2018 Lexus NX Unveiled At Auto Shanghai

At Auto Shanghai, Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, has just shown what the NX crossover is going to look like when it is launched next year. The company recently launched the ES 300h hybrid sedan and the RX 450h hybrid crossover in India. The NX has been on sale in international markets since 2014 but we haven't yet seen it on Indian soil. That could change if Lexus brings the refreshed 2018 NX to our shores.

The 2018 NX retains Lexus' trademark Darth Vader face with symmetrical L-shaped outlines on either end of the grille. The crisscross woven pattern is reserved for the F-Sport while the modest trims get horizontal slats. The L-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs) retain their position. Continuing their infatuation with the letter L, the LED headlamps are now stacked together and surrounded by ridges resembling a more relaxed L shape.

The NX unveiled at the show was also wearing new, 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels with dark metallic paint with and contrasting copper accents. The F-Sport wore equally large, machined alloy wheels for a bit more bling.

Inside, most of the touch points get a satin finish. The remote touch area is now larger with reportedly better wrist comfort. The touchscreen display too has grown and now measures 10.3 inches; up from the earlier 7-inch screen. The Qi wireless charging pad is enlarged to accommodate bigger phones while the USB ports come with more power to speed up the process of juicing up a phablet. Around the back, you can open the boot lid by doing a one-foot-bhangra close to the bumper for a truly hands-free experience.

While everyone’s busy throwing out the analogue instrumentation and replacing them with digital ones to open up infinite possibilities these days, Lexus has managed to merge the past and the future with an analogue clock in the dashboard that can update the time based on the vehicle's location. Clever!

The NX' feature list also includes adaptive suspension for better handling without compromising on comfort. It can also reproduce artificial exhaust note through the music system. I am certainly not a fan of it, but at least it is possible to turn it off.

The safety side of NX is covered with a pre-collision warning system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and automatic high beam.

The NX packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 238PS of power and 350Nm of torque. With two electric motors helping the 2.5-litre engine, the combined output is now rated at 197PS of power 206Nm of peak torque. However, it must be noted that the batteries boost its off-peak torque, which significantly boosts its real-world drivability.

In terms of pricing, the NX sits on par with the ES sedan. The NX could become a sensation if Lexus decides to launch the crossover in India with an expected price tag of around Rs 55 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).