All-new Lexus NX lands in PH, starts at PHP 3.338M

Bigger and more high-tech: Lexus PH officially reveals second generation NX

After opening pre-orders last November, Lexus Philippines has officially launched the 2022 NX. Previewed back in June 2021 (followed by a regional launch in Thailand last month), the second generation NX now comes with the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, gets a redesigned exterior and interior, and a wide array of new and standard features.

Beginning with its exterior, the all-new NX gets a more rounded design than its predecessor. Lexus toned down the aggressive creases and edges of the crossover by giving it smoother curves - resulting in a sleeker look. It also has a revised spindle grille and a new pair of LED headlights that look similar to the ones found on the IS sedan.

The rear gets sharper LED taillights that are connected by an LED lightbar. Perhaps the most interesting change seen at the back is the lack of the traditional ‘L’ badge on the tailgate. Instead, it now comes with the ‘L E X U S’ name spelled out across the center.

Size-wise, the crossover now measures 4660mm long, 1865mm wide, and 1660mm tall. This makes the all-new NX is longer and wider by 20mm and is 5mm taller than its predecessor. The wheelbase has also been extended by 30mm to 2690mm, which should improve the NX’s high-speed stability and ride quality.

Inside, the new NX marks the first application of Lexus’ new ‘Tazuna’ concept for the driver’s cockpit. Derived from the Japanese word describing a rider’s control of their horse using the reins, Lexus says the new design will give drivers a direct, intuitive control of the vehicle, following the principle of “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.

The result is a more driver-focused cabin, as well as a neatly-outlined dashboard.  It gets a new leather-wrapped steering wheel, a digital instrument cluster, a redesigned center console with an electronic gear selector, and a larger touchscreen infotainment that’s available in two sizes, 9.8-inches and 14-inches on the F Sport and Premier models.

Standard features available inside the 2022 NX include; dual-zone automatic climate control, rear A/C vents, 10-speaker sound system (17-speaker Mark Levinson available on higher-grade models), Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, wireless charging, rear USB charging ports, power tailgate with kick sensor, drive mode select (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+), power-adjustable front seats, paddle shifters, LED ambient lighting.

Under the hood, the 2022 NX is available with two powertrain options. First up is the new 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four dubbed T24A-FTS. It makes a hefty 279 PS at 6000 rpm, along with 430 Nm of torque at 1700 - 3600 rpm. Power is then sent to all four wheels via an all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The other engine is a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated hybrid powertrain called the A25A-FXS. The engine alone makes 190 PS at 6000 rpm with 239 Nm of torque at 4300 - 4500 rpm. It is then helped along by two electric motors. The front makes an additional 182 PS while the rear puts out 54 PS. Combined, it has a total system output of 240 PS. Instead of an automatic transmission, the hybrid NX comes with an E-CVT.

All variants of the NX now come with Lexus Safety Sense (LSS). This gives the crossover intelligent safety features such as pre-collision system, adaptive high beam system, automatic high beam, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert, and dynamic radar cruise control.

It also features blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, hill-start assist, traction and electronic stability control, a panoramic view monitor, and a host of airbags.

Pricing of the 2022 Lexus NX is as follows:

NX 350h - PHP 3,338,000

NX 350h Premier - PHP 4,488,000

NX 350 F Sport - PHP 4,548,000