Dhe NX 450h+ is the first plug-in hybrid from Lexus, Toyota’s premium brand. Inside the SUV, one is pleased about the high quality of workmanship and at the gas station about low fuel consumption with restrained driving. We came to less than seven liters for 100 kilometers. In purely electric mode, the 18 kWh battery is sufficient for around 60 to 65 kilometers, perfect for commuters.
The NX is also convincing in terms of infotainment. If Lexus used to stand for a rather fussy navigation with an old-fashioned presentation, you will be pleasantly surprised here. The huge on-board monitor with a diagonal of 14 inches is primarily responsible for this. The display is bright, rich in contrast and dignified. Lexus Link Pro is standard equipment in the higher model variants. The cheaper ones have to be content with 9.8 inches, the system is then called Lexus Link Connect.
Lexus’ first plug-in hybrid
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Image: manufacturer
The large monitor mainly relies on finger touch operation. Only the temperature of the air conditioning and the volume of the hi-fi department are adjusted with a rotary control. All other air conditioning functions are permanently displayed at the bottom edge of the screen, further details about temperature and ventilation require switching to a submenu.
Facing the driver, the display permanently shows six small buttons for the main menus: navigation, music, telephony, vehicle setup, web browser and settings. Anyone who starts navigating and wants to activate voice recognition for destination input will be surprised: there is no corresponding button on the steering wheel. Lexus has come up with something completely new here: there are two four-way rockers on the steering wheel, the assignment of which can be switched. You briefly tap the button below the rocker and then see the current assignment in the head-up display. It all works, but takes some getting used to. The head-up display is part of the standard equipment in the more expensive model variants and otherwise costs an additional 1200 euros together with some assistants in the technology package.
Huge onboard monitor with a diagonal of 14 inches
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Image: manufacturer
The voice recognition itself does a good job, understands navigation destinations very reliably and even when driving in a dead zone. The online connection is a plus if you ask about the weather or the weather forecast. As in the German luxury class, the Japanese is also able to distinguish between commands from the driver and the passenger. The navigation instructions are a bit playful and annoying at times. Heard for the first time: Instructions to watch out for bike lanes. Real-time traffic data is automatically sent to the vehicle, routes with traffic jams and delays are marked in color.
The on-board monitor can be used to plan charging for the hybrid. You specify whether the battery should be fully charged at a certain point in time, or program a schedule with times. A WLAN module is also installed, and Lexus offers unlimited data volume for four years as standard. The downsides of the system are quickly listed: the Bluetooth connection to the connected iPhone was often lost, the start-up time is too long, and the standard audio system with ten speakers only sounds mediocre. Otherwise Lexus has done everything right with the new Link Pro. The facility looks fresh and modern, the menus are clearly structured, the presentation is lush and clear. Once again it shows: A large monitor is always an advantage.