Motorways in an NX

Spacewagon52 · May 12, 2021

4 hours ago, paulrnx said:

Wow! If only she had gifted it to her nephew who had the foresight to have it restored and stored away until now. What a shame!!

Hindsight .......................... if only we knew!

paulrnx · May 14, 2021

An enjoyable drive. A short drive up the M6 and across on the M54 to Telford before picking up the A5. Horseshoe Pass was amazing as usual. Much better than a 200 mile M6/M56/A55 slog. Still maintain these cars are better on A roads and B roads at speeds up to 50 than they are on dual carriageways and motorways.

Spacewagon52 · May 15, 2021

On 4/25/2021 at 7:50 AM, as13 said:

Just completed a 310 mile round trip, with maybe 5 miles either end non motorway.

M40, M42, M5, M6, M58 and back ave MPG was 36.9

In place's 80mph and alot at 70mph due ave speed cameras, not forgetting the road works 60mph (18miles of on the M6)

I am a little surprised it is as low as that to be honest. That compares with my RX 400h on a long run.

royoftherovers · May 15, 2021

The NX has a drag coefficient of .33 which is not particularly conducive to fuel efficiency, and it is an S.U.V. If 36.9 is taken from the on-board computer, it will really be 35 max and motoring for long stretches at 80 and 70 mph, then I`m not surprised at the fuel consumption figures.

He could have made significant improvements in those figures had he motored at a steady 56 mph, but in truth he might not have finished his journey yet !🤣🤣

Spacewagon52 · May 15, 2021

9 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

The NX has a drag coefficient of .33 which is not particularly conducive to fuel efficiency, and it is an S.U.V. If 36.9 is taken from the on-board computer, it will really be 35 max and motoring for long stretches at 80 and 70 mph, then I`m not surprised at the fuel consumption figures.

He could have made significant improvements in those figures had he motored at a steady 56 mph, but in truth he might not have finished his journey yet !🤣🤣

My surprise John was that my 3.3 litre returns similar figures to a 2.5 4 cylinder.

rayaans · May 15, 2021

I usually get about 27-28mpg around town in the RX but I usually only use it to work. On a long run, loaded car with 5 of us I get around 33-35mpg and I dont exactly hang about on the motorway anyway

Having said that our IS300h was great on the motorway and got up to speed quite quickly so I dont know how the NX can be that bad. Probably a combination of more weight and less power.

First_Lexus · May 15, 2021

5 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I am a little surprised it is as low as that to be honest. That compares with my RX 400h on a long run.

I’ve just completed a 100 mile round trip on the - admittedly very quiet - M4. Cruise set to 70mph. Computer says 41.1mpg after refuel which was right at the start of my journey this morning.

Spacewagon52 · May 15, 2021

3 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

I’ve just completed a 100 mile round trip on the - admittedly very quiet - M4. Cruise set to 70mph. Computer says 41.1mpg after refuel which was right at the start of my journey this morning.

That sounds better. MPG has so many variables it is hard to compare but I achieved 36 mpg (RX 400h) on a motorway trip from Bristol to Kent.

royoftherovers · May 15, 2021

1 minute ago, Spacewagon52 said:

That sounds better. MPG has so many variables it is hard to compare but I achieved 36 mpg (RX 400h) on a motorway trip from Bristol to Kent.

And I once achieved 83 mpg in a 3 cylinder Daihatsu Turbo Diesel from Wirral to Wimbledon and return !

So many variables indeed.

Spacewagon52 · May 15, 2021

Just now, royoftherovers said:

And I once achieved 83 mpg in a 3 cylinder Daihatsu Turbo Diesel from Wirral to Wimbledon and return !

So many variables indeed.

You MUST turn the engine on John ..... on the back of an AA truck does not count!

royoftherovers · May 15, 2021

Just now, Spacewagon52 said:

You MUST turn the engine on John ..... on the back of an AA truck does not count!

Tharwted !

Tubularowl · May 16, 2021

I may get heavily criticised for this but if you drive on radar, following a lorry doing 55-60mph with the radar set to the mid point you can achieve 55mpg+ due to the slipstream of the lorry. Tankers have a better slipstream than artics. More experienced caravan drivers do this as well.

You don’t get too close to the lorry but just close enough and the radar hold that position. It’s fine unless you prefer driving much faster.

royoftherovers · May 16, 2021

1 minute ago, Tubularowl said:

I may get heavily criticised for this but if you drive on radar, following a lorry doing 55-60mph with the radar set to the mid point you can achieve 55mpg+ due to the slipstream of the lorry. Tankers have a better slipstream than artics. More experienced caravan drivers do this as well.

You don’t get too close to the lorry but just close enough and the radar hold that position. It’s fine unless you prefer driving much faster.

Hi Ray, nice but risky thinking.

Perhaps it is something an American would do whilst sitting in the back seat of his Tesla with the car on "autopilot" if you believe what the papers tell us.

Seriously, I believe that your fuel consumption would hit around the 50 mark if you just travelled at a constant 56mph without the benefit of any slipstream.

Have a good day.

paulrnx · May 16, 2021

18 minutes ago, Tubularowl said:

I may get heavily criticised for this but if you drive on radar, following a lorry doing 55-60mph with the radar set to the mid point you can achieve 55mpg+ due to the slipstream of the lorry. Tankers have a better slipstream than artics. More experienced caravan drivers do this as well.

You don’t get too close to the lorry but just close enough and the radar hold that position. It’s fine unless you prefer driving much faster.

Or buy something much more economical if economy matters this much.

First_Lexus · June 17, 2021

Aware I’m reviving an older thread, but over the past three weeks I’ve done about 2,000 motorway miles. I’ve actually found the NX to be almost the perfect companion in this context, because;

1. It cruises at 70-75mph effortlessly, and it is supremely quiet. My new Avon Tyres have helped in this regard, and I’m happy to say they are exceptional.

2. An NX remains the most comfortable car I’ve ever had. The seats offer just the right amount of support whilst not being too hard, and the armrests are in the perfect place for me!

3. Radar cruise control and lane assist work very well, taking even more stress out of longer journeys.

4. The in-car audio provides good sound quality.

I fully accept that the NX isn’t the quickest car, but as long as you build speed gradually and then maintain it using the cruise control you shouldn’t need to accelerate quickly. Even then, if you need to I’ve found a gentle and gradual press of the accelerator gives swift progress from 70-80mph without any fuss or drama.

paulrnx · June 18, 2021

On 6/17/2021 at 5:54 PM, First_Lexus said:

Aware I’m reviving an older thread, but over the past three weeks I’ve done about 2,000 motorway miles. I’ve actually found the NX to be almost the perfect companion in this context, because;

1. It cruises at 70-75mph effortlessly, and it is supremely quiet. My new Avon tyres have helped in this regard, and I’m happy to say they are exceptional.

2. An NX remains the most comfortable car I’ve ever had. The seats offer just the right amount of support whilst not being too hard, and the armrests are in the perfect place for me!

3. Radar cruise control and lane assist work very well, taking even more stress out of longer journeys.

4. The in-car audio provides good sound quality.

I fully accept that the NX isn’t the quickest car, but as long as you build speed gradually and then maintain it using the cruise control you shouldn’t need to accelerate quickly. Even then, if you need to I’ve found a gentle and gradual press of the accelerator gives swift progress from 70-80mph without any fuss or drama.

Still a poor motorway car in my opinion. Glad you are happy with yours but both of my NX have been poor (in my opinion of course), as have all of the courtesy NX vehicles I’ve had and experienced, on motorways. Having the engine droning away at high revs on long steep inclines just to maintain an indicated 75 is not great for me. If I had to do loads of motorway miles mine would have to go. Luckily I don’t.

I guess this just shows that we are all different and have different perceptions of what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable.

Spacewagon52 · June 19, 2021

12 hours ago, paulrnx said:

Still a poor motorway car in my opinion. Glad you are happy with yours but both of my NX have been poor (in my opinion of course), as have all of the courtesy NX vehicles I’ve had and experienced, on motorways. Having the engine droning away at high revs on long steep inclines just to maintain an indicated 75 is not great for me. If I had to do loads of motorway miles mine would have to go. Luckily I don’t.

I guess this just shows that we are all different and have different perceptions of what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable.

What Lexus did you have before the NX Paul?

First_Lexus · June 19, 2021

12 hours ago, paulrnx said:

Having the engine droning away at high revs on long steep inclines just to maintain an indicated 75 is not great for me. If I had to do loads of motorway miles mine would have to go

^^ Odd, because I don’t remember that having to happen. With cruise control set to indicated 75mph once I’ve built speed there isn’t really much reason to accelerate hard, certainly not for any longer period.

Mind you, I do accept I’m a very relaxed driver. I remember on the (company paid) advanced driving course with ex-Police drivers, the guy said - words to the effect - “…if you ever have to accelerate hard to get out of trouble then you haven’t been reading the situation properly!” He noted he didn’t think that would ever be an issue for me, and the course was when I was ten years younger. Read into that what you will about my driving style. 😅

Spacewagon52 · June 19, 2021

1 hour ago, First_Lexus said:

^^ Odd, because I don’t remember that having to happen. With cruise control set to indicated 75mph once I’ve built speed there isn’t really much reason to accelerate hard, certainly not for any longer period.

Mind you, I do accept I’m a very relaxed driver. I remember on the (company paid) advanced driving course with ex-Police drivers, the guy said - words to the effect - “…if you ever have to accelerate hard to get out of trouble then you haven’t been reading the situation properly!” He noted he didn’t think that would ever be an issue for me, and the course was when I was ten years younger. Read into that what you will about my driving style. 😅

Sounds steady and safe to me!

Barry14UK · June 19, 2021

Aerodynamics have an increasing effect at ever faster cruising speed, so the difference in mpg between cruising between say 60-70 and 70-80 is going to be much worse in the latter case, much more power being required from the engine. In an SUV you pay the price for a heavy less aerodynamic but more comfortable car. That said, I think the MPG of all comparable vehicles has improved slightly over recent years, particularly as they have grown in weight with loads of extra equipment and size. Hopefully Lexus will squeeze a little more economy from the next model as they did with the 4th gen RX but often power and economy don't always go together. I am sure Lexus could tune the engine to provide more power but probably with worse mpg

We are nearing the end of ICE cars and self charging models have undoubtedly extended their production. However, one wonders how much further development will go into research after the latest engine from the Toyota Rav goes into the new NX when Toyota will be spending a lot of resources developing electric and hydrogen powered cars.

paulrnx · June 19, 2021

4 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

^^ Odd, because I don’t remember that having to happen. With cruise control set to indicated 75mph once I’ve built speed there isn’t really much reason to accelerate hard, certainly not for any longer period.

Mind you, I do accept I’m a very relaxed driver. I remember on the (company paid) advanced driving course with ex-Police drivers, the guy said - words to the effect - “…if you ever have to accelerate hard to get out of trouble then you haven’t been reading the situation properly!” He noted he didn’t think that would ever be an issue for me, and the course was when I was ten years younger. Read into that what you will about my driving style. 😅

Long steep inclines require the engine to rev to maintain the same speed. In most cars a flexing of the right foot and no increase in revs is all it takes. In an NX it requires a heftier shove on the accelerator and an increase in revs to maintain the same speed. Different people different expectations and acceptance of what is acceptable. Any move from the middle lane to the outside lane of a busy motorway also requires similar. And before you think I might be racing everywhere I move into the outside lane every time a truck doing 56 pulls out to overtake another truck doing 55.5 😀

paulrnx · June 19, 2021

5 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

^^ Odd, because I don’t remember that having to happen. With cruise control set to indicated 75mph once I’ve built speed there isn’t really much reason to accelerate hard, certainly not for any longer period.

Mind you, I do accept I’m a very relaxed driver. I remember on the (company paid) advanced driving course with ex-Police drivers, the guy said - words to the effect - “…if you ever have to accelerate hard to get out of trouble then you haven’t been reading the situation properly!” He noted he didn’t think that would ever be an issue for me, and the course was when I was ten years younger. Read into that what you will about my driving style. 😅

You must drive on a lot of empty motorways if you manage to maintain 75 without being baulked by slow moving trucks overtaking other slow moving trucks. M5 and M6 are terrible for having two lanes of trucks. I prefer not to drive at 55 behind a line of trucks. When baulked accelerating from 55 back up to 75 is painful on the ears not to mention taking quite a long time.

paulrnx · June 19, 2021

2 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

Aerodynamics have an increasing effect at ever faster cruising speed, so the difference in mpg between cruising between say 60-70 and 70-80 is going to be much worse in the latter case, much more power being required from the engine. In an SUV you pay the price for a heavy less aerodynamic but more comfortable car. That said, I think the MPG of all comparable vehicles has improved slightly over recent years, particularly as they have grown in weight with loads of extra equipment and size. Hopefully Lexus will squeeze a little more economy from the next model as they did with the 4th gen RX but often power and economy don't always go together. I am sure Lexus could tune the engine to provide more power but probably with worse mpg

We are nearing the end of ICE cars and self charging models have undoubtedly extended their production. However, one wonders how much further development will go into research after the latest engine from the Toyota Rav goes into the new NX when Toyota will be spending a lot of resources developing electric and hydrogen powered cars.

Hard to know if BEVs are a stepping stone or the destination. Heard a great quote the other day - running a car with an ICE is unsustainable (fossil fuels and pollution) and yet building a BEV is also unsustainable (precious metals and energy required). Synthetic fuels and Hydrogen fuel cells may be a better long term bet.

First_Lexus · June 19, 2021

20 minutes ago, paulrnx said:

You must drive on a lot of empty motorways if you manage to maintain 75 without being baulked by slow moving trucks overtaking other slow moving trucks. M5 and M6 are terrible for having two lanes of trucks. I prefer not to drive at 55 behind a line of trucks. When baulked accelerating from 55 back up to 75 is painful on the ears not to mention taking quite a long time.

Mainly the M4, at a variety of times. Always avoid the M6 - and the North in general!