For 50K, Lexus NX 300h offers luxury, economy and some fun

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE AWD vs. 2021 Lexus NX 300h Black Line vs. 2021 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD: When you have just under 50 grand to drop on an SUV, here are three distinct ways to go.

This week: 2021 Lexus NX 300h F-Sport AWD

Price: $47,836 (No options on test vehicle)

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver liked the “sharp-edged exterior design, tall ride height, comfortable cabin,” but not the “annoying infotainment touch pad, tepid acceleration, a bit past its prime.” (Liked the design?!? Note: Must find more reliable sources.)

Marketer’s pitch: Nothing to see here, folks.

Reality: A subtle form of fun.

Catching up: This time around, Mr. Driver’s Seat tried a new approach: comparing some SUVs tested based just on sticker price. This example from Toyota’s luxury brand goes a different direction from last week’s RAV4 Prime, more luxury and comfort, less speed.

» READ MORE: Got 50 grand? New 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime roars and sips

Like the others tested, the NX 300h Black Line is the top tier of the model tested.

What’s new: The Lexus NX carries over from its 2018 redesign, and this year adds standard blind spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert, plus fancy green paint as an option.

Up to speed: The Lexus NX 300h asks the question: How much power do we require?

Sure, it’s 100 horses shy of the RAV4 Prime. At first I thought I heard the 194-horsepower 2.5-liter hybrid engine say “woof,” because it seemed like a real dog. But after living with the NX for a few days, I found it performed adequately.

Measures of 0-60 acceleration were hard to come by, but the turbo non-hybrid version takes 6.9 seconds to get there. Figure add a second onto this number for the hybrid.

On the road: At first I thought the NX handling was as dismal as I remembered. But under the right conditions, the NX moves and grooves over the rolling hills and winding curves. The NX goes one better than most fun cars, adding a little kick of momentum up those rolling hills.

Shiftless: Still, here’s where this Lexus feels more like a Toyota — there’s no shiftability in the transmission. I know it’s just a CVT, so there aren’t really any gears, but it’s fun to pretend. Driving the NX, though, is like driving a Sienna. It also sounds like a golf cart when getting to speed, sadly.

Snow business: Another week with all-wheel drive, another snowstorm. What a winter. But the NX showed its stuff in the barely plowed hills of Chester County, with not a slip at all. No adjustments to make, either; it’s just ready to roll.

Driver’s Seat: But no matter the price point, Lexus offers cuddles. The seat features the magic padding that had wowed me in many a Lexus thus far, and no different in the NX.

The old-fashioned dial gauges are clear and informative, and the old-style Lexus information center in between the large dials looks the same as it ever was.

» READ MORE: 2021 530e offers all the fun and comfort you expect from BMW

Friends and stuff: Upon first trying to climb into the back of the NX, one notices it sits fairly high off the ground. So there goes headroom, which is fairly tight, because the roofline is also sloped downward even before the rear door pitch begins.

Legroom is also snug, and foot room is not spacious, either.

Cargo space is 16.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat, and 53.7 cubic feet when it’s folded.

Play some tunes: The stereo system operation is basic Lexus for 2021 — a couple dials for volume and tuning and a touch pad that I don’t love, but that at least grows less maddening every time I try it out. (Compare this to the Mercedes, which still makes me a little screamy.) Unlike other Lexii, there’s no touchscreen backup in the NX, though.

Sound from the system is not quite the full Lexus awesome, but still very good, about an A-.

Keeping warm and cool: The NX sticks with its tried-and-true roller switches to raise and lower the temperature and adjust the fan speed. A confusing row of fussy little buttons takes care of seat temperature and the blower source, sooner or later.

» READ MORE: 2021 Sonata N Line: Hyundai decides to give BMW a run for its money

Night shift: The headlamps don’t shine too low to the ground, but almost just right — a rarity among vehicles these days. And although I appreciate interior light that has a subtle ambience, the map lights in the NX seem to provide encouragement more than actual luminosity.

Fuel economy: The vehicle was averaging about 30 mpg before I got my mitts on it. Down we went to about 27 mpg.

Where it’s built: Miyawaka, Japan

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts a 5 out of 5 for reliability in the NX.

In the end: Auto reviewers can become a little obsessive with acceleration, but that’s not all there is to driving. The NX300h F Sport is like the Miata version of the premium SUV — not fast or roomy, but still pretty fun.

Next week: 2021 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD