Lexus NX 350 review: the entry point into the brand, done properly
motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy the NX 350 F Sport with all-wheel drive — the AWD system is worth having for the confidence it adds pulling out of wet roundabouts, and the F Sport trim brings styling and seat upgrades that make the car feel like more than an RX with a shorter wheelbase. It is the right first Lexus for a buyer moving up from a mainstream brand.
Pros
- Turbo four's low-end torque removes the hesitation the old NX 200t was known for
- First Lexus interior built around a proper touchscreen rather than the old trackpad
- F Sport grade's material quality is a real step up from a mainstream compact SUV
- All-wheel drive adds confidence on wet mornings with little fuel-economy penalty
Cons
- Priced close enough to a base RX that some buyers should simply size up instead
- Rear seat and boot are noticeably smaller than the RX it shares an engine with
- F Sport's firmer suspension tune is felt over Bahrain's rougher back-street patches
- AWD is not standard across the range, adding cost on lower grades
The second-generation NX replaced the old NX 200t's underpowered turbo four with a 2.4-litre unit shared with the RX, and it transforms the car's character: 430 Nm of torque arriving at 1,700 rpm means the NX pulls away from Bahrain's countless roundabouts with none of the hesitation the outgoing model was known for. The eight-speed automatic is well matched to it and rarely hunts for a gear.
Cabin and technology
This is the first Lexus interior built around a proper touchscreen rather than the divisive trackpad the brand persisted with for years, and the improvement in daily usability is significant. Material quality in the F Sport grade is a genuine step up from a mainstream compact SUV, with sports seats and a smaller-diameter steering wheel that make the NX feel more special than its size suggests.
Who it suits
The NX is the crossover Bahraini buyers moving up from a Toyota RAV4 or a Hyundai Tucson tend to land on, and it earns that role: the size is easy to place in Seef's tighter multi-storey car parks, the ride is composed without being soft, and the all-wheel-drive system adds real confidence on the rare wet morning without any noticeable fuel-economy penalty in daily use.