Lexus NX300 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

What's the difference?

The Lexus NX 300h F Sport is both a comfortable and luxurious family hauler that is held back by just a few things.

Of course, gripes like the underwhelming dynamics might not be an issue for all, but the less-than-stellar fuel economy (for a hybrid, at least), disappointing practicality and fiddly multimedia will affect all potential buyers.

However, this is balanced out by loads of equipment and premium appointments for a reasonable price, which should put the Lexus NX on your shopping list if you are keen for an inner-city premium SUV cruiser.

Like I said right from the start, this new, hybrid version of the AMG GLC63 is technically superior to the model it replaces in every meaningful way. It is faster, more powerful and more fuel efficient and therefore a better performance SUV than the model it replaces.

Is it a better model than the one it replaces? Ultimately that will come down to how much stock you put into the soundtrack and your feelings on an AMG not powered by a V8 engine.

Because if you can see past that, then the AMG GLC63 is an absolutely fantastic performance SUV. Not only does the new powertrain make it faster in a straight line, but the chassis is very well-balanced, making for an engaging driving experience.

For those who can look past the smaller engine they will be rewarded with an incredibly fast and rewarding-to-drive member of the AMG family.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Lexus might have been known for drab and dowdy styling in the past, but the NX’s sharp aesthetic is head turning and attention grabbing in all the right ways.

Though the NX first hit Australian showrooms in 2014, after six years we reckon it wouldn’t look out of place strutting down a catwalk, and can easily hold its own in the design department against the likes of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

From the front, you can’t miss the trademark Lexus spindle grille, which, with its trapezoidal shape, gives the illusion of a wider and more aggressive car.

The high-set, slender headlights also gives the NX a wide stance, while the sweeping daytime running lights and sharp bumper design give the impression that the NX is cutting through water.

In profile, the NX is characterised by a strong shoulder line, chiselled lower doors and narrow glasshouse, while the black plastic wheelarch cladding hints at its SUV status.

The black trim detailing on the tail-lights almost make it look like the NX has narrowing cartoon eyes from the rear, but the subtle diffuser and large bumper soften its look a little.

If you can’t tell, we dig the aesthetics of the NX, especially the subtle exterior features such as crystal-like front foglights and the unique side mirror design.

Step inside and those neat little design touches continue.

From the almost folded fabric-like design of the door trims to the soft-touch surfaces throughout, the NX’s cabin oozes luxury, class and quality.

The centre stack shape mirrors the front grille’s trapezoid shape, while all the buttons and switchgear have a nice heft and weight to them, and are laid out in an easy-to-use, ergonomic fashion.

Sure, look a bit closer and you might see some carryover items from lower-end Toyota models, such as the cruise control stalk but, be honest, if we didn’t point it out, would you have even noticed?

The GLC63 is unmistakably an AMG from the moment you first lay eyes on it. That’s thanks to the AMG-specific elements, starting with the grille with vertical strikes and the AMG crest on the bonnet; which is now a signature item for the performance sub-brand.

The GLC63 is also fitted with the Night Package II design kit; this adds a darkened grille and black chrome badging to further enhance its visual appeal.

The AMG-specific alloy wheels and more aggressive stance do mean the GLC63 stands out from the rest of the GLC range, helping it look fast even when it’s standing still.

Measuring 4660mm long, 1870mm wide, 1645mm tall and with a 2600mm wheelbase, the NX puts it foot firmly into the mid-size SUV class.

Front occupants can easily get comfortable thanks to seats with a wide breadth of adjustment, while drivers also get a telescoping steering wheel that automatically raises when the car is turned off for easier ingress/egress.

Generous door bins up front will swallow large water bottles and any other paraphernalia, while two deep cupholders are found between the driver and front passengers.

If you want to tuck any items out of sight though, the glovebox and centre console bin will do the job, but there is also a hidden compartment where the driver’s touchpad palm rest.

Lift up the flap and your precious valuables can be hidden away, but look underneath the flap and it doubles as a handheld mirror to check you don’t have any food in your teeth before a date.

The outer two second-row seats offer ample room for six-foot-tall passengers, and – even with the front seats in our preferred position – there is plenty of legroom in the back.

Like most vehicles, the middle seat is a bit compromised, but in the NX it feels especially narrow and uncomfortable.

This isn’t helped by the middle seat’s seat belt, which comes down from the roof and intrudes well into the backrest of the neighbouring seat when not in use.

It makes loading the NX full of passengers tricky as there is a bit of shuffling around to get all the belts in place and passengers comfortable.

Our advice? Use the NX as a four-seater and just fold down the centre armrest, which also exposes two cupholders, for extra comfort.

Other rear seat amenities include air vents and storage pockets in the doors, the latter of which will accommodate water bottles or small items.

Open the boot and the NX will swallow 475 litres of volume, which can expand to 1520L with the rear seats folded down.

Boot space is down on its rivals, with all of the German models offering at least 550L of volume.

In real-world terms, this means the NX’s boot won’t close with a large- and medium-sized suitcase sat side-by-side, but has no problem with smaller cases.

Boot space might be lacking in the NX, but the hybrid system’s batteries have to go somewhere, and at least Lexus offers up two big bag books and tie-down points.

Inside the GLC63 is clearly a derivative of the rest of the range, with its C-Class-inspired design and layout, but there’s enough AMG-specific elements to ensure it looks and feels special. This starts with the AMG steering wheel, which comes not only with a thick rim wrapped in Alcantara, but also some AMG special dials to adjust the various performance settings for the powertrain, suspension and transmission.

Then there are the AMG-specific seats, which look good and offer good support for the driver and front seat passenger. The rear seats offer decent space for what is a mid-size SUV, with room enough for two adults or teenagers or three smaller kids.

Those in the back aren’t particularly well looked after though, with only rear air-con vents and small door pockets but no USB charging ports or other small item storage.

The boot is 590 litres, down from 620L in the rest of the range, thanks to the addition of the rear-mounted electric motor. There’s also no room for the temporary spare the rest of the GLC range gets and instead you have to make do with a puncture repair kit.

The power and torque figures aren’t the only numbers that have risen sharply, with the GLC63 clearly impacted by a double whammy of inflation and the usual new-car price rise.

The GLC63 now starts at more than $191,814 for the SUV and $198,415 for the Coupe, which represents a nearly $30k increase over the old V8-powered model, which was priced at $164,600 just two years ago. Even for luxury car buyers that’s a big jump, especially when you’re trying to convince people of the merits of the four-cylinder powertrain. 

That also means it's more expensive than all of its key competitors, including the BMW X3 M Competition, Maserati’s Grecale and the outgoing, petrol-powered Porsche Macan GTS.

To help explain some of this price increase Mercedes-Benz Australia has opted for a high level of standard specification for local cars. Standard equipment includes 21-inch alloys, AMG composite braking, a panoramic sliding sunroof, a unique AMG steering wheel, power-adjustable sports seats in Nappa leather, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging and a Burmester 3D Sound system.

Also included is the AMG Track Pace suite, for those who want to unleash their GLC on the racetrack.

There’s also a limited run, AMG Edition 1 Package available too, for an additional $12,900. On the outside you get Manufaktur graphite grey magno paint, foiling with colour gradation and large AMG logo on the sides, an AMG Aerodynamics Package, unique alloy wheels with Edition 1 and AMG branding, yellow brake calipers and an AMG fuel filler cap in silver chrome with AMG lettering. 

Inside there’s AMG Performance seats, AMG Nappa leather in black with yellow contrasting stitching, AMG illuminated door sills,  carbon-fibre AMG trim highlights, yellow seat belts and a unique AMG Performance steering wheel wrapped in carbon-fibre and microfibre.

Propelling the Lexus NX 300h F Sport is a petrol-electric mild-hybrid powertrain, combining a 114kW/210Nm 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors – 105kW/270Nm unit for the front axle and a 50kW/139Nm unit for the rear wheels.

The total system output is measured at 147kW, which is sent to all four wheels in our test var via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

The zero-to-100km/h acceleration takes 9.2 seconds thanks to a fairly hefty 1895kg kerb weight.

This is what lies at the heart of the AMG GLC63’s success or failure. As I mentioned at the beginning, the previous generation’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 has been replaced by an F1-inspired plug-in hybrid powertrain.

But don’t think that means AMG is suddenly focused on efficiency over performance. When AMG says the powertrain is inspired by the brand’s success in Formula 1 racing, what it means is the battery and electric motor provides a significant performance boost to support the internal combustion engine, not just save fuel.

To that end the combination of the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and the rear-mounted electric motor produces an impressive 500kW and 1020Nm. That’s a massive jump over the 375kW/700Nm made by the outgoing V8.

Official fuel consumption figures for the Lexus NX 300h is 5.7/ litres per 100km, though we managed a 7.6L/100km figure in our week with the car.

Our driving consisted exclusively of inner-city driving for groceries and just two trips down the freeway upon collecting and returning the car due to Melbourne’s lockdown rules.

Mercedes makes no secret that the battery is designed for performance, not saving fuel. It only has a 14km EV range but can recharge quickly on the move to provide a power boost when needed.

But despite all that, the GLC63 is actually significantly more fuel efficient than the old V8, using a claimed 7.3L/100km, which is a massive 4.9L/100km improvement over the old model. Although, on our day-long test drive we didn’t manage to come close to that claimed figure and instead saw returns around 11L/100km, albeit after a lot of spirited open-road driving.

Though the Lexus NX might look sporty and dynamic from the outside, don’t be mistaken into thinking Lexus’ mid-size SUV is anything other than a comfy cruiser.

Steering remains light and lifeless in its default ‘Nomal’ drive mode, but even in ‘Sport S’ and ‘Sport S+’, weighting feels artificial and numb.

What this means is that the NX 300h F Sport is a joy to manoeuvre around town at low speeds, but is found lacking when the speedo climbs and the roads get a bit twisty.

Likewise, a stab of the throttle is met with a spike in revs and engine noise as the powertrain switches from its electric motor to internal combustion engine, but the expected thrust-burst never comes.

CVTs are generally tuned for better fuel economy, not a sporting drive, so it makes sense that the NX is a little more hesitant and lethargic to get up to speed, but the transmission does suffer from that ‘elastic’ feel where it can be slow to ‘shift up’ if it thinks you are wanting a sporty drive.

However, these shortcomings are especially evident when stacking it up next to the new Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

The NX is underpinned by Toyota’s MC platform, shared with the old RAV4, whereas the fifth-generation mid-size SUV that launched in 2019 is updated with a TNGA platform.

Much of our aforementioned criticisms in driving dynamics and snoozy drivetrain are fixed, or at least alleviated, in the latest Toyota RAV4, so here’s hoping the next-gen NX rumoured to break cover soon will be a welcomed step forward.

And while the current Lexus NX is certainly not the last world in SUV driving dynamics, it’s not trying to be.

As a daily runabout for the family, the NX is comfortable and predictable – just what some families might be after.

The suspension does a great job at soaking up road imperfections and little bumps you might find on your journey, helped by the comfy seats and great interior sound insulation.

What is noticeable though, is overcoming large bumps or any change in elevation at speed, where the NX 300h’s hefty weight means it takes just a touch longer to get settled again.

The cabin also feels a bit fussy from the driver’s seat, with the multimedia especially being fiddly and hard to navigate when on the move.

We reckon a rotary controller like those found on a BMW, or even better multimedia software as seen with a Benz, could go a long way in fixing Lexus’ multimedia woes.

Having said that, the system is compatible with Android Auto, and is laid out well on the widescreen, so you could easily forgo the annoying touchpad and janky software for a better experience.

Anyone who still believes in the adage ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’ hasn’t driven a modern turbocharged and hybridised engine. The GLC63 is a demonstration of the metaphorical and literal power of modern technology, combining an extremely efficient and potent internal combustion engine with an electric motor to make enormous real-world performance.

To be blunt, the GLC63 feels like a rocketship out of corners, launching with a ferocity and relentlessness the old V8 simply can’t match. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, a mid-size SUV with 1020Nm was always going to have plenty of performance, but even so it’s a shock to the system every time you give the GLC63 full throttle. Officially AMG claims it takes just 3.5 seconds to run 0-100km/h and has an electronically limited top speed of 275km/h - mighty impressive figures for a five-seat mid-size SUV.

To help get all that torque to the road, AMG deploys torque distribution technology that allows for it to be split an even 50/50 front/rear all the way to 100 per cent to the rear tyres.

Other technologies deployed to enhance its handling include AMG Ride Control suspension with adaptive damping and rear-axle steering. There’s also eight AMG Dynamic Select driving modes and four AMG Dynamics settings (Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master), so it’s a complex vehicle that is designed for the enthusiast.

While it’s easy to drive around town, once you get out on the open road you can really get a sense of the GLC63’s performance potential. Beyond just its powertrain the suspension offers good body control and the rear-axle steering helps it feel agile and responsive. 

It’s not perfect though. At times the complexity of the system does lead to some hesitation when you put your foot down. It certainly lacks the linear power delivery of the old V8 and makes for a slightly trickier driving experience at times.

As for the sound, which is one of the biggest elements missing from the V8, Mercedes has added AMG Real Performance Sound, which features a pressure sensor in the exhaust that picks up on the engine note and plays it through the speaker system. It certainly helps make for a louder, more noticeable engine noise, but it still sounds more like an A45 than the previous GLC63 and for many would-be buyers, that’s a major turn-off.

The GLC63 comes standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features including 'Distronic' (Mercedes’ name for adaptive cruise control), 'Active Lane Keeping Assist', 'Blind Spot Assist', 'Traffic Light Assist' and 'Adaptive Highbeam Assist'. It also includes Mercedes’ 'Pre-Safe' accident anticipation system - which pre-tensions the seat belts and will even play a white noise to protect your ears if it senses a crash is imminent.

A parking system that includes a 360-degree camera and active parking assist is also included.

The GLC range was awarded a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022, which pre-dates the latest testing protocols, so doesn’t provide a like-to-like comparison for vehicles tested after that date.

Like all new Lexus vehicles, the NX 300h F Sport comes with a four-year/100,000km warranty, along with roadside assist over the same period. A six-year anti-corrosion is also part of the aftersales assurance package.

Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km, whichever comes first.

The first three years/45,000km of scheduled servicing is capped at $495 for each annual service, which falls under the brand’s Encore service that also entails pickup and delivery of the NX, loan car, and wash and vacuum.

Lexus ownership also means owners will be access to exclusive events, dinners and drive days, as well as promotions from partner hotels.

Although servicing costs are relatively cheap for the first three years, Lexus’ four-year/100,000km lags behind luxury brand leaders Mercedes-Benz and Genesis, who both offer five-years/unlimited kilometre assurances.

The GLC63 is covered by Mercedes Australia’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometres warranty.

As for maintenance, Mercedes offers service plans, spanning three to five years. Three years will cost you $5025, $6455 for four years and five years is priced from $7180. Servicing intervals are 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.