We drive the Lexus NX300 F Sport

Lexus NX300 F Sport

SUVs these days come in all different sizes and shapes. Manufacturers are starting to come out with SUVs that are basically cars but they give them an SUV shape because they know that it would sell better. The Lexus NX300 is one of those vehicles that reminds one of a car more than an SUV. Lexus says that it offers a raised driving position with a cockpit that “evokes a sporty driving experience with new features to complement a busy lifestyle."

The cockpit of the NX300 is indeed sporty looking and our F Sport model added full length illuminated needles as well as sport seats with more aggressive bolsters.

The driver grips a perforated leather F Sport steering wheel and brushed metallic gearshift. The F Sport’s unique instrumentation was inspired by the Lexus LFA supercar. The driver can view real-time performance with the Lexus-first G-Force meter in the Multi Information Display (MID). The display moves in response to the vehicle’s lateral and longitudinal forces.

The MID displays the peak force in each direction. Display bars indicate the steering angle, throttle opening angle and brake pressure. The MID also provides a turbo-boost display. It is a little bit of a toy in a car that is really not made for doing track days but it is perfect for the buyers of this car so that they can show off to their friends.

The NX300 F Sport is a fine automobile. But a real enthusiast would never look at it as a track car. The 8AR-FTS four cylinder engine uses a twin scroll turbo to put out 235 hp from 2.0 liters of displacement. With 4000 pounds to move around, the NX goes from 0-60 in 7.0 seconds and has a top speed of 124 mph.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Those are not lap record numbers but the thing about the NX is that it doesn’t really matter. It is not super-fast but it feels just fine in everyday driving and unless you decide to drag race a Mustang, the NX buyer will not really care. The NX will also get decent fuel economy with EPA ratings of 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the freeway. The NX will cost you a bit at the pump though since it requires 91 octane fuel.

The foundation for a vehicle’s handling agility and ride comfort is a highly rigid body structure and the NX makes extensive use of hot-stamped high tensile steel along with aluminum. The NX uses MacPherson strut front suspension and a trailing arm double wishbone rear suspension that helps improve handling and ride comfort.

Taking input from various sensors (vehicle speed, steering speed and angle, throttle angle and yaw rate), the four wheel drive system continuously monitors and actively governs torque distribution to the rear wheels, as needed, via an electromagnetically controlled coupling in the rear differential. Under most normal driving conditions, the system operates in front-wheel drive mode and can send up to 50 percent of available torque to the rear wheels when extra traction is needed.

The NX300 F Sport revs things up with sportier styling and improved handling performance and sound. The F Sport package includes a unique honeycomb front end with a more aggressive grille, optional LED headlights and a revised lower bumper. The F Sport even comes with Active Sound Control (ASC), which brings some of the engine note through the speakers and enhances it, with volume adjustable by the driver.

The interior is typical Lexus – everything is first rate

The NX300 comes with a lot of gimmicks but unfortunately most cars these days have to come with similar features because most buyers want them. In this case, it really does not detract from the driving experience because the F Sport is actually quite fun to drive. It enjoys being tossed around up to about 8/10ths which is perfect. The interior is typical Lexus and everything is first rate.

The NX300 F Sport is a great vehicle for someone who wants some sportiness added to their daily driver. It come with enough gadgets to keep most buyers happy and to be able to show off to their neighbors.

The best part about the F Sport is the price. The F Sport costs you just under $40,000 and that is pretty much fully loaded. That is actually quite a bargain considering the amount of features in the NX. So, hurry to your Lexus dealer before they figure out that they can charge more.