What’s under the NX 250’s hood?
The NX’s model designations refer to what’s under the hood. The NX 250 is the entry-level model and comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It also has an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive as standard. All-wheel drive is optional.
This isn’t a whole lot of power for a luxury SUV, and it’s reflected in Lexus’ estimate that the NX 250 will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds. If true (we’ll know for sure once we get a model in for our own testing), that would make the NX 250 the slowest vehicle in its class by a wide margin. Of course, you can always pay extra and enjoy the sprightlier acceleration of the NX 350, which is estimated to zip from 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds.
How’s the NX 250’s interior?
The first thing you’ll notice upon entering the cabin is the wide central display canted toward the driver. A 9.8-inch touchscreen is standard, and can be upgraded to a 14-inch screen with a combination of virtual and physical controls for the climate system. This is a massive departure from other Lexus models, which usually are equipped with a central display mounted far from the driver and controlled by touchpad. We haven’t even tried this system firsthand, but desperately hope the new screen percolates throughout the Lexus lineup. We panned the previous NX’s display screen/touchpad combo for being overly distracting to use while driving.
Overall, the interior of the new 2022 Lexus NX is more cohesive and less busy than its predecessor. Buttons on the steering wheel are larger than before, which should make them easier to use at a glance. Behind the wheel is a fully digital instrument panel that completes the NX’s high-tech look. In terms of space, Lexus says the GA-K platform on which the NX is based (and which underpins the Lexus ES sedan) affords more headroom, legroom and cargo space.