jbm79

Anyone find this function useful? For those unaware of this feature, it basically holds the brakes for you when you come to a complete stop, enabling you to step off the brakes while gear is still in Drive. The vehicle resumes forward motion only when you step on the gas pedal.

It is supposed to be useful in stop-go traffic. Personally, I don't completely feel safe stepping off the brakes while gear is still in Drive. I'm afraid the hold function may disengage by itself and hit the car in front of you. It states on the manual, and I have tried safely on my driveway, that the hold disengages when the driver's seatbelt is removed.

cssaus

I use it all the time, a great feature.

D4V1D

I don't use it to let my foot off the brake and sit there, but I notice it when on a hill and I let off the brake to hit the gas...the car doesn't roll back any. Living in E. TN, we have A LOT of hills and such. This isn't a new feature, per se, as its been around for a number of years on virtually all makes of vehicles. Handy none-the-less...

GlenK

Use it every time I drive. It's one of my favorite features and wish I'd had it when I lived in Atlanta. I love this feature!!

CybrRdr

I use it in while waiting in long lines at the gas station, drive-thru, etc. Great Feature!

You are at a complete stop so if you worry that it will disengage by itself just reapply the brake if you feel it start rolling.

olgzr

I use it every time I'm driving. I love the feature.

jbm79

I haven't owned many cars in my lifetime, but the NX is my first car to have this feature; it's definitely not in my 2013 ES. Which cars in the Lexus lineup, besides the LS, have this feature? I've driven many 2013/2014/2015 Lexus loaners (ES, IS, RX, GX), and the feature is not there, I don't think.

Yeah, I can see those instances as being perfect examples of the function's usefulness besides just sitting in traffic, thanks!

My concern about disengaging is whether the car will roll forward at a much slower speed that you would have enough time to react, or will the forward speed be at a regular speed (i.e. no-brake/no-gas applied). But then again, I know it's safer to just put the gear in Park or keep your foot on the brake if you will take your eyes off the road for more than a second (like trying to soothe a fussy child in the backseat).

olgzr

I was concerned about this too. I decided to try it while carefully monitoring its operation and it has worked flawlessly. At no time has the car crept forward or rolled back while the mode was engaged. It also disengages seamlessly when the gas is applied.

legrunt

There's two things here. One is the auto brake hold function. And yes, that DOES disengage automatically under CERTAIN conditions, being, 1) brake hold being active for more than a few minutes (can't remember exactly how many... 5 I think), and 2) opening the drivers door or unlocking the seatbelt. However, it NEVER allows the car to roll forward, because when it disengages, it will engage the parking brake.


The other thing is the hill start assist, which is always on, looking for cases where the car is facing up a hill where it will also hold the brake momentarily when you step off the brake, so you don't roll backward. In this case, if you do not have auto brake hold active, and you step off the brake and do NOT hit the gas, you WILL start rolling backward after a few moments.

1halifax

Do you have to manually disengage the brake hold? Say I am using it in stop and go traffic and it starts to move smoothly again, do I have to manually turn off the hold?

GlenK

^No just putting pressure on the gas pedal disengages the Hold function. Push brake again to reengage.

Mr645

I like it, although I somewhat prefer the way Mercedes implements the feature. With MB there is no switch, but once stopped, just press the brakes a little harder to engage the auto brake hold.

On my NX it works well and since I have owned very few 2 pedal cars I am not used to keeping my foot on the brake when stopped at a light. I am in South Florida, so everything is flat.

Of course you still need to pay attention, if for some reason the brake hold files, you can just press the brake yourself to stop the car

legrunt

It's like cruise control. You need to turn on the feature once, each time you start the car, so you can use it. You turn it on via a button on the centre console, and each time you come to a stop, brake hold will engage and you can take your foot off the brake and chill. Hit the gas pedal to move off. The next time you come to a stop, brake hold will activate again and so on. To disengage brake hold, ie, to get back normal behaviour, you need to manually disengage brake hold with that button again.