Lexus NX 450h+ long-term test: report 9
Earlier this year, we named the Lexus NX 450h+ the best plug-in hybrid on sale, but now we're seeing if it continues to impress when you live with it every day...
The car Lexus NX 450h+ Premium Pack Run by Will Williams, senior photographer
Why it's here To see if this plug-in hybrid can suit someone who covers a lot of miles, while serving as both family transport and a working vehicle
Needs to Combine the practicality and wow factor that you'd expect from a large, prestige SUV, with the low running costs you wouldn't
Mileage 14,223 List price £53,300 Target Price £51,990 Price as tested £57,370 Test economy 65.0mpg Official economy 256.8mpg
2 November 2022 – Clean living
As a photographer, I spend a fair amount of time cleaning cars for shoots, so I can safely say that the quality of my Lexus NX’s paint is up with the best. This is particularly obvious now that the weather is getting cooler; the condensation forms and you notice the way it glistens on the bodywork, with no orange peel effect to be seen.
Running a sponge over the NX also highlights how snugly its panels fit together. But even when the car is grubby, I never tire of glancing back at its stylish lines after parking up.
Just as impressive is the NX’s dual personality. It cruises quietly, bar a little bit of road noise, and helps you relax after a long day. And yet A and B-road dawdlers aren’t able to disturb this sense of zen, because there’s reassuring overtaking punch on offer when driving in Hybrid mode.
It helps that you don’t have to wait for turbos to spin up as you would in a diesel SUV. Put your foot down, and the response is pretty much instantaneous, letting you overtake quickly and safely.
Yes, the CVT automatic gearbox sends the revs flaring in these situations, but it’s only for a couple of seconds, because you soon reach the speed you need.
As a bonus, even when making frequent use of all the power on offer, my mpg is in the mid-60s. Meanwhile, on shorter journeys there’s the potential to get a lot more than that, with this reflected in the official average fuel economy figure of 256.7.mpg.
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