Lexus gains an edge on rivals

They say the little things make all the difference and there’s a stack of them on the new Lexus NX 300h.

This is a first assault on the compact crossover scene for the luxury arm of Toyota and up against the likes of the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

Gaining an edge is all-important, so handy features like a tray for charging your smartphone and a mirror that drops into a slot next to the driver are both user-friendly and sensible.

Then there’s a rear cross parking alert, operated by radar beams scanning left and right behind you for other car park traffic.

But there are some big attractions too for a range that costs from £29,495 for the NX 300h S version, though the tested Luxury model from the middle of the five trim grades, is appreciably more at £34,495.

For instance the NX is the first model to feature the Japanese brand’s Pre-Crash Safety system and Adaptive Cruise Control as standard on all variants.

There’s other stuff like the first application of a new Remote Touch Interface with a touchpad control, a panoramic view monitor, a head-up display and blind spot monitor.

DAZZLER: Face of the new Lexus NX 300h

If you’re still wondering about the small ‘h’ at the end of 300h, it stands for hybrid and means the car is powered by a petrol engine assisted by an electric motor, something pioneered by Toyota with its popular Prius model.

And while there are two-wheel drive versions, the lion’s share of sales are already proving to be for all-wheel drive, which includes E-Four – a second electric motor driving the rear wheels and delivering extra torque.

Lexus says it is targeting younger buyers and if style is a key consideration then the sharp, creased lines of the NX make its German rivals appear boxy by comparison.

The Lexus Hybrid Drive, operated via an electric CVT transmission, ensures an official average fuel consumption of 54.3 miles per gallon, which tallied with my own return.

But while it looks something of a flyer, you won’t find any fancy performance figures on show – a top speed of 112mph and 0-62 in 9.2 seconds being the least you might expect from a car of this quality.

Which brings us back to those clever touches, and the NX’s all speed cruise control.

Push up or down briefly on the lever and the cruise control speed goes up or down by 1mph. It’s a boon in queuing traffic, even allowing the car to stop completely before smoothly accelerating back to the set cruising speed.

A smart piece of kit, from an extremely smart car.

CUTTING EDGE: The new Lexus NX 300h