dunebuggy

Hi NX owners,

I'm still waiting for mine to arrive. But I'm just curious about the driving modes in the car.
I've ordered a 200t F-Sport

Here in Australia, NXs come with FOUR driving modes, not THREE.
We have - Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport +
We also have Adaptive Variable Suspension

I have seen reviews online that grade the NX in the USA in relation to handling, and here's one that specifically singles out the lack of a "Sport+" mode as a failing...

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...t-first-drive/

QUOTE:
This is F Sport "Lite"
The NX's F Sport transformation is nowhere near as dramatic as the IS 350 F Sport's. In fact, the NX F Sport is missing a setting: 'Sport Plus'. And that's because it doesn't have the sophisticated (and expensive) adaptive dampers that transform the IS F Sport into a canyon-carving luxury sedan. The transmission, too, doesn't seem to downshift as quickly as it does in the IS F Sport.

Does this mean that Road & Track's entire complaint, is irrelevent in Australia?
Do other countries have Sport+ mode as well? If so, which ones?

I am surprised that this feature isn't consistent across all markets.
What are your thoughts?

cheers,
DB.

Nights

As far as I'm aware, all NX F-Sports have Sport+ as an option. I do on my NX300h F Sport (I'm in Australia too). I think American NXs don't have adaptive variable suspension as an option, whereas it's available in most of the other markets I've checked.

Congrats on your order. Always good to see more Lexii on the road!

dunebuggy

Thanks Nights. Yeah, that Road and Track review definitely says "The F-Sport is missing Sport Plus".
So maybe American F-Sports don't have AVS and don't have Sport Plus mode?

Congrats on your 300h. I test drove the hybrid too, and was so impressed by how quiet it was, and the smooth CVT. Ultimately I don't do as much urban driving, so the driving terrain didn't suit hybrid ownership, quite as much.

My NX is about 1 month away. But we got lucky, as there was one already in the pipeline to Australia that perfectly matched what we wanted

Otherwise we would be waiting until May/June to get it, as the back orders are getting pretty long now. I think they are only going to get longer as more people become aware of the NX's existence.

cheers,
DB.

KJL

wel here in Taiwan, NX comes with the sport + mode and also the AVS,
where are north america's NX built? Taiwan's NX are made in Japan.

dunebuggy

All NX are manufactured in the same place. As far as I know, it's the Lexus plant in Miyata, Japan.

This is a manufacturing plant which JD Power & Associates rated "Gold Standard" in 2014.

Nights

They're all built at the same plant in Japan.

I've heard the NX is selling fantastic in Taiwan; they had to bring forward the introduction of the 200t because they couldn't get any more stock of the hybrid.

Nights

Yea, my daily drive is all urban so the hybrid suits us really well.

Lucky on the early car, we had to wait 3 months for ours. I think the queue will only stretch as more people decide to give Lexus a go, which I think is the biggest barrier for the brand in Australia; the Germans are so entrenched as the "premium" option that most won't even consider a Lexus.

KJL

you are correct, they are sold out!
but NX is also very expensive in Taiwan, the top model NX200t is about $70,000 USD

Pesttt

In Canada we have Sport + as well as the AVS as an option.
I definitely feel a difference in throttle acceleration, suspension, cornering when driving in Sport + versus normal...and I haven't really pushed it yet cause we are in the middle of winter and I only have 700kms on it so far...but loving every part of it
Congrats on the NX!

cb80923

My US NX F-Sport does not have Sport+ or AVS... pretty sure it was not an option at all here. No idea why.... Lexus really downgraded the US models to try to lower cost / attract younger buyers. The gawd-awful raked front end of the 200T is another HUGE mistake for the US market (no offense to you US 200T owners, I have just talked to so many people who would not even consider the basic model due to the front end looks).

offroad200

Blame the non F-Sport front bumper on our government CAFE standards. Since the approach angle is higher, it can be classified as a "light truck" and MPG standards aren't as high. Does it make one iota of difference in real life? Nope!

cb80923

^^^ I hear ya, but the US govt did not design, build, produce, and bolt a different bumper on the Lexus models bound for the US. Lexus did not have to classify it as a light truck, but they did in order to lower the expectations of their company as far as total fleet average gas mileage (or however you explain that). Lexus is already a more fuel efficient fleet than some others, raking the front end of this one to classify it as a light truck only gives them a very small percentage in the big scheme of things (probably not worth it), but probably reduced their sales of the base NX in the US considerably due to the styling.

Now, back to the topic.... I still dont have Sport+ or AVS on my US NX F-Sport...

Swacer

Why do you equate a lower price means a younger buyer? I don't agree. A younger buyer can have quite a bit of cash to spend on the right car.

cb80923

Google "LEXUS NX YOUNGER BUYER" and see the hundreds of articles there that talk about Lexus trying to go after younger buyers with lower price points and aggressive styling on the NX, but that most younger buyers would rather have the higher cost F-Sport looks that they cannot afford.

corradoMR2

To the OP, echoing Pesttt's post, Sport S+ (and subsequently AVS), is included in the top F Sport in Canada.

The four modes are Eco, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+.

Throttle: sensitivity increases from Eco to Sport S. Sport S to Sport S+ is the same. Turbo also spools up quicker in the latter modes.
Steering: Eco and Normal are the same. Sport S firmer. Sport S+ is the same.
Suspension: Eco to Sport S is the same, comfort-prioritized ride. Sport S+ is firmer with reduced body roll and flatter cornering.

Transmission up and down shifting is quicker too in the Sport S/S+ modes.

In short, you'll be happy with the AVS since it makes the NX feel like a larger car (in a good way) smoothing out the bumps and in Sport S+, it drives very close to the IS F Sport if you own or have driven one.

Pesttt: I wrote in my RX vs NX review how the AVS-equipped NX rides better over bumps than the RX F Sport especially in the winter since the RX's F Sport shocks got much stiffer in freezing temps. Curious to know how it compares to your previous regular RX.