Thoughts about NX350h after 2 months?

CB1 · April 29, 2023

Curious what other's think about their NX350h's after a few months of usage.

I ordered mine (with Premium pack and 14 inch screen) in Nov 21. I've had it 2 months now from March 23. Here are my thoughts.

Positives:

1. Very comfortable and pleasant interior.

2. Very easy to drive. Good visibility. Generally intuitive controls. 14 inch screen great.

3. Excellent acceleration - especially at low speeds.

4. Great design and ergonomics.

5 Most of the technology (assist packages) work very well (albeit see below).

6. Very isolated driving experience (some might not like this as not sporty) and super quiet.

Negatives:

1 Slightly disappointing 38 mpg average - despite 90% zone 1 London driving (light foot - regularly get 90+/100 for "hybrid coaching on app). I think the problem is that with London's 20 mph max speed - even in stop start traffic - the regenerative braking effect is not great. I see Which? got a disappointing 42.8 mpg average - quite a lot lower than the 50 mpg average for the similar RAV4.

2. Quality not great everywhere: some cheap plastics if you look; prone to scratching; poor fit in places. Noticed quite a few YouTube channels saying that "perceived" quality of internal fit not as good as first gen NX. Already problems with locks and seats.

3. Controversial internal door handles. No problem if you are used to them - but not intuitive for new passengers. Their raison d'être is to support the "safe exit assist". The issue here is that the "blind spot warning" system only picks up ~80% of cyclists, motorbikes so I would imagine the "safe exit assist" only works ~80% time.

4. Some de-contenting from original spec sheet.

5 Dealership not great.

Any comments welcome.

NiCoRe · April 30, 2023

As a 450H+ driver (and an original 350H would be buyer - I switched because of taxes and incentives making the 450H+ cheaper in the long run than the 350H) I am in line with your 6 points (should we call that an inline 6 😇)

On your negatives :

1. you should wait a few more months for a "real" mpg average. You are still in somewhat cold and wet days (unless climate change is already at full force, I do not recall London as a particularly hot and dry place in March / April. The car is also probably in the breaking period

2. Piano black is a chore. There is protection film avalaible on the internet rather easy to set up but they gave me the feeling of driving a "tester" with its protections on. I suggest if you get fit and finish issue to report them to your dealership (or a different one...cf. your #5 point)

3. The safe exit has a sensibility setting, did you try to tweak it ? The push to release branded as non intuitive makes me smile a bit as most popular Tesla cars (models 3 and Y) use a push to open button placed in a very awkward position (or an extra long finger ET style) and no one called them counterintuitive. A mere 3 second speech, you push to open and in the same move, you continue to push your door, way more "intuitive" than the habit we all took with mechanical handles.

4. This may be specific to LEXUS UK as LEXUS France is pretty much in an "all inclusive" strategy with little option choices.

5. Well I hope you can find another one

szhrmp · April 30, 2023

Was anything removed from the original spec?

CB1 · April 30, 2023

10 hours ago, NiCoRe said:

As a 450H+ driver (and an original 350H would be buyer - I switched because of taxes and incentives making the 450H+ cheaper in the long run than the 350H) I am in line with your 6 points (should we call that an inline 6 😇)

On your negatives :

1. you should wait a few more months for a "real" mpg average. You are still in somewhat cold and wet days (unless climate change is already at full force, I do not recall London as a particularly hot and dry place in March / April. The car is also probably in the breaking period

2. Piano black is a chore. There is protection film avalaible on the internet rather easy to set up but they gave me the feeling of driving a "tester" with its protections on. I suggest if you get fit and finish issue to report them to your dealership (or a different one...cf. your #5 point)

3. The safe exit has a sensibility setting, did you try to tweak it ? The push to release branded as non intuitive makes me smile a bit as most popular Tesla cars (models 3 and Y) use a push to open button placed in a very awkward position (or an extra long finger ET style) and no one called them counterintuitive. A mere 3 second speech, you push to open and in the same move, you continue to push your door, way more "intuitive" than the habit we all took with mechanical handles.

4. This may be specific to LEXUS UK as LEXUS France is pretty much in an "all inclusive" strategy with little option choices.

5. Well I hope you can find another one

Thanks. Some helpful comments.

On 1 (fuel economy) let's see. Ironically, I get much better mpg on longer trips (just done 300 mile trip on the motorway (virtually all automated Level 2) and attained 52mpg. Regularly get 60 mpg on trips around central London. The issue is stop start traffic at speeds averaging 5/10 mph ... which is most of London now. given speed restrictions. It's ironic that I get better fuel economy in a hybrid out of town!

On 3. I personally have no issue with the push handles. It's just that passengers are unfamiliar with them. To be honest, I think that Toyota have created a solution to a problem that didn't really exist!

CB1 · April 30, 2023

6 hours ago, szhrmp said:

Was anything removed from the original spec?

Yes. So far I have discovered missing "puddle lights" - even though there are moulded gaps for them at the bottom of the doors and the door handles have lights in them. The original spec for the "premium package" had both these items. One of several issues I have addressed with the Dealer..

The Dealer also told me that, going forward, cars will only come with one full key fob (I got 2).

NiCoRe · April 30, 2023

3 minutes ago, CB1 said:

Yes. So far I have discovered missing "puddle lights" - even though there are moulded gaps for them at the bottom of the doors and the door handles have lights in them. The original spec for the "premium package" had both these items. One of several issues I have addressed with the Dealer..

The Dealer also told me that, going forward, cars will only come with one full key fob (I got 2).

The one key fob trick is said to be temporary due to chip shortage. Every car delivered with only one key will get the second one in the future

NiCoRe · April 30, 2023

10 minutes ago, CB1 said:

Thanks. Some helpful comments.

On 1 (fuel economy) let's see. Ironically, I get much better mpg on longer trips (just done 300 mile trip on the motorway (virtually all automated Level 2) and attained 52mpg. Regularly get 60 mpg on trips around central London. The issue is stop start traffic at speeds averaging 5/10 mph ... which is most of London now. given speed restrictions. It's ironic that I get better fuel economy in a hybrid out of town!

On 3. I personally have no issue with the push handles. It's just that passengers are unfamiliar with them. To be honest, I think that Toyota have created a solution to a problem that didn't really exist!

For 1 this sounds familiar for me in Paris area. 😊

CB1 · April 30, 2023

7 minutes ago, NiCoRe said:

The one key fob trick is said to be temporary due to chip shortage. Every car delivered with only one key will get the second one in the future

Let's see. Sounds like an excuse to me. Judging by falling semiconductor prices and recent reporting from semi companies (eg Intel, Infinion, ST Micro), I'm not sure that there is much of a chip shortage any more. Plus, there must be 1000 + semis in the NX...

DC__ · May 1, 2023

Hi! This may be a little bit out of topic so apologies in advance. I am just concerned about the interior colour specifically the dark rose tahara red interior. On the site, it does look like more of a dark red colour but when I saw actual pictures of it, it looks more of a bright red colour. Can anyone provide a feedback about it? Thanks in advance. I have attached the said pictures below.

The dealer said that my NX350h will be built on July so I might have some time left to alter the interior in case.

Simon F · May 1, 2023

4 hours ago, DC__ said:

Hi! This may be a little bit out of topic so apologies in advance. I am just concerned about the interior colour specifically the dark rose tahara red interior. On the site, it does look like more of a dark red colour but when I saw actual pictures of it, it looks more of a bright red colour. Can anyone provide a feedback about it? Thanks in advance. I have attached the said pictures below.

The dealer said that my NX350h will be built on July so I might have some time left to alter the interior in case.

I have had a 350h with the Dark Rose interior colour for just over three months now and I can tell you that the colour looks much more like the pictures on the site than the other pictures you posted (they look almost pink to me and I can assure you that that isn't what I see in real life).

RXtoNX · May 2, 2023

As someone who had Dark Rose interior in a RX between 2017 and 2022 all I can say is you will love it 👍.
Rest assured it is not bright red and I much preferred it to the brighter red interior of our current NX450h F Sport.

Mattsneaker · May 3, 2023

I love my dark rose interior too - its slightly lighter than your photo from the website but nowhere near as light as the other photos you poseted

loknx · May 3, 2023

On 4/30/2023 at 8:15 PM, CB1 said:

Thanks. Some helpful comments.

On 1 (fuel economy) let's see. Ironically, I get much better mpg on longer trips (just done 300 mile trip on the motorway (virtually all automated Level 2) and attained 52mpg. Regularly get 60 mpg on trips around central London. The issue is stop start traffic at speeds averaging 5/10 mph ... which is most of London now. given speed restrictions. It's ironic that I get better fuel economy in a hybrid out of town!

On 3. I personally have no issue with the push handles. It's just that passengers are unfamiliar with them. To be honest, I think that Toyota have created a solution to a problem that didn't really exist!

Hi Charlie,

Mine is a 350h with preimum pack too, I drive between Richmond Park and zone1/2 a few times a week so experienced the same slighly disappointing mpg when in very heavy traffic in/around central london.

My experience is that there is a very specific condition where the 350h excels in terms of mpg, not too fast and not too slow, with a reasonable amount stop and go so the regen brakes can recharge the Battery, and ideal ambient temperture of late teens - 20s.

I regularly get around 60mpg from zone 1/2 to Richmond, when the condiotion is similar to above; a good 15 miles trip in the usual London traffic. (I had 76mpg once over 15 ish miles on a peaceful afternoon from Euston to Richmond!)

It doesn't like very heavy or constantly slow traffic in the 20 zone, so London zone 1 in other words. Where regen brakes couldn't do much and worst of all, when the traction Battery runs low enough for the engine to fire up and charge it while you're stationary in traffic, this really hurts the mpg in my experience over the last 8 months.

Cold weather obviously hurts mpg, especially when on short trips where almost the entire trip is spent on warming up the engine/cabin as quickly as possible, you then arrive at your destination before or just after this phase is over, ending up with a rubbish mpg.

Your mpg in central London over the last 2 months is probably in the wrost condition you can ever throw your NX in, low temp, short/slow trips and new engine... I'm sure as we approach summer you will see more impressive mpg to come.

On a side note I'm surprised to hear that you only collected in March when you placed your order in Nov-21. I believe we have identical specs bar the colour(350h with premium pack with link pro screen), I ordered after xmas Dec-21, and the car was ready for collection mid Aug-22. Did you order from Lexus Edgware Road out of interest?

All things considered, I feel the NX is a fine car, and even with the mpg at its worst, is still a respectable mpg for the size and comfort that the NX is, I trust most members here would agree.

Regards

Lok

CB1 · May 5, 2023

Lok,

Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

I agree that there appears to be an optimal "urban use" cycle for the NX - and very low speeds <20 mph do not fall within this definition. I must admit that this is not something I was expecting: indeed I was hoping for extra mpg at lower stop start speeds. It's ok; just slightly disappointing imo. As other cities/towns introduce lower speed limits, I suspect others may have the same issue.

I agree that that the mpg might improve - although it may not - as I haven't been using the A/C and this typically would decrease mpg by ~ 10%

I placed the order with Lexus Twickenham in Oct/Nov 21 and the car actually arrived very suddenly in the middle of December 22. Initially, I was told that it HAD to be registered in 2022 (likely to make annual sales numbers) which would have been very inconvenient as I was in Australia. After a LOT of fuss and a formal complaint, I managed to get it deferred to March - in time for the new registration.