Lexus NX 450h Plus | The Plug Saves the Day

We do a review on the new 2023 - 2022 Lexus NX450h+. We discuss the changes and tech available on this plug in hybrid. While most improvements are significant, the pure EV mode of 35 miles of range help to save this crossover from insane competition. Others to consider are Acura RDX, BMW X1,X3 Volvo XC40, and Audi Q3.

#cars #technology #lexus

Index:
00:00 Interior and Exterior
2:24 Mechanical Impressions
6:29 Driving Impressions
12:25 Final Thoughts

[arthimmig]

I come for the cars but stay for the Patagonia fashion show.

[ugnhyme]

NX450+ owner here! 17, 000 miles and counting. I’ve taken the car cross country and in extreme conditions (off-road, thick snow, mountain). This car has performed amazingly!!! I have a feeling the longer this car is out, more people will chime in on its versatility. I also regularly get 40 miles on the EV range. In short, Lexus undersells and over delivers in this car segment! The car is smooth as butter and luxurious. Worth every penny so far!!

[NckyJay]

When Jack does the *nod with slow blink and solumn expression* it warms my tender heart.

[ActaeonLF]

I’ve had my NX450h+ F-Sport for a year and love it. It is the perfect daily driver. Great EV/fuel efficiency, technology/driver assist features, ride quality, acceleration, and material/build quality. It will have low running costs, be reliable, and low depreciation. No range anxiety and I drove it over 6 months before I refueled. Platform sharing with the RAV4 means inexpensive and good parts availability. Driving dynamics are fine for this segment of vehicle, it is as engaging as I need an SUV to be. I have a weekend car if I really need the ‘drivers car’ or 10/10ths driving experience.

I’m sure the BMW, Acura, and Genesis are great to drive but not a contender without a PHEV powertrain. Volvo Recharge is appealing but Volvo reliability is questionable. All of these will have higher running costs (fuel, maintenance) and depreciation compared to the Lexus. Maybe a good option to lease but not as compelling for 5+ year long term ownership.

I did cross shop a RAV4 Prime which is also an excellent car but the interior design and tech felt last generation and less refined. For a car to own long term, paying the premium for the Lexus quality and latest generation tech felt well worth it.

If you’re looking for a PHEV SUV, I highly recommend the NX and would not trade mine for any of the alternatives cars mentioned. RAV4 Prime is a fine choice if the Lexus is out of budget. The upcoming yet to be announced Mazda PHEV SUV is an alternative worth looking into as well.

[chipholland]

I've had the older NX as a service loaner, and your comments about the high beltline, driving position, and tight(-er) interior are spot-on. It's a very nice small CUV. But for $60k, I think I'd go large with a GX and cope with the horrific fuel economy, knowing nothing will go wrong with it.
In my area I have to worry about deer season - apparently in Illinois you have herds of chairs running out into the road. Did you take it to the local dealer for repair or just apply more zip-ties until you returned it? I think you could start a new series on the service experience you get with various brands.

[pnwgreg]

My Rav4 Prime is great, this is way more money has less EV range. It does look more premium but sounds like all the styling has taken a toll on the usability and space. The prime also does not feel like a sports car, but being able to tow 1500+lbs while still getting over 27mpg is excellent.

[kevinpeirson]

My wife has a RAV4 Prime SE. That was about $43, 000 before the $7500 incentive. It's the best around town car we've ever had with over 40 miles of usable EV range. It's also an amazing road trip car. The passing power would probably surprise most people. I'm sure the Lexus is better but it doesn't seem $20k better to me. I think they need to do more to differentiate between them. Awesome video as always!

[aaronmacy]

Somehow, I’m guessing “Jack hit a chair on the highway” was actually “Mark curbed it at the Kum & Go”

..but either way I loved the silence dotted with scraping plastic noises/giggling. It brought back fond auto auction memories. Hop in a clean looking off-lease whatever to drive it across two states to a dealer only to get fifty feet onto a Denver onramp and realize it’s suddenly dragging its plastic ass on the ground behind it. “WTF are we doing?” was said so, so many times.

[vstan]

Rav 4 superleggera sounds like an amazing new trim.🤣😂You guys are the very best !

[ronochow]

I find the dash on the NX to be nice. The fact that the top tilts toward you means dust is less likely to collect on it and the surrounds reduce glare. With my current VW the bottom is tilted towards you so you have a nice slope for dust to settle all over the dash. It's a small detail, but very much functional.

[joseeduardo]

I think this is the sweet spot. No worrying about range or charge times, charger locations and great fuel economy.

[nathan]

Since I discovered Savageese I haven’t bought a new car. However, I have bought 5 Patagonia sweaters.

[Dowlphin]

Along the wisdom "less is more", your production becomes better by simply leaving potential outtakes in. Makes it entertaining and more relatable, because not sterile or inauthentic. Also long segments of talking thoughtfully and clearly instead of switching back and forth between two camera angles to piece together sentence fragments for 'perfection'. It is basically a meta approach of not going overkill with technological crutches. Your reviews are like the cars you like. They have character.
I am looking forward to April 1st. 😁

[tomlee]

I ordered the 350h AWD in february of last year and was able to get my mine in march 22. This was for my parents as their car was getting older and needed a change. I wanted the 450h because while it was more expensive, it was allowed to get an EV Credit which offset it, but the state I was purchasing was not a zero-carbon state. So majority of these were being shipped to California where people were paying 10K above MSRP (dealer in cali told me to just wait it out). Anyways, I'm happy with the car or rather, my parents are. I am dumbfounded by some technological choices such as how terrible the wireless charging is and that if your phone does not connect to the system, it will interrupt the screen every 5 minutes and I consider this to be a distraction issue.

[deanh]

Enjoyed this video but you left out one key factor for the Lexus NX450h+, and that is availability. I have been on a dealer waiting list for the NX350h for 12 months and the dealer told me to not even try to get the 450h+ since the 450h+ was being allotted to California. The dealer would not even guess on how long I would have to wait for the 450h+ version or say that I would ever be able to get one.

[MrNemo]

Bought this one on my wife's boyfriend's suggestion, even if I already drive a 2005 Prius. Paid extra $5K ADM as well but you know what they say- Happy Wife, Happy Life!

[noahwofford]

Seeing the new Vulf album on the infotainment brings me joy. Great video as always fellas.

[siquanwu]

Ordered it in June and still awaiting patiently for the delivery, I tried Genesis and Acura, but my Lexus loyalty overpowered them (this will be my fourth Lexus since 2004). As the reliability and quietness of the Lexus are the most important to me, so I am happy to stay in Lexus family for the years to come. NX450h+ is the car suits me the best, even better than the new RX.

[danishraisham]

Hoping to see similar treatment for the ES300h+. With AWD.

[michaelvella]

If Acura makes a PHEV RDX I will be buying that over this.