Lexus, the luxury automobile brand of Toyota Motor Corporation, has finally unveiled the second-generation Lexus NX facelift; it comes with upgrades on the exterior and interior as well as improvement in powertrain and performance. In the Indian market, this compact luxury sport utility vehicle is already on sale with the ex-showroom price of ₹67.59 lakh in the 350h variants.
In the international market, this car isn’t only available for sale in 350h variants, as a hybrid electric vehicle, but also in 450h+ plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; the carmaker has revealed the facelift of both of them. Soon the Japanese automobile manufacturers will launch this model in India, but it is still uncertain whether they will launch the existing 350h or also introduce 450h+.
What’s new in the Lexus NX facelift?
The newly introduced 2nd-Gen Lexus NX facelift now has a new front fascia with a frameless spindle grille and revised headlights, improving its front-end styling, giving it a little more distinct touch than the outgoing model for buyers’ exclusivity. Other upgrades on its exterior include updated rear lights with a repeated L-shaped motif reflecting the brand identity with Lexus’s L.
Its F-sport trim is now equipped with 20-inch wheels, improving road presence; red brake calipers, giving a sporty and high-performance aesthetic; and aerodynamic rear-bumper elements, further enhancing its performance.
They not only have made changes to its exterior part but also inside the cabin. The dashboard is now completely redesigned, and a fresh center console will now show the driving details more clearly. Replacing the old one, it has now received a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen with a smoother user interface.
Other improvements inside the cabin are capacitive HVAC and camera controls just above the air vents.
Smaller steering wheel with improved adjustment range to provide better ergonomics with enhanced steering precision and lower seating position to ensure a more connected driving feel and high feel driving a premium car.
The 350h and 450h+ are both now based on Toyota’s sixth-generation hybrid system; the former one now uses a new LFP battery pack that the carmaker has used in the Lexus ES 350h. Compared to the previous one, the new battery pack is lighter, and even the cooling system has been revised in order to improve performance and output.
And for the latter, the battery capacity has been increased from 18.1 kWh to 23.0 kWh to improve the pure-electric range; now it can run up to 62 miles without starting the engine. Notably, the combined power output is now increased by 15 hp.
It is certain that the facelift will cost higher than the existing model. The Japanese automobile manufacturer hasn’t yet revealed the price; they will announce it with the market launch. A very little increase is anticipated for both trims across all the variants.
Rest remains the same.
Under the hood, both the HEV and PHEV versions get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol-powered internal combustion engine, and the e-motor and engine in them are still mated with the e-CVT (electric continuously variable transmission). As it is a facelift, there are no major dimensional changes. The width, height, and wheelbase remain 1,865 mm, 1,660 mm, and 2,690 mm, respectively; only the length is increased by 30 mm; now it is 4,690 mm.
This car is still based on the GA-K (Global Architecture-K) platform, but they have further revised and strengthened the underlying structure to enhance safety for its occupant during the collision. Its front and rear suspension are still MacPherson strut and trailing-arm double wishbone, respectively, and the wheel still gets solid disc brakes to enhance braking performance with better heat dissipation.