We've taken both a friend's LX and our RX450h up to the snow many times, and there's never been any problems.

 

I'm glad to hear that either way but the NX is a different matter. The LX is a completely different vehicle from the RX, both in use and drivetrain. Regardless of the nomenclature and what experiences other people have had with Lexus' AWD system, what the NX is and isn't capable of wouldn't surprise me unless it can do one better than the AWD on the RX.


I know what people are going to say about the RX in this video. I've heard it a lot. I love Lexus reliability and quality but if the AWD can't even do this, it just makes me hate the fact that I have to go with German brands (because Acura is the only other brand that can compete with them on a drivetrain level). Unfortunately, the RDX lost SH-AWD after the new generation came along so that only leaves the MDX for SUV/CUV drivers.

 

Probably better to start a new thread to bash the AWD on the NX since folks are coming here to get pricing info.

My personal experience has been that my wife's RX does ok in snow. It's no tank but it's better than just the FWD in our area. For me, having AWD on a car I like vs. driving a car I don't like due to a slightly better AWD system isn't even close. We don't off-road and we try to stay off the roads when it's bad. I really like the AWD for those emergencies when you get caught in snow or are returning from a trip somewhere and don't have a choice but to drive through something.

Either way, thats an interesting video. It will get more views in its own thread )

 

I don't think the type or effectiveness of the AWD system on the NX will effect sales to any great degree. It sure hasn't with the RX. It is good though to have more info available to potential buyers to whom AWD performance is a higher priority.

 

I'm pretty sure that Toyota/Lexus' Dynamic Torque Control AWD functions almost exactly as BMW's xDrive: they both offer torque vectoring (side-to-side power transfer) by brake power distribution vs. active power transfer (like Acura).

 

So how does going up a ramp relate to driving in winter conditions? Whoever made this video (Acura?) is trying to get us to assume similarity in real life VS this "test". As a Canadian who has driven in all kinds of winter conditions, I know that AWD, with proper winter tires and driving sanely is the best alternative. We've gone through top of the bumper deep fresh snow with our Gen 2 RX equipped with winter tires with no issues; very tank like. Nice video in a nice indoor room, but really, this has no bearing on real life on the road. Marketing plain and simple.

As has been stated, lets get back to pricing; any word on Canadian numbers yet?

 

Oh, of course not. It never has. The Lexus RX, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4 are living proof of that. Unfortunately that information isn't important to buyers until they actually need AWD and it DOESN'T do what they expected. I do agree though. This information is always nice to have but unfortunately it's not always accessible until later when there's a need to know rather than want to know.

Regardless of what Lexus offers, the AWD system isn't capable of transferring enough power to the wheel with traction. That's the point.

You're welcome to believe that. I guess if anyone is to take you seriously, they're to believe you've never been in a situation, regardless of how long you've driven, where this is a reality even though many of us down in the snow belt of the U.S. have seen it ourselves. Nice try but it should be obvious to anyone who can YouTube and Google, Acura isn't the only one who has shown what Toyota and Lexus AWD can and cannot do. Subaru, for example, has shown this comparison for quite some time now. Like I said, you might not have had any issues but that has no bearing whatsoever on the physical capabilities of the AWD system when put through an actual test, not a "it worked for us so I know it works" take-it-from-me kind of thing.

While we're on the topic of personal experiences: I got around just fine in Montreal and Alberta with my '04 Toyota Camry on all season tires when I was up there for a "foreign" exchange program. Why anyone would need AWD up there beats me. With enough momentum, physics is pretty obvious even with FWD.

 

That video...jeez. They say "since it has no hill start assist". Lexus DOES have hill start assist. They must have been flooring the accelerator once they hit the rollers. I haven't tested my AWD in the snow yet, but my old FWD Lexus did just fine - yes....just fine in a FWD Lexus.

You've made your point: signed up to bash Lexus AWD systems.

 

No, but I did know, without a doubt, there would be people on this forum who wouldn't be happy to see the video once I posted it. If posting an example of the AWD systems at work (or not) is bashing, I'm guessing you don't like the truth when it's not in your favor? FYI FWD isn't the point of that AWD video if you didn't notice. Just saying.

 

From my Lexus dealer this morning::

"The pricing just came in last night. The base package AWD is $41,055.00, the base package AWD with nav is $43,670.00, the luxury AWD with nav is $46,645.00 and the NXhybrid is $49,995.00."


A little higher than I expected....

 

A bit more of a break down from this good article: http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...-at-35405.html

Lexus released pricing for the all-new 2015 NX 200t and NX 300h compact SUVs, which go on sale in December. The NX 200t starts at $35,405, including a destination charge, or $6,490 below Lexus' larger RX 350 SUV. The NX 300h hybrid, meanwhile, starts at $40,645; that's $7,900 below the RX 450h. All prices are for models with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive adds a modest $1,400 to the NX 200t and $1,590 to the NX 300h.

A Premium Package ($2,670 or $2,890, depending on drivetrain) adds a power tilt/telescoping steering column, memory driver's seat, larger wheels, heated and ventilated seats, a moonroof and a few more minor features. A Luxury Package ($4,505 or $4,885) includes the former options plus a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, power liftgate, leather and more. Many other standalone options exist, including navigation, various collision-avoidance technologies and power-folding rear seats. Loaded with factory options, an all-wheel-drive NX should top out around $47,500 for the 200t and a bit more for the 300h.

Pricing for the forthcoming NX 200t F Sport is still unavailable, but the all-wheel-drive RX 350 F Sport runs more than $6,000 above an all-wheel-drive RX 350, albeit with more features. It's safe to say the NX F Sport will charge a premium, but we won't know how much until closer to its on-sale date.

 

<<<@!1!@>>>

you do have to realize at some point that this is a marketing game from all of these companies... there are BMW and Audi videos showing how SH-AWD sucks as well. In this case, SH-AWD gets stuck if both front tires are slipping. Subaru also gets stuck easily on rollers.

You just need to be able to glaze through all the marketing... here is AMCI tests that were done in response to all those marketing videos:

Full time AWD will always be the best, but even Subaru has quite few cars that are not full time awd anymore.

As to Toyota and Lexus, they are probably the biggest AWD producers in the world and have various different systems, from full time to part time AWD. Their Land Cruisers are legendary for off road reliability and will beat any Subaru system in real life. Part time systems are all right, they save fuel while still providing your with good traction.

 

The old/current RX does not have Dynamic Torque Control AWD, which the NX and all future product will have, so your video does not relate to the NX, which does have DTC AWD.

 

@AmeOna

Your point is well taken but unless you have locking differentials and a center diff, pretty much all of these awd systems are equal. I live in Colorado and drive my Bmw 428xdrive up to the mountains 15+ days during ski season. It performs great with all season tires and yet xdrive doesn't have a center diff or locking diffs. By default it is rwd and when slippage is detected it sends power to the front wheels. NX being front-engined and fwd by default should have better traction until the awd kicks in. And once traction is sent to rear it shouldn't be any different than my xdrive. Plus I believe the NX comes with an electronic (more like a software overwrite) diff lock, which would fix a 50/50 front/rear torque split up until 30 mph or so.

Here is a really good video explaining all this in a more technical way:


And my apologies for hijacking the pricing thread but I wanted to share some info on the whole awd discussion....

 

Hrm... need to rethink my strategy. Was hoping the NX300h would get better mpg since it's using a 2.5L, but barely any better than the RX450h, plus it has a lot less power.

The advantage with the RX is that it's near the end of its life cycle so discount may bring it down close to the NX300h intial price. Those of you who are looking to buy the NX, are you guys cross-shopping the RX?