I have two 2022 NX's, and one started in January, so I will ring in the new year with a Lexus subscription. I was interested in if anyone found out something different or has feedback on my conclusions:

1) It isn't possible to renew just Remote Connect. That is all I use. It seems they have bundled the services because Lexus figured out that nobody is using anything else. Anyone found a way to just have Remote Connect?
2) There is no way to pre-pay for a year for example and et a discount. Yes I can be cheap - but I don't mind trading money availability now for a discount, i.e. prepay.
3) There is no way to remotely start the car without Remote Connect - from a distance. The key can be used within 80 feet, but from 2 miles away there is no other choice - right?

Thanks. Love the car, but the tech can be a challenge. I still can't get the digital key working, ugh.

 

1. I got an email a few weeks ago to extend my remote connect and digital key for a total of 10 years for free. Signed up and shows correctly in app as expiring January 2032. No idea if that’s a universal offer or I won the lottery. Safety Connect and Service Connect were universally extended to 10 years a while ago.

3. Correct.

I’m left with only Drive Connect (navigation) to extend, and since I use Android Auto, there’s no real need.

 

Wow, you had some Christmas gift. Who did you get the email from - Lexus Corporate or some dealer benefit ? Wonder what's the way to get these nice to haves, so please share any details you can about who the offer came from, part of any other benefit, etc !

 

@jatwell Thanks so much for the heads up. I searched my email and found it. I am really glad you posted about it. For others the email subject line is "Complimentary Digital Key Extension".

Drive Connect and Car Play and Android Auto are all that are needed from my viewpoint, so I am happy.

 

That's nice... Hope this offer is available in the Canadian market as well.

 

I like Drive Connect. Ongoing it is $15 per month plus tax

YMMV,
MidCow3

 

Looks like others have found it as well. It’s corporate and no other benefits.

 

Okay, hopefully Lexus will have some mercy for RX owners as well I certainly haven't received it yet.

Thanks for the heads-up!

 

‘LOL. I didn’t even activate ours until a couple of weeks ago! I found absolutely no use in using something that I was eventually going to have to pay for. I’m just not going to pay for something that use to be free as a purchase perk.

 

Most likely you won't get it until the 3 years trial is near completion. We are starting to see the 2nd generation NX starting to roll off dealerships lots around this time of the year back in 2021.

 

Yep, mine came about 1.5 months before my 3 years is up. They’d be silly not to wait until close to the deadline in case you renewed the subscription.

 

Yep, I probably wouldn't pay for most of the subscriptions. So I would just wait until 3 years is up anyways - the only one I find somewhat useful is Drive Connect for the ability to send locations etc to the car. This is especially because Lexus has not enabled the "Send to Car" feature from Google Maps, and the voice commands instead of defaulting to Carplay.

 

I am totally hooked on the Drive Connect that has improved so much from my 2022 RX to my current 2024 NX, that I rarely push any buttons but instead ask "Hey Lexus" to do everything for me so as not to be distracted and have my head down in the cockpit.

With the recent iPhone updates and the resultant HUD problem, I now use the Lexus navigation system, that in my opinion has better maps than those in CarPlay, and there are no more shortened street names on the HUD.

 

In January, I received a Lexus e-mail offering me a trial period extension to 10 years on Remote Connect. After a few unsuccessful attempts, one of the Lexus team members sent me clearer instructions to navigate the menus. Eventually, I received the confirmation of extension e-mail.

Before I hit the 3-year mark, my Lexus App updated Remote Connect to 2032. However, Lexus did not extend my Drive Connect. From the notices I received in the app, it seemed I could pay for Drive Connect ($15/month) and get Remote Connect at no extra charge. The free deal didn't work in reverse, i.e., I didn't get any extension on Drive Connect when Lexus extended my Remote Connect trial. So I wanted to see what life would be like without Drive Connect.

Predictably, my Lexus Nav stopped functioning at the 3-year mark (last week), reverting back to the intro screen. Since then, the speed limit display doesn't seem to be as accurate.

The good news is that "Hey Lexus" voice commands still work. And in my experience, Android Auto / Google Maps is at least as reliable and readable as Lexus Nav. So all in all, I'm good.

 

Good to know what works and what doesn't - when they do their "generous extension". The only thing I will really miss from Drive Connect non-extension and navigation not working will be Traffic Jam Assist, which allows hands-free ADAS in horrible traffic in my commute that I chose Lexus for, to begin with. That's very disappointing to me that they did not extend Drive Connect, as their Traffic Jam Assist ADAS will be crippled without it.