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The History and Evolution of the Lexus NX

lexus-nx

Lexus is a division of Toyota. To be precise, it is the division of the Japanese automaker that is responsible for its premium cars, thus making it a striking contrast to the much more mundane nature of the rest of the divisions. Regardless, Lexus has made with a fair amount of success over the course of its existence, as shown by the fact that its operational centers in Nagoya, Japan, Brussels, Belgium, and Torrance, United States enable it to sell its products in more than 70 countries situated all around the world. In fact, it has proven to be so successful that it is considered to be the single best-selling Japanese make of premium cars, which is a rather remarkable feat by any standard.

To understand Lexus premium cars such as the Lexus NX, it is important to understand a little something about it as well as the evolution of its products over the course of its existence. In brief, Toyota launched an initiative to create a premium sedan code-named the F1 in 1983, which went on to become the Lexus LS in 1989. The Lexus LS met with a fair amount of success in the United States, which in turn, convinced Toyota to begin selling the premium sedan in other countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Combined, its sales turned it into the flagship model of the Japanese make, which has resulted in four generations of the premium car so far. However, just as important is how its success enabled the existence of other premium cars bearing the Lexus name, with the Lexus LS being one such example.

What Is the Lexus NX?

lexus-nx-interior

Introduced in late 2014, the Lexus NX is a compact crossover SUV that is meant to be one more premium car in Lexus's line-up of premium cars. However, its particular characteristics make it suitable for a particular segment of car consumers that were less interested in other Lexus premium cars, meaning that it is not a replacement for an existing product but rather something meant to stand on its own. Given that it is supposed to be slotted below the mid-sized Lexus RX, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Lexus NX stands for the Lexus Nimble Crossover, thus reinforcing its role in the Japanese make's overall plans.

Regardless, it is interesting to note that the Lexus NX shares some of the parts relating to its structure and wheelbase with the Toyota RAV4, while the rest bears the Japanese make's characteristic excellence. Furthermore, it should be noted that it is available with different powertrains, as shown by the existence of the Lexus NX 200t and the Lexus NX 300h. One boasts a 2.0L turbocharged inline four cylinder direct injection engine, thus making it the first Lexus product sold in the U.S. market to come with a turbocharged gasoline engine. In contrast, the other runs off of a 2.5-liter inline four engine that has been paired with an electric motor to produce a hybrid for the European market. With that said, the Lexus NX is not limited to these two versions, as shown by how the Russian market will see the launch of a version with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine.

lexus-nx-cockpit

Moving on, the Lexus NX shines most when it comes to all of the features that have been bundled into each one of the vehicles, though as usual, different vehicles can come with different sets of features for the sake of customization. Some of these features exist to make the Lexus NX both more comfortable and more convenient for car consumers, with examples ranging from a remote touch with touchpad to a voice command system that is more sophisticated and thus more useful than ever.

In contrast, other features are meant to make the Lexus NX safer to drive, which has become more and more important in the modern world. For example, a blind spot monitor combined with back-up cameras lowers the chances of the driver making a serious mistake by failing to take something that they have not seen into consideration. Likewise, a tire pressure monitor system provides up-to-date information about the condition of the Lexus NX, while lane departure alert sends a noticeable reminder whenever the driver begins to drift. Finally, the Lexus NX even comes with a set of triple-beam LED headlamps, which enable it to cut through the darkness with remarkable ease.

Summed up, the Lexus NX is an excellent product that incorporates not just the lessons that the Japanese make has learned over the course of its existence but also the new techniques and technologies that have been introduced in recent times. As a result, it is an appropriate choice for a wide range of interested individuals, which goes a great deal towards explaining its financial performance.

What Does the Future Hold for the Lexus NX?

lexus-nx-rear-view

So far, the Lexus NX has managed to meet with significant success. For example, Lexus sold more than 40,000 of the premium car throughout the United States in 2015, which was the first full year in which it was available for sale. Furthermore, the Lexus NX proved that it could bring in car consumers from not just the United States but also other sales regions such as Europe, as supported by the sale of more than 28,000 of the premium car throughout European countries in 2015. As a result, it seems probable that the Lexus NX will see the introduction of more versions in order to make it appealing to more car consumers, which has already started to happen with the sales of hybrid Lexus NX models in the European market but not the U.S. market.

In future, it seems probable that the line as a whole will see more models incorporating more of the new techniques and technologies being developed all of the time. Its appeal to car consumers has been proven, which means that Lexus has excellent reason to continue appealing to said individuals. Something that is even more probable in light of the fact that it has done something similar for other successful Lexus lines such as the Lexus ES and the Lexus RS.

Garrett Parker

Written by Garrett Parker

Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.

Read more posts by Garrett Parker

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