With a plug-in hybrid, residents in B.C. are eligible for up to $2,000 rebate under the CleanBC Go Electric program
Behind the wheel of the 2024 inaugural Lexus plug-in hybrid, the NX 450h+ F Sport series 3, AWD, the two-tone leather, heated and cooled, 8-way power adjustable sport seat and race inspired leather steering wheel, is nothing short of luxurious. This five-seater SUV (although with its low centre of gravity, looks more like a car) is classy, comfortable, powerful, offers keyless entry (or if you are tech savvy, you can turn your smartphone into a key fob for you and 6 others) but push start and you might become overwhelmed as you learn the Lexus interface and the enormous amount of digital information available.
The first piece of information displayed on the 14” touch screen (F Sport package) garnered an unexpected chuckle, “Drive safely and obey traffic rules… .” Really? Isn’t that a given? Why not say, “Put your foot to the floor. Go as fast as you can and have some fun out there.” At least that would be worth reading each and every time the car starts. The rest of the message reminds me of a liability waiver.
The display also offers wireless Apple Car Play or Android Auto in addition to the Lexus interface, including Sirius Satellite radio, where you can connect various other streaming services to be played through the Mark Levinson Audio System.
As the 2024 Lexus NX 450h+ is a plug-in hybrid, not only do you have the usual displayed information for a fuel operated vehicle, but you also have information for the electric portion of the vehicle. All of this information is managed by an on-board computer. So really, you are buying two cars, plus a computer and with all the additional safety features, an on-board co-pilot.
There are several different drive modes. Electric-Only (EV) speaks for itself and will provide about 58 km on a full charge. That is a sufficient distance for an affordable work commute if you have a charging station at either at work or home. In order to charge a plug-in hybrid, you have two options: 1) you purchase a charge station for your home; or 2) find a random charge station and be prepared to download an app and input a credit card, but in a mere 1-2 hours and $4.00 later, you are good to go.
Hybrid mode combines the power of the gasoline 2.5l, 4-cylinder with the electric and balances fuel efficiency with performance. The NX450h+ F Sport offers 300 HP and reaches 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds. The performance in EV mode is impressive, although the silence takes some getting used to.
There’s more. You can choose between Sport, Eco and Normal drive modes plus a new one: Trail Mode. Then you look at the steering wheel and realize you have paddle shifters. Sport S/S+ will utilize those and then you can combine certain options of each one and create your own Custom drive mode.
Driving through unfamiliar territory in the Lower Mainland, I used Siri to get directions. The skies were dark, the rain coming down hard and no shortage of traffic to interact with, not to mention construction happening just about everywhere. Automatic wipers were doing their thing, Siri was telling me where to go, flaggers were disagreeing with Siri sending me across lanes resulting in the safety system thinking I was asleep at the wheel and alerting me that I left my lane.
Safety indicators were appearing in the dash, in the heads-up display, and to my right and left. A driver cut me off and my safety features let me know as though I couldn’t see it for myself. In addition to the heads-up windshield display of speed, the speed zones (not always in agreement) also appeared as well as visual directions on the route to my destination. There so much going on, I questioned if I was actually in control of the car or just along for the ride. I was convinced the NX 450h+ F Sport must have auto-pilot, after all, it had everything else!
The advanced touch steering wheel offers many options including adjusting the sensitivity of the sensors that allow you to make on-the-fly instant adjustments. Volume for stereo or incoming calls, turning on and off lane assist, scrolling through the on-board computer yet noticeably missing was the control for the heated steering wheel.
The inside is beautifully lit on a sunny day with a double moon roof and closed with a window cover on those not so nice days. The F Sport series 3 package enhances the visual impact of the NX 450h+. A black front grille gives the vehicle attitude which is amplified by 20” black alloy wheels.
What impressed me most about the NX450h+ F Sport was the incredible external lighting. Driving after dark, especially in the rain, is challenging but the triple beam LED headlamps provide astonishing visibility and they have washers. Not only that, when driving a curved road, cornering lamps turn on offering extended visibility. Driving up hill in the dark, the lights tilt up!
If you want maximum luxury, options, safety without sacrificing style, the 2024 Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport AWD should garner your attention. Vehicle comes with a 3-year or 60,000 km warranty. Projected battery life is about 8 years or 160,000 km. MSRP F Sport $79,584.00.
