With the current NX range introduced to SA in mid-2023, all that was left was for the local Lexus team to bring in the range-topping 450h + F Sport model. It’s just arrived and Kyle Kock got behind the wheel in the Cape Winelands.
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Lexus NX 450h + F Sport Fast Facts
- Price: R1 336 200
- Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder and dual electric motors
- Transmission: CVT
- Power: 227 kW combined output
- Torque: 227 N.m + electric output
- Driven wheels: all
- Claimed fuel consumption: 1.3 l/100 km
- CO2 emissions: 29 g/km
What are we driving?
The NX is the smallest SUV offered by Toyota’s luxury subsidiary, Lexus. Initially launched in 2015 following the global trend of making SUVs of all shapes and sizes to suit the bulk of buyers’ preferences, the NX is now in its second generation and was brought to South Africa in July 2023.
Why is the Lexus NX 450h + F Sport significant?
While we were awaiting the arrival of this particular model, the mantle of range-topper rested on the shoulders of its 350h F Sport sibling. The 450h + F Sport has a more sophisticated hybrid system and is slightly quicker in a straight line according to Lexus, though it must be said that despite the F Sport badging, these models are not exactly known for their sprinting prowess.
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What the NX 450h + F Sport brings is an impressive claimed average fuel consumption and an EV range between 60 and 70 km depending on driving style.
What does the Lexus NX450h + F Sport cost?
The NX450h + F Sport is on offer at R1 336 200. The price includes a 7 years/105 000 km warranty and full maintenance plan. This model also has an additional 8 years/195 000 km battery warranty. Its recommended service intervals are every 15 000 km.
What are the Lexus NX 450h + S Sport’s rivals?
Another small SUV that’s found favour not just abroad, but in South Africa as well, is the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Its direct competitor to the Lexus NX 450h + F Sport is the Evoque P300e Dynamic SE that has total outputs of 227 kW and 540 N.m from its 1.5-litre turbopetrol three-cylinder and hybrid system – though at R1 737 600 there’s a significant price premium over the Japanese alternative.
Related: Lexus NX 450h+ Lands in SA – Pricing and Spec
There’s also the Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD Ultimate Bright, with 340 kW and 709 N.m from its twincharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder. It’s more closely matched to the NX 450H + F Sport at R1 390 000.
What is the Lexus NX 450h + F Sport like to drive?
Heading out towards the N7 from Cape Town International Airport was an ideal time to put the NX 450h + F Sport’s EV mode to the test on the local launch. The system is capable of reaching well over the national limit if need be, but in a perfect world, you could cruise to work in urban environments and never need to use the petrol engine if its lithium-ion battery is charged at the office and at home. Speaking of which, this can be achieved in just 2 hours 30 minutes at a 32 A charging station.
The hybrid system worked extremely well, no matter what I asked of the system, or at least until around 135 km/h when the petrol motor took over. The climb up the Bothmanskloof pass to Riebeek-Kasteel and Helhoogte to our lunch venue did reveal some of the Atkinson cycle motor and CVT’s weakness – and that’s full-bore acceleration uphill. The transmission whines and the 2.5-litre labours on climbs.
Luckily the experience wasn’t completely soiled, as the cars were recharged during lunch and we made for our overnight stay at Jordan Wine Estate under full EV mode once more. The broken tarmac and rough dirt road did little to unsettle the NX 450h + F Sport’s composure and the suspension soaked up all the bumps and dips on Stellenbosch Kloof road.
Verdict
A stylish hybrid that offers a sumptuous motoring experience and is backed by a class-leading warranty is my logic. The EV range speaks to those who keep a close eye on their budget. However, the real talking point is what the average fuel consumption will be when we put the Lexus NX 450h + F Sport through its paces during a full road test later this year. I suspect it’s going to be the best in its class yet again.
