Lexus NX 250 2023 review

Priced from $60,800 (all prices are before on-road costs), NX 250 Luxury equipment levels are – in a word – generous for an entry-level proposition. In fact, we thought our test vehicle arrived jam-packed with options, but what’s in the photos is standard fare.

There’s no scrimping on safety, for example, with eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitor, lane-keep and steering assist, adaptive cruise control, LED lights with auto high beams and Safe Exit Assist – which won’t allow doors to open if vehicles or cyclists are whizzing by and in danger of being struck. Clever.

The NX 250 also scores keyless entry/start, a 9.8-inch touchscreen featuring ‘Hey, Lexus’ voice control, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, powered steering column adjustability, electric front seats with heating, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate and 18-inch alloys running on 235/50 runflat tyres (so no spare wheels whatsoever).

Priced from $60,800, NX 250 Luxury equipment levels are generous for an entry-level proposition. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

About the only thing we’d like is a smartphone charger, though that’s available as part of a $3000 Enhancement Pack 1, which also throws in a sunroof and kick-sensor activation for that powered tailgate. All for under $64K. Job done.

This is provocative pricing. A base Genesis GV70 RWD starts at $68,500, a Q5 35 TDI diesel FWD costs from $68,350 or nearly $73,000 for the quattro petrol AWD – as does XC60 Plus B5 AWD, an X3 sDrive20i RWD is $76,600 and a GLC 200 RWD is now from $77,305.

Even with the Lexus’ EP1 box ticked, they make the NX 250 seem like conspicuously good value for money.

The NX 250 scores a 9.8-inch touchscreen featuring ‘Hey, Lexus’ voice control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and more. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

You’ll find luxuries like leather, adaptive headlights, instrumentation head-up display, a larger touchscreen, vented seats, surround-view camera, premium audio and 235/50 R20-sheathed 20-inch alloys in the bestselling 350h hybrid grade, in either swishier Sports Luxury or racier F Sport grades; both begin at $73,100, AWD adds $4800 and another (rear-sited) electric motor, while that price also covers the rapid and non-hybrid 350 Turbo AWD F Sport.

The flagship NX is the 450h+ F Sport AWD plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) from $89,900. The company’s (and Toyota’s) first such tech for Australia.

All NXs include Lexus’ ‘Encore’ aftersales subscription program offering myriad offers and services including “free” car rental.

Though distinctively attractive and obviously well built, the previous NX was quite small for a medium-sized SUV inside, with tight rear legroom.

It also had a nonsense mouse-operated multimedia controller that was fiddly, annoying and counter-intuitive to use.

Thankfully, the new-from-the-ground-up design has rectified both these issues in the latest version.

Now the NX is properly medium-sized, and so easier to get in and out of, as well as palpably roomier front and rear. Employing the RAV4’s TNGA architecture results in a lower and roomier cabin, that benefits all in terms of packaging.

It looks, feels and smells expensive in here. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Being the entry-level 250, you might not expect much in terms of interior presentation or style, but Lexus Australia’s product planners have been deft in specifying this grade to make it look luxurious and on-brand.

Body-hugging bolstered perforated leather front bucket seats, in our example finished in a black/cream hue with orange stitching, belie the base-grade reality of the 250. This scheme is also found on the centre console, armrest and door cards, lifting the ambience no end. It looks, feels and smells expensive in here.

The only thing that seems to be missing is a smartphone charger. That's part of a $3K option pack that also throws in a sunroof and foot-operated actuation for the electric tailgate. Not bad.

Then there’s the driving position, with an electrically-operated reach/height adjustable steering column and a multi-configurable seat to help find the right spot. All-round vision is also better than you might expect, no doubt helped out by huge exterior mirrors and a large reversing camera screen.

Body-hugging bolstered perforated leather front bucket seats belie the base-grade reality of the 250. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Typical Lexus-style classy digital instrumentation, directly ahead, are positioned in such a way that you’re not really aware of/missing the available head-up display in higher grades. Though it takes a quick amount of familiarisation, all the info there is ultimately clear and easy to take in.

The same applies to the now touch-only centre screen, which has a slick rich finish and tactility, and also encompasses the climate-control display.

Along with banishing the dreaded mouse pad, kudos to Lexus for also installing physical switches or buttons for the most-used items – audio volume, temperature setting, and front and rear window demisting.

These and the simplified sub-screen menus for navigation, wireless telephony/audio streaming, vehicle diagnoses and vehicle settings amongst other features, is quickly second-nature in their accessibility and operation. And the sound system quality is great too.  

One of our very few complaints concerns the Apple CarPlay experience, which seems needlessly complicated to return to if you temporarily switch away from it to the NX’s native multimedia system. Confusing and distracting. 

Accessing the back seat is easy due to the latest model’s larger proportions. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Never mind. There are minivan levels of practicality at work here, from the superb and easily manipulated ventilation system to the seemingly endless storage options, that include bottle holder capability in the doors, a clever lid operation for the huge centre console and properly engineered cupholders.

Lovely lush materials of satisfying quality are further plus points.

We’re also fans of the NX’s electric door opening system with a failsafe handle, meaning you can grasp the door handle inside or out and a solenoid activated by a press in of a thumb releases the door quickly and naturally in a single action; it feels… upmarket and ergonomic once accustomed to.

Accessing the back seat is easy due to the latest model’s larger proportions. Much of the same applies out back as the front seat area in terms of quality of finish and attention to detail. Sculptured and enveloping backrests (adjustable for two reclining positions), a well-padded cushion and more-than-sufficient space for two burly adults or three smaller people means this NX is more family friendly than the swoopy exterior styling suggests.

We’re also happy to find large people-facing air vents, two USB and a 12V outlets, one-touch electric windows with that premium-car soft close mechanism, overhead LED lights, grab handles, centre armrest with cupholders, map storage behind both front seats, coat hooks and good lines of vision further enhance the appealing and comfortable back seat environment. It feels like a Lexus should.

Further back than that, after releasing the electric tailgate via either an interior button or exterior switch, you’ll find that the boot has a fairly high loading lip, but then offsets this with a long, flat floor with matching levels of appropriate-quality finishes. Another 12V plug and two bag hooks are included, along with ample lighting and tie-down hooks. There’s also a hidden deep storage compartment underneath the floor, due to the discontinuation of a spare wheel (due to runflat tyres, remember).

Capacity is rated at a fairly ordinary 520 litres, extending to 1411L with the split/fold backrests folded. You’d expect a remote actuation for the latter like Mazda wagons have had for decades, but none is found at this price point.

Note there is no solid cargo cover either, just a flexible/flimsy fabric item that’s foldable and easily stored.

Overall, though, despite of its base positioning within the NX hierarchy, the 250's interior experience is in keeping with the brand's image.

There are two ways of looking at this.

Yes, the NX 250 is powered by a variation of the same engine found in the humble base Camry Ascent in Australia at almost half the price. On the other hand, it’s a Toyota powertrain and everything that’s good and reliable and dependable about that. Which is not always the case with premium SUVs.

The NX 250 is powered by a variation of the same engine found in the humble base Camry Ascent (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Dubbed Dynamic Force, which may imply forced-induction like a turbo or supercharger but there isn’t any, the 2487cc 2.5-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection D-4S twin-cam four-cylinder engine delivers 152kW of power at 6600rpm and 243Nm of torque at between 4000rpm to 5000rpm.

Drive is sent to the front wheels only, via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic. Tipping the scales at a pretty hefty 1705kg, it’s nonetheless the lightest NX, and manages a power-to-weight ratio of 89.1kW per tonne. That’s about the same as a GLC 200, which uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine.

Rated Euro6b, the NX 250 demands 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. Same as Camry, actually,

We recorded a decent 9.7 litres per 100km during our time using the NX 250 in city, urban and rural conditions, against the trip computer’s 9.5L/100km and the official combined average of just 6.9L/100km.

Note this may be so because there was a lot of fast back-road driving, as the engine loves a rev and there’s a palpable wave of power that comes on strongly between 5000rpm and 6500rpm. A bit like Mazda’s naturally-aspirated units, but just not as sonorous.

At 55 litres, the fuel tank will allow for up to 797km based on the combined average cycle between refills.

Since the beginning of 2021, Lexus offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance. It used to be four years.

Service intervals are at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Lexus offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance. (image: Byron Mathioudakis)

The NX also includes three years and 45,000km of capped-price servicing, with each one costing $495 – and as we’ve noticed in the recent past, that is very highly competitive pricing for a luxury brand.

Plus, there’s also Lexus’ ‘Encore’ aftersales subscription program offering myriad offers and services.