[00:14] second most sold Lexus vehicle, one of their most important products. And I'm right [music] outside of Toronto in the GTA area where this car is in fact GTA area where this car is in fact built. The RAV 4, the NX, and RX 350 are
[00:27] all built here in Canada. Now, before we talk to some of the engineers assistant chief engineer where he's going to walk you through primarily the philosophy of the NX you with some of the, let's call it important details
[00:39] when it comes to pricing. This is a little bit more expensive than the current generation NX. Starts in the, let's call it 40s, quickly bleeds into the high50s. This is still a price point below some of its German competitors.
[00:52] And of course, what you're sacrificing versus the Germans is a more rearwheel drive based platform. At least in the case of the X3 and GLC, what you're getting in return is lower running costs. This car is built on the same
[01:05] platform, TGAK, as the current generation RAV 4. Same body structure, platform, which means it's more rigid. It's quieter than the outgoing NX, which is still on the old generation of TGAK,
[01:18] rear. The main difference between the RAV 4 and this thing, other than overall packaging, comes down to quietness and some of the focus on luxury. The design different. But before I go into any greater detail, let's talk to the
[01:33] greater detail, let's talk to the engineer responsible for this car. very happy it's been been a very popular
[01:46] car. Uh so for the new development team in order to obviously keep up with the times, refresh uh regulations, all that uh the main point was to keep the keep everything the same as much as they could.
[02:03] introduction of the new platform. Uh and so that's in order to accommodate the new sixth generation uh hybrid system. Uh the uh the capabilities of the platform itself are substantially better. Uh so by incorporating that the
[02:16] whole vehicle automatically was raised uh one level. Uh in addition to the improved platform uh so what they've incorporated is uh low frequency dampers as well. Uh so that allows us uh for better ride handling of course comfort
[02:28] uh as well as the introduction of what we call an air curtain. And so what it does is it controls the air flow around the vehicle uh and we use aerodynamics to improve vehicle uh stability and dynamics.
[02:44] obviously it has more of a a surrounding effect but uh the monitor sizes are different and so one as as technology improves uh the you know the trend for clearer displays larger displays uh is still there uh but for us as well we
[02:57] were looking at the overall balance between the two display sizes. So by increasing the the instrument cluster meter uh meter uh to 12.3 in uh the balance between the 14-in uh multimeter uh display was much more clear and much
[03:10] more clean. Obviously a departure from the the current model. This one uh the concept is simple and clean. So, it's a very horizontally based uh design language uh where we're also able to uh shrink uh and thin out the size of the
[03:23] uh the air vents as well as the the the controls units allowing us to put a larger screen at a lower position uh for improved visibility actually so it does to the uh the current model, obviously there's these these [music] drastic
[03:36] changes, but one thing that he didn't want to compromise was the usability of the vehicle. Uh so, even though uh outer parts are the same, the inside is more usable utility space for small items as well as more uh luggage storage
[03:50] space in the rear. So those kind of things uh he wanted to improve even though there are other limitations as far as the the the changes in the car is concerned. All right. So in summary the primary
[04:02] differences between this and the outgoing NX is essentially everything. All the body panels are new. It's on the latest version of TGAK. The only two carryover parts despite this being considered the same generation is the
[04:14] hood and the rear hatch. Everything from this is now a sixth generation hybrid drivetrain versus the old vehicle being fourth. This has an allnew interior space. It's more rigid. It's more quiet than the old car. It's generally a more
[04:27] refined vehicle. when it compares to a RAV 4. Technically the big difference other than a greater use of NVH material, a smaller cabin, a more luxury material, a smaller cabin, a more luxury focused cabin is the hybrid generations.
[04:41] it's the same as the RAV 4. However, the vast majority of these vehicles is going to be the regular hybrid drivetrain. And this is the sixth generation Toyota hybrid, where in the case of the RAV 4, it is the fifth. However, the actual
[04:55] internal combustion engine itself is more refined on the sixth generation. They focused on increasing some of the rigidity around it to lower the NVH that makes its way in the cabin. Now, when it comes to actual power outputs compared
[05:07] to the fifth gen, there's two versions of this. You can look at the stats. The main difference versus the outgoing NX is going to be the focus on using more of the electric motor versus the gas from pull away from lights. It's just a
[05:21] more refined drivetrain system. and it is Eall-Wheel drive with an ECVT. Now, relatively briefly. This is the same design language as the Lexus ES. As I've vehicle than the RAV 4, but it is still very usable. They wanted to make this a
[05:36] usable luxury cabin. It's fairly quiet, though. There's a reasonable amount of road noise in this car. And when it comes to the rest of the infotainment than the outgoing car. I recently spent two weeks with it, and I absolutely hate
[05:49] steering wheel controls. This has a more straightforward membrane design. None of that touch haptic from the last car. It has a level of tactility, clickiness. Nothing's projected in the HUD like it used to be. All the steering
[06:02] straightforward. The dash is relatively minimalistic. Yes, there's a membrane physical control for your HVAC. It's not necessarily as intuitive as a traditional rocker like you get in a RAV 4, but you have a traditional audio knob
[06:16] as well, which is a good thing. The head unit's easy to use, relatively fast, and there are now mood modes and some other gimmicks. The only way to get adaptive dampers and some of the more sporty driving modes is to get into an S sport
[06:28] all of that out of the way, I think it's time for us to go take this vehicle for a quick drive around some mean Toronto streets.
[06:49] model of I put it into inspire mood mode. [laughter] >> Yeah, we have the shin my fragrance
[07:03] information before we get into the philosophical conversation about this car and of course sort of how it drives and what it actually functions like. The regular 350 hybrid makes just over 240 horsepower
[07:18] of these vehicles sold. I got to turn down the mood mode music mark. Sorry, Chris. Um, and then there is the plug-in much smaller number of sales be more expensive. Makes basically 80 more
[07:31] horsepower. It weighs 800 lb more or 600 lb more and it gets about 45 miles of range plus or minus based upon your environment, driving conditions, blah blah blah. Fundamentally, other than the horsepower, though, the way the e
[07:46] cars is going to be very, very similar. These all-wheel drive setups are effectively on demand. They're really set up to get you in and out of inclement weather. Now, I'm going to tell tell everybody a story about Chris.
[07:59] You own an RDX. Yes. So, you are familiar with this class of car. What accomplish? >> It's a point A to point B cruiser that is a little bit more comfortable and a little bit more quiet. That's it. It's
[08:13] just a slightly elevated NPC mobile. It is [laughter] uh it is the more upscale variant of the most popular class of vehicle on the road. Uh this is uh what
[08:25] vehicle in its class. This is Lexus's second bestselling vehicle. It's an immensely important product for them. >> So, what are your expectations for this going into it because you've you've experienced and this is what everyone's
[08:39] going to compare this to the current generation Rav 4. So, I guess walk me through what your expectations were going to this cuz this does cost more >> Um, I was expecting it to ride better, which it does a little bit. Uh, be a
[08:52] little bit quieter, which it is a little bit. It it it's a game of fractions. I expected like fractional improvement over basically everything which I think this hits that mark. >> Yeah, it does. I think it does exactly
[09:05] >> despite the fact that this is just a variant on the most popular class. It's just not this is not I don't feel incredibly compelling product for because they do just want a slightly
[09:20] they want just want a little push over the edge. >> see the value. >> I struggled to see where Yeah. I >> I struggled to see where Yeah. I struggled to see the value. [music]
[09:42] vehicle is you've never put this into sport mode. You ready for it? You ready >> It's going to change everything. I promise.
[10:07] >> Holy heck, Jack. When I ordered uh Uber Black, but Uber uh ethnically ambiguous What just happened? >> It's the power of sport mode in an NX.
[10:20] Okay, so you've spent time in the prior Gen NX and just like me, you've had the fortune of driving all the Tacumi crafted Toyota vehicles uh as we drive on these beautiful Canadian roads. Walk me through, I guess, what are your
[10:35] favorite vehicles in this class and sort of at least initially, how does this compare against say like an X3, GLC, and some of the other premium small CUVS? I mean, these ones kind of always make the most sense. Like the
[10:48] >> the GLC and the Germans have really fallen off in many different aspects. Like styling, yes, if we if we want to go there. Uh interior quality, like the sometimes with like, >> wow, that's been ruined so badly
[11:02] compared to the pri prior generation with like door handles and stuff. Here, actually quite nice. Nothing's like rattly in here. It's very quiet, >> It sounds gimmicky overall. >> Yeah. Oh, for sure. like it always has
[11:14] been. But at the same time, it's like I feel the Japanese quality in this. And that's not just like a thing I'm just making up just to say, but it genuinely >> I think from a driving side of things, look, I I'm I'm well aware and I'm sure
[11:27] the commentary is going to bring up like dynamically the X3 and probably the GLC dynamically the X3 and probably the GLC and even maybe a GB may be more engaging because at least in the GLC, the Q5 and the X3, they're more of a rearwheel
[11:41] drive based architecture. Yeah. for the most part and they feel more dynamic at you're just putting around picking up your kids from school, going to work, what you care about is how fuel efficient is it, how quiet is it, and
[11:53] how does it ride? And at least from a driving side of things, you care that the inputs and the the let's call it the 610 handling isn't so offensive that it's miserable to drive, I guess. How does this feel in regards to that?
[12:05] >> I mean, the the first thing I noticed when I got in here and turned it on beeps >> Yes. was the steering. The steering is insanely light to the point that it's almost like Rolls-Royce, you know, it's
[12:18] >> Ocio is like, "Yes, >> I was going for." Yeah. Also, the thin steering wheel, there's like weird aspects like that that kind of remind me of Rolls-Royce. I'm not saying Toyota is like Rolls-Royce, but that's the
[12:31] impression I got from this like right away. Uh, aside from that, like you comfortable and quiet. >> And we're in the the poverty model >> Oh, yeah. like I don't even feel like I need them and you know taking turns here
[12:44] and there. It's it's nothing crazy, but it also never has been. This is just for driving to work, driving to pick up your kid and just kind of forgetting about it and enjoying how quiet it is as well cuz it's like this is a pleasant experience
[12:57] I mean? >> No, 100%. Like if if you have an actual sports car at home or a fun car at home, that's the point of this thing. And to in Canada per liter, >> uh, it's a it's pretty expensive. It's
[13:11] like two bucks a liter these days. >> Um, so in the US, at least by me, the fact that, you know, this doesn't even run on premium, which is great. This >> and the fact that you're getting in American units 35 or 36 to almost 40
[13:25] miles per gallon in a regular car. The ECVT sure is not going to be the most engaging gearbox in the world, but it's just quiet enough, just refined enough traffic, >> or if I floor it,
[13:40] >> or if you floor it, it's still a little bit rattly, but it's not so bothersome this car. >> It's definitely more insulated, less >> Like a Rav 4 is great, but that's very rattly, and you can really hear that
[13:53] when you're, you know, going through the fake gears. But this feels and sounds >> it's it it goal according to the chief or the assistant chief engineer is to be or the assistant chief engineer is to be a luxurious RAV 4 basically to be an
[14:07] entry-level luxury CUV built on a front-wheel drive platform with a hybrid drivetrain from Lexus/ Toyota. And I think in its core values, it's better than the last car, which yeah, you can argue you don't like the screens and all
[14:21] to see out of the last car. The steering wheel steering wheel controls are much better. Oh yeah, those were absurd before. Like somebody had had it out for [laughter] Oh, also I do have to mention, first of
[14:34] Lexus didn't actually invite me. [laughter] later. But I do want to say that there's a sticker on the back of this thing, Jack. What does that say? Maybe the real reason I'm having you here is you're the
[14:49] uh you're the diversity hire for this. You're a Canadian. And you have the symbiosis with this car being built in Canada. That's right. All right, let's head into the final thoughts. >> Thank you, sir.
[15:09] off, huge thanks to our friends at Lexus for providing us at least some technical details. And of course, thanks to our friend Jacob from the Straight Pipes. car. In fact, I even got to see how they're built in the same plant the RAV
[15:22] 4s are made right outside of Toronto. and they tried to focus on some key things. Essentially, don't screw up the car they've already built in the past, which is essentially a luxurious version of the RAV 4 that is slightly less
[15:35] practical. And it has the sixth gen hybrid system found originally on the ES, which effectively gets some internal material changes that make the engine produce less noise and make it a more refined drivetrain. Overall, on the
[15:48] interior side of things versus the old car, it's a plus and a minus. While I more simple HVAC controls are gone from the Dash, the fact that the Dash is far more compact, it has better visibility. I think the software layer is better as
[16:03] well. Do I find some of the ambient lighting and mood modes with scent that smells like an old Glade to be somewhat gimmicky? Sure. But if you're the person who's looking for a more luxurious RAV 4 with the low running cost
[16:18] associated with the Toyota Lexus, particularly versus the German you'll really like this thing. However, it is important to note between the price itself and the lower residual than a RAV 4. The NX is going to be a more
[16:33] expensive car to own all the way around versus a traditional RAV 4. So, with that, thanks for watching. Hope to see you again soon.