More than a decade ago, Lexus turned the SUV world on its head when it introduced the segment-busting, car-based RX300. That luxury wagon helped popularize crossovers, and it was a huge success for Toyota’s upscale division. Now Lexus is planning a second, smaller crossover called the NX to play in the hot compact-luxury crossover arena. We’ve already seen spy photos of camouflaged NX prototypes testing, but Lexus has gone and whipped up the snappy-looking LF-NX concept to preview what its new baby SUV will look like when the covers come off.
Sexy NXy
In keeping with Lexus’s latest L-finesse design theme, which made its in-the-metal debut on the latest IS sedan, the LF-NX’s body is sharp and angular. It almost could be called brutal, and we think it looks rather cool. The hunkered-down profile and alert stance will seem familiar to anyone who’s seen a Mazda CX-5, but Lexus makes the vehicle its own. The brand’s signature spindle grille dominates the front end, which also features a shapely domed hood and ultra-thin headlights. The same Nike swoosh–emulating LED running lights that adorn the IS also are present here, and stand apart from the main headlight units. The front and rear fenders are squared off and bulge out from the body, and the back of the rear blisters are left open—presumably to help tackle the prodigious cooling needs of a crossover.
In contrast to the chamfered and scalloped exterior, the LF-NX concept is more minimalist inside. Black and Sunrise Yellow leather is punctuated by splashes of bright metal and deep blue lighting. A large panel ahead of the shifter features ribs separating different touch-sensitive electrostatic controls, while a new take on Lexus’s Remote Touch mouse interface lives on the center console. The overall vibe is sporty and modern, with none of the stuffy, old-school-luxury persona that long characterized Lexus vehicles.
Of Course It’s a Hybrid
Despite the LF-NX’s aggressive looks both inside and out, the concept is powered by a gas-electric hybrid setup. Lexus claims that the NX’s Hybrid Drive system is “tuned for SUV performance,” but no one outside of the brand’s marketing team really knows what that means. The powertrain teams a 2.5-liter four with an electric motor, which is the same formula followed by a variety of Toyota and Lexus hybrids, including the Camry, Avalon, and ES300h. We expect the production NX to arrive offering both this hybrid system and a conventional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Patent filings by Lexus’s parent company, Toyota, for NX200t and NX300h back this up and follow the brand’s style for crossover names (the NX part), hybrid denotation (h), and what we believe will be the designation for turbocharged powerplants (t). All-wheel drive is a given, be it optional or standard.
Although the LF-NX is making its auto-show debut at the 2013 Frankfurt auto show, we fully expect to see the production NX appear in showrooms early next year as a 2015 model. We hope Lexus doesn’t change much.
