Lexus’ new-generation medium sports utility finds another way to put safety first.

Price: $101,900
Powertrain: 2.5-litre hybrid electric, total system output 179kW/239Nm, all-wheel drive, CVT, economy 5.5 L/100km, 126g/km CO2.
Vital statistics: 4660mm long, 1865mm wide, 1640mm high, wheelbase 2690mm.
We like: Beautifully designed, intuitive interior, comfort focus, high level of active and passive safety.
Not so much: Engine’s coarseness under load.

LUXURY cars aren’t for everyone – there’s that affordability thing.

Those who can purchase such product are funding technological, comfort and safety developments that should eventually filter down to the more affordable mass market vehicles.

The Lexus NX350h Limited has e-Latch, an electronic door release system. There’s a release handle, but it requires to be pushed, rather than pulled. What’s special about this e-Latch system is that it is linked to the car’s Blind Spot Monitor – and if there is another vehicle or cyclist approaching from the rear, it will not allow the door to be opened.

Lexus calls it Safe Exit Assist, and it’s really good. It instantly overcomes what is known as dooring, which is what happens when a motorist opens a car door without first checking to see if anything is approaching from behind, then having the door hit – or almost hit - by a cyclist or vehicle.

It happens all the time. In fact it’s such a common problem that in the Netherlands, for instance, new drivers can’t obtain their driver’s licences until they learn to do what is called the Dutch Reach, which involves opening a car door with the furthest-away hand, which in turn encourages the driver to physically check the view to the rear.

There are no such regulations in New Zealand, which no doubt explains why everyone will have experienced the drama involving a car door suddenly opening in front of them.

What often happens with such motor vehicle developments is that once development costs are amortised, they can begin to be introduced to other less expensive product. Given that the Lexus NX is built on the same platform as the more familiar Toyota RAV4, and in the case of the NX350h Limited has essentially the same powertrain and E-Four all-wheel drive system, it’s not unreasonable to forecast that e-Latch will eventually find its way to at least the RAV as well. I hope it does.

Actually, e-Latch is the very first thing that is experienced with this latest-generation NX, because it works on the outside too. If you are carrying the vehicle’s smart key, you only have to grip the exterior door handle and the door will unlatch, which means the only action needed is to pull the door open. It’s a rather luxurious introduction to this latest edition of the NX medium-sized SUV.

The Lexus NX model line has been around for a while now. The first-generation model was introduced back in 2014 to slot between the UX and the RX in terms of vehicle size.

It turned out to be the perfect size for many, quickly becoming the best-selling Lexus in Europe and also popular in this part of the world. This latest model, launched in New Zealand about four months ago, is available as an entry front-driven NX 350h, and as the Limited and NX 450h+ F-Sport which are both all-wheel drive.

What is significant about the entire range is that they are hybrids – the two NX 350h models the standard self-charging types and the NX 450h+ a plug-in variety. The Lexus NZ people say this choice is both in response to customer demand, and part of Lexus’ journey towards carbon neutrality, something I thought a little ironic given that the last Lexus I test-drove was a bloody great 5.1 metre-long twin-turbo diesel LX500d SUV with emissions of 268g/km.

To its credit however, the NX 350h Limited’s emissions are less than half that, at 126 g/km under the WLTP3 conversion. Official fuel economy under the same method is 5.5 L/100km, which means it doesn’t cop any Clean Car fee. Mind you the price means it doesn’t attract any Clean Car rebate either, not like its similarly-engined cousin the RAV4 hybrid which claims a $2387.24 rebate because retail prices are less than $80,000.

Although it doesn’t look it, this latest-generation NX is bigger than the current RAV4. It shares the same 2690mm wheelbase, but is longer and wider, although 45mm lower which gives the impression it is the more compact SUV. It’s more powerful, too. The 2.5-litre petrol engine and 81.1 kWh battery aboard the vehicle have a total system output of 179kW, well up on the RAV’s 163kW. While the Toyota/Lexus marketers never officially release torque figures with hybrid vehicles, it is thought to be 239Nm.

For the record, all this is more powerful and fuel-efficient than the NX300h this new model replaces. Total system output has gone up 23 percent, engine torque rises 14 percent, and fuel consumption has reduced by 12 percent.

But don’t expect this Lexus to outshine the RAV4 in performance terms however, because the NX350h Limited definitely prioritises comfort for those aboard. In that regard it does a nice job, thanks to the likes of heated and ventilated front seats with 12-way electric adjustability for the driver and eight-way for the passenger, leather upholstery all round, dual-zone climate control aircon, 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio, panoramic sunroof, and even customisable coloured interior lighting with 64 possible colours on offer.

With this latest model the Lexus designers have thankfully ditched the old centre console-mounted computer mouse-like Remote Touch Interface and replaced it with a big 14-inch touchscreen that absolutely dominates the dash area. This screen permanently displays shortcuts to navigation, media, phone and vehicle settings, which eliminates the need for scrolling through any menu. A number of these functions can also be controlled using a “Hey Lexus” voice recognition feature.

All this has also allowed the number of switches to be reduced from 78 to 45, grouped in defined zones according to their function. It all adds up to a vehicle that is simply easy to drive, with very little extraneous stuff to divert the attention of the person behind the wheel. That’s all in line with what Lexus/Toyota calls its Tazuna design concept, which focuses on giving the driver direct and intuitive control of the wheel.

The NX350h Limited is also safer, thanks to an expanded range of features in its latest-generation Lexus Safety System+. New features include Intersection Turn Assist and Lane Trace Assist. In all, there are a total of 11 active safety systems aboard this car. Passive safety stuff includes a very good panoramic view monitor, six front and six rear parking sensors, and reversing camera with dynamic guide lines.

While the entry version of the latest NX350h is front-driven with one electric motor driving the front wheels, the Limited is all-wheel-drive from having separate electric motors driving the front and rear wheels, as per the RAV4 hybrid. The NX has a lithium ion battery while the RAV4’s is the old-school nickel hydride, and the NX engine is tuned to prefer 95 octane while the RAV accepts 91.

The NX performs well, taking less than eight seconds to get to 100km and offering a top speed – if we were allowed – of 200kmh. But honestly, during my week with the car I never felt like trying to achieve any of that. Instead I enjoyed the experience of driving this very comfortable and well-appointed medium-sized SUV. But despite this cruisy driving, I could not get anywhere near the stated official fuel economy of 5.5 L/100km. Instead, it was 7.3 from a balanced combination of urban and rural driving.

Still, that’s pretty good for what is now quite a large all-wheel drive vehicle shod with big 20-inch wheels and tyres. More to the point is that the NX350h Limited is a big improvement on the previous model. It is bigger all round, yet more economical. And it drives beautifully and safely. Well done.