you want to feel like you're in a different car, you'll probably want to avoid the A5 Sportback or Allroad, even the new Q5 which of course also has a similar dash to the A4.

We really liked the NX, but I have to say that the AVS-equipped model makes a notable difference in ride quality over non-AVS models. Problem is, in the US Lexus does not offer AVS which is mind-boggling to me considering the 10x larger market over Canada. Maybe in the mid-cycle refresh (likely MY '18). That aside, NX is great in many other areas.

I remember you mentioned the styling of the NX was not your cup-of-tea though your wife likes it. To me (and safe to say 99% of NX owners) this is a key reason for having bought this sculpted, aggressive, futuristic, and distinctly styled machine above all else in this price range. Everything else seems, well boring, but of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me, the perfect look is with the triple L LED headlights and 20"-22" wheels, like from datpimp007 with his 20" RX F Sport OEM wheels shown below.



There's a ton of good posts in this forum on features and experiences. I'll share a couple of mine just because they speak to my views and experiences. Hope this helps!

Real-world cargo capacity 28 cu ft (not 17.6!): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...the-mulch.html

Comparison to 3RX (lots of characteristics/features pointed out): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...omparison.html

Interesting discoveries: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...od-or-bad.html

If you want to know something more specific, feel free to post.

One final comment, regarding the QX30. I believe you know it's a a sub-compact luxury CUV - smaller with tighter interior room and cargo than the NX. Perhaps it's what you want or need. Besides the MB powertrain and GLA platform not much more I can say about it.

Happy shopping!

 

Thanks, Corrado. Of course I remember your story with the A4. I actually don't mind having an interior similar to my A4 because I love it. However, a little variety would be nice as well and the NX has grown on me so I will definitely check it out. The F Sport would be my choice, no doubt. Yours looks fantastic!

 

the only thing that annoys me about my nx is the rattly subwoofer. other than that, the car is pretty great.

 

I came from a '14 GS350 F sport that was leased and now have a '16 NX F sport (bought). I intend to keep this longer than 5 years.

I knew I wanted an NX when it came out b/c of the styling and size (perfect for our family of 4).
The turbo 4 engine is perfect b/c we do a lot of city driving, but when it's on the freeway, it's pretty peppy.

Sound system is weak, no ML offering either.
The only thing I don't like the slightly rough idling. I don't have the engine vibration that some owners here have.
I don't have any rattles (6k miles now).

Other than that, we love it.

 

My thoughts on my car. I love the styling inside out. Things I dislike, Lexus infotainment system sucks. Subwoofer rattling. The placement of the subwoofer is horrible. I've since fixed the rattling on my own, but its a Lexus, there shouldn't be any rattling. The engine is good, but not as good as the 2016 V6 RDX I tested... for obvious reason. The ride quality is a bit hard. The Yokohama tires are crap. When I see my NX Fsport, I just want to drive it even if I have nowhere to go specifically.

 

I came from a '16 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V8 so it is day vs. Dark Night different. The NX is sooooooooooooooooooo small and tight at first but it is OK now. I get used to the size and it is ""almost" perfect for us. I have 3 (THREE) kids (1 in booster and 1 in Rear Facing) and it is working out fine for us M-F, om weekend we often take the GX460 instead.

Likes: Nice, mean-looking, futuristic design. FSport seats look awesome and fits me like a gloves (5'8" 160lbs). 23 mpg easy and will increase in warmer weather. Since I take the kids to school, go to lunch with them, and take them home after work the 23+ mpg is MUCH appreciated comparing to 12-14 mpg on the Tundra.

Dislikes: Rattles....crappy infotainment system (the Tundra's JBL is MUCH more responsive/faster), 7" screen is small these days where 8" would be perfect but 12.3" would be over-kill, slight vibrations at idle, small tires (225/60/18 for AWD) but this is easy fix. Set my eyes on 255/55/18 for later. I prefer Unleaded instead of premium and would like the tank to be a little bigger (like 18 gallons instead of 15.9)

Overall, I LOVE it.