2023 Lexus NX vs 2022 Volvo XC40

What's the difference?

As far as clichés go, attempting to make “a silk purse from a sow’s ear” couldn’t be more apt than when contemplating the original NX of 2014.

What was essentially the Lexus-fication of the vocal, fidgety and thirsty old Toyota RAV4 may have worked a treat sales-wise, but proved trickier when assessed against the lens of a BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 rival.

The earliest NX just wasn’t refined enough.

This was especially true following the reborn RAV4 arrival in 2019, proving to be embarrassingly more competent – even compared to most luxury midsized SUV alternatives.

Now, finally, the NX redesign has followed suit, moving on to a variation of the Toyota’s stronger, quieter and more advanced TNGA architecture (dubbed GA-K) as a starting base.

Speaking of which, let’s dive straight into the least-expensive version, the NX 250 Luxury 2WD auto, to find out if the most popular Lexus model in Australia has finally found its mojo.

Volvo’s brand renaissance is a gift that keeps on giving.

The Swede alternative to more mainstream European premium players needs to keep offering something different to survive and has thus far found success in giving buyers design-focused alternatives to the strong performance lineage of its predominantly German rivals.

Like its rivals, though, Volvo is facing a once-in-a-generation conversion from combustion to electrification, and thanks to its Chinese parent company, Geely, it is uniquely positioned to rapidly make the switch.

Despite that, we're only just seeing the brand’s first purely electric model, the XC40 Recharge. Does it have what it takes to edge in front of rivals for the electric era? We took one for a week to find out.