2016 Lexus NX300h: Quick take

[Suarez™]

HIGHLIGHTS: This car's nose dominates the exterior. Lexus calls it the spindle grille. On the NX compact crossovers it comes across as dramatic, really cool, bold, ridiculous and silly, all at once. In other words, polarizing. People either love it or hate it. I can say the styling is way dialed back compared to the LF NX concept shown in Tokyo a few years ago. The NX is Lexus’s first shot at a compact luxury crossover –- think Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Acura RDX - all aimed at young up and comers.

The interior is almost as wacky as the exterior, with the multi-layer dash unlike any other in the car biz. Materials are excellent. Overall the NX hybrid excels in quiet and smooth operation. It ain’t exciting to drive by any stretch but nor would one expect it be. Crossovers being all the rage, this is a good one.

BASE PRICE: $40,695

OUR OPINION: The NX is among Toyota’s smoother hybrids, quiet and comfy, especially considering it's based on the pedestrian RAV4. There’s just the slightest road noise. The comfortable ride reminded me, again, of bigger Lexuses. On the freeway it drives like it’s just the right size. Many Toyota hybrids I’ve driven have weird brake feel as the regen kicks in and out. This car didn’t do that. There’s a lot going on underneath though: the 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine and electric motor/generator send power to a planetary gear system and on to the front wheels; if AWD is needed it uses the electric motor on the rear axle.