Tickedon

Identical experience with my NX! It was an outstanding service campaign action when I had my first service.

They may have a sporty version of the LBX - but whether it is ever produced and ever comes to UK is anyone’s guess. https://mag.lexus.co.uk/lbx-morizo-rr-concept/ I don’t see a different engine LBX appearing - it’ll be the current 134bhp engine or nothing I think. One thing to look at is the HO to weight ratio - you may find the LBX competitive with your previous cars, as it is smaller and a bit lighter… As well as LBX and UX 300h, I would add a Toyota C-HR to your shortlist. It also has a plug-in hybrid version that may be the sweet spot for you - but it has a small boot as well.

Wheels are 17” (lowest two trims) or 18” (majority of the LBX range). 18” is same size as NX starts on, but, LBX wheel sizes comparable with similar Yaris Cross (16”, 17”, 18” depending on grade). Mini cars have 17” and 18” options. So I’d say illusion - they are big but so are most other cars!

Wonderful news - that’s exactly the brief the designers were given. Glad they delivered.

There is a further paid for warranty option for cars up to 15 years / 150k miles. Difficult to get it as not all dealers are aware: Otherwise servicing prices are the same as far as I’m aware.

https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Labour-Party-manifesto-2024.pdf https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WR-797_23-Automotive-strategy-v8.pdf As with most things, nothing said either way by Labour. Though EV BIK rates are already set to increase by 1% a year for the next couple of years. However, being generous, given the rhetoric about supporting a switch to EVs, increasing BIKs further would be counter-productive and contradictory.

Clearly you’ve misread my original post. I was referring to parts issues for Chinese EVs, which you said was nonsense (“so wrong”) in 2024. It isn’t, as the link shows.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-insurance/362519/exclusive-some-chinese-cars-almost-uninsurable-parts-and-repair-support

I believe quite a few RZ cars were held back for registration is January…

We all knew this already… ”The Lexus NX is the Auto Express 2024 Mid-size Premium SUV of the Year with the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC commended” https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lexus/nx/363553/mid-size-premium-suv-year-2024-lexus-nx Even better now the 450h+ prices have been reduced!

Lexus are on track to sell a similar number of cars in 2024 as they did in 2023 (which was a record sales year for them). There is no problem selling cars. The problem is the government net zero nonsense, requiring all car manufacturers to have EVs make up 22% of their sales this year. For every car short of 22%, there’s a £15,000 penalty per car. The public don’t want that many EVs - sales are 15-16% of total car sales so far in 2024. As well as selling an EV, which gets you one car credit towards the 22% threshold, manufacturers- through a complex formula - can also earn partial credits for the first couple of years by lowering their average sales co2 emissions. Plug-in hybrids have much lower regulated emissions, so really help with earning credits. Hence why Lexus has been offering bigger deposit contributions and lower PCP interest rates on plugins (but not normal hybrids), and, has now cut prices for its EVs and plugins only - there was no price cut on standard hybrids which don’t help with EV credits. Indeed… while we had a technical recession, most didn’t notice, and growth since has been good compared to other g7 countries: https://kpmg.com/uk/en/home/media/press-releases/2024/07/uk-economy-is-turning-a-corner-amid-softer-global-growth.html

If you’re so upset by capitalism, which has allowed us to enjoy wonderful Lexus cars, maybe it’s time for you to trade in your car for a more socialist Chinese EV? I understand insurance prices for those have shot even higher, because with their centrally planned production system, they haven’t worked out how to provide spare parts for their cars, and so many have to be scrapped and written off rather than being repaired.

Looks like it’s the plugin hybrids which have had reductions? 350h seems to be at same old price? They were already offering higher deposit pcp contributions and lower pcp interest rates vs a standard hybrid. NX 450h+ premium plus has fallen from £61k to £56k - a bargain for what you get! I’d bet it’s linked to the zero emissions mandate - they need “credits” worth 22% of car sales, They get one credit per EV, but, can also get partial credits for low co2 emission vehicles - which plugins are - using a complex formula based on average fleet emissions. Someone has clearly worked out they need to sell a few more plug-in cars to balance things…

Lexus Canada website specs shows both NX and RX are 0.35cd… so identical in that regard!

The RZ 450e is identical regardless of trim/grade, with same output and performance.

I guess best to ensure you don’t get your MOT done at a Lexus garage (as good chance they would know!)….

Any luck in resolving this, @John Ha?

But people do crash their cars into houses…

There’s a manual physical lever on the outside of the car as well. Car should unlock in an accident (theoretically).

Last new average car price I saw calculated and published was £39k so £40k is spot on. Not sure what it was 20 years ago but new car prices have definitely gone up by more than inflation- often linked to manufacturers having to include additional (expensive) kit and systems for road safety purposes, as mandated by EU and others. So we have much safer cars, but at a higher price. The problem is while your older, simpler car may be less desired thieves or have lower repair costs, the insurer is still on the hook for if you hit a more expensive, modern car… as well as any personal injury costs. We’re all therefore paying for the choices others are making when they purchase a car. But it would be very boring and disappointing if we all drove cheap Dacia Sandero’s…

It also shows a 215hp vs the 178hp on UK ES with the nickel-metal hydride battery… so potentially there is a change in the hybrid system coming for the car next year?

Yes, because of money they earned from other activities! Their year end profit & surplus would have doubled without the insurance loss. It is madness to think it’s sustainable for any organisation or business to keep running huge losses in an insurance business, with claims exceeding premiums paid.

Aviva are much bigger than just insurance… Here’s the insurance section of the NFU mutual annual report… note that they had two recent years of premiums exceeding claims, and then three years where claims exceeded premiums… Obviously covers more than just car insurance. Sorry this doesn’t fit the “greed” narrative.

It’s got almost nothing to do with staff salaries - but you’ll find the National Living Wage went up 10% this April… Insurance costs are rising because more cars are being written off and repairs are taking longer (so courtesy car etc. costs increase). If you look at any major insurers books - you’ll see they’ve typically paid out 20-45% more in handling claims than they took in via premiums last year. That obviously isn’t sustainable, and hence prices are going up. I know everyone would much prefer to blame some bogeyman or say someone is profiting at our expense, but that certainly isn’t the case for most insurers.

The Premium Plus should have a steering wheel with touch sensitive panels - the same as on a Takumi (and better than what a standard NX or Premium Pack gets).