I went to the dealer to drive a new IS last night, and was 85% sure I would be driving one home. I was wrong.

I'm the proud new owner of aN NX200t FSport. I got out of the IS a bit disappointed in the power, and the lack of options with an IS FSport. I got into the NX that I wasn't initially planning to look at, and was surprised at how much nicer I thought it was. It actually feels quicker to me. I don't expect it to handle as well, but it's OK, and the other advantages (to me) made it a better choices. I got the options I wanted and missed in my CT, I love the interior in the NX, and I really like the looks. My favorite option so far is the LED headlights. I really disliked the halogens on my CT, and the 3 projectors look awesome.

I'll be spending time in the garage with the owners manual tonight, but I'm pretty pleased with my decision.

 

Congrats Woodrow and nice to see you stayed within the family! You were disappointed with the IS 200t's power?

 

Nope. I drove, and was disappointed in the IS300 AWD. I honestly think the NX feels a bit quicker than the IS300. I also think the NX feels a lot more refined.

The IS200t would be nice, but I need the AWD

 

Congrats Woodrow. I think that Nebula Gray Pearl is the best color on the NX. You will find the LEDs work as well as they look. We love ours too.

We traded our 2013 RX in for an NX so I will be curious to hear how you think the two compare since you now have both. My wife just found the RX too tall. Anyway, they both have their pros and cons, but we have enjoyed the smaller vehicle despite the trade off in ride and interior noise level.

Enjoy your new ride!

 

We actually bought out the lease on our RX because we like it so much. In fact, we chose to keep it rather than buy the new RX, which we looked at very carefully.

When I first drove the NX, I was not impressed, but I'm not sure I could tell you why. It was a loaner, and I think it may not have been very well equipped. It also had more engine noise than ours does, or maybe I was just more sensitive to the drone for some reason. In truth, I was thinking of replacing our RX with an NX, but decided that day that it wouldn't be an option. I think the difference this time had to do with my expectations.

I love our RX, and I think it could be the ultimate road trip car for us. It's SO comfortable to sit in, AND so easy to drive, it's amazing. I also think it's the perfect size for how we use it. Objectively, I'll have to spend more time in the NX to get the seats adjusted for everyday use, learn the gadgets, and see where the NX really shines before I decide how it compares. Subjectively, I really like the looks and the interior a lot, and the lighting is awesome. The NX actually has a different purpose than the RX in our world, although the lines are defiantly blurred a bit. The NX is clearly a better car for my purposes, but the RX might be the better car for OUR purposes. The NX will be up to the challenge, and I believe they'll both win. I'm pretty pleased right now.

 

Congrats! The NX 200t wasn't my first choice either but after we saw and test drove a NX we were sold! All the other CUV's we looked at felt bland compared to it.

 

I do find the NX seats to be more comfortable than our former 2013 RX seats. We didn't care for the fit of the F-Sport seats though. Both nice cars in my opinion, but the new RX has just become too large for just my wife and I.

 

Congrats on a Nice ride, but you know we'll have to see a few pics

 

Congrats Woodrow! I see your from CO. So am I. Love the NX the more I have it and drive it! I only have the base NX200t, but w/ lots of options & love it that way! I think the Vortex Blue is the best, but I also almost went w/ the nebula Grey! Hope you find the NX to be a great vehicle for you, I know I love it. & w/ AWD, it did fine in the snow even w/ stock tires on it! Enjoy!

 

Surprising but glad to hear.

Post pics a few have spoken!

 

The nx is actually pretty quick. I race my buddy's 2013 rx 350 f sport and the nx takes it not by much. Also raced a 2010 sti and loss by a car and a half. So overall the nx has decent power, soon there might be a tune for it.

 

The NX is certainly no race car, but I may have to look up accelerate stats to compare it to the IS300 and satisfy my curiosity. So many things effect the feel. Gear ratios in the trans and the rear end, and throttle response/sensitivity. I was not suggesting the NX is faster than the IS I drove, only that it felt quicker. When the turbo kicks in it brings a bit of a smile, but the turbo lag hurts the initial "on throttle" response a little. I thought turbo lag was a thing of the past.

None of it matters, though. I'm back to enjoying my drives again instead of just riding around. I parked it in front of our house over the weekend while I detailed our RX, and I just kept looking at it. All the different angles for the sun to play off and highlight the pearl in the paint were spectacular. Several neighbors commented on it. There is lots to like, but I especially love the lighting. Most importantly, it feels like a Lexus, with nice materials and typical fit and finish. The CT felt like a dressed up Scion econobox, which I expected to some extent. It turned out that my expectations were appropriate, but I was simply wrong when I thought I could still be happy with it.

Driving is enjoyable again! And in an SUV! Go figure.

 

I recently had an IS300 for a weekend as a loner when my Lexus dealership was working on my NX. I was surprised at the speed and nimble feeling. I definitely felt that the IS300 felt sportier and accelerated much faster. My fiancee, who doesn't normally care about cars, felt the same way and liked the speed. The biggest turnoff was definitely the interior which felt cheap. The new Civic has an amazing interior and I think Lexus needs to step it up now on their more entry models.

I find that it's actually quite difficult to feel exactly when the turbo kicks in on the NX. It's rather subtle. However, with the nature of turbo, lag is inherent and can never be truly eliminated, even on a GTR. You can add extra engines to kick in to mask the lag like on the new NSX though but the lag is still there.

 

One of the big differences between the IS and NX is curb weight. The NX is nearly 500 lbs. heavier, not to mention taller with a shorter wheelbase all of which will effect performance and handling. I've noticed that the 2.0t engines are effected by the car's weight more than V6's etc.

 

Welcome and congrats, the LED headlights are beautiful.

-Josh