Lexus NX Luxury 2018 review: snapshot

It might not sound like it, but the Luxury is actually the entry point to the Lexus NX range. Yours for $54,800 for the NX 300 and $57,300 for the NX 300h in two-wheel drive, or $59,300 and $61,800 respectively if you spring for the AWD variants, the Luxury models happily arrive with enough equipment to ensure you won't be frantically reaching for the options list.

Under the bonnet, the 300-badged cars are packing a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 175kW at 4800rpm and 350Nm at 1650rpm. It's paired with a six-speed automatic driving either the front or all four wheels.

The 300h models are hybrid cars that make use of a 2.5-litre engine that pairs with an electric motor, lifting total output to 147kW and 270Nm. The AWD models are then fitted with a second motor at the rear wheels, producing an extra 50kW and 139Nm, although that bonus power is only intended to be used to help with initial traction, and doesn't impact overall outputs. That setup pairs with a CVT auto.

Explore the 2018 Lexus NX range

• Lexus NX Luxury 2018 review: snapshot
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• Lexus NX Sports Luxury 2018 review: snapshot
• Lexus NX 2018 review

New for this mid-life update are auto-dipping wing mirrors, a bigger 10.3-inch multimedia screen controlled through a bigger remote-touch controller, a shark-fin antenna and new interior colours. That all joins the existing standard kit, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10-speaker stereo and leather-trimmed seats.

Every NX now gets the Lexus 'Safety System+' package as standard, which includes AEB, active cruise and a lane-departure-warning system that will apply an individual brake to drag you back into your lane if it senses you starting to drift. All that stuff joins blind-spot motoring, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer-sway control and an upgraded reversing camera with a new widescreen mode.