ROAD TEST.....2015 Lexus NX

2015 LEXUS NX200t

BASE PRICE:          $35,500 including destination chargeFULLY LOADED:     $53,000That might seem like a lot of money for a small crossover but it's really not. The small luxury crossover segment is growing rapidly. This is where I'll stop for a moment & bring everyone back to car reality when i say crossover utility vehicles...ARE JUST MINI STATION WAGONS raised up slightly!! I mean lets call a spade a spade shall we? Station Wagons have been around for a very long time. Although mostly seen as mega large gas guzzlers with fake wood paneling, they still got the job done with a little bit of luxury thrown in for good measure. When the minivan was introduced the station wagon's days of popularity became numbered. These days, the Crossover Utility Vehicle (aka CUV) segment is doing to the minivan what the minivan did to the station wagon. C'mon Mr/Mrs Joe buying public everywhere....pull your head out of your ass & stop believing these CUV & SUV's are anything more than station wagons on steroids! The actual definition of SUV means an enclosed Sport Utility Vehicle that usually has room for 5-passengers, is built on a truck chassis (frame), and is on/off road capable. The actual definition of CUV means a scaled down version of the SUV but is built on a car chassis (frame) and usually handles bad weather/other situations better than a standard vehicle but maybe not quite as good as an SUV. Now back to the NX. This CUV surprised me. The ride is almost Mercedes like. I've not had a lot of behind the wheel experience with Lexus products in general, do they all ride this nice? If so, that explains why there are so many Lexus vehicles on the road these days. The NX has very comfortable front seats along with plenty of legroom. I did hit my head a few times getting out of the NX and I'm only 5'11" so in my opinion it could stand to have a few more inches of headroom. The dashboard is way overdone almost spaceship like. As usual, the NX has all the tech goodies & creature comforts one expects from Lexus, however & I say this about ANY car I first get behind the wheel of, if I can't connect my bluetooth within 5 minutes I am immediately turned off! Without going on a rant for too long, let me just say this to Lexus...the remote touchpad controller? NOT USER FRIENDLY Lexus...WAYYY TOO COMPLICATED TO OPERATE QUICKLY Lexus....NOT NEEDED Lexus! I suppose over time the driver could get used to this touchpad thingy but not this blogger! You have to scroll & click way too much to access the simplest most everyday features such as the radio tuning, navigation, etc...By comparison, the NX had me playing the distracted driver role way more than any other new technology laden vehicle I've driven thus far in my lifetime. The large main 7" screen is too far away from the driver's eye's & it as well as the HVAC controls get washed out by the sun too often. Overall I just felt that they were trying too hard regarding the interior by placing too many buttons all over the place. Now driving wise, its the little turbo that kinda could. Not bad & again better than some but not as good as others in its class. 
MECHANICAL:22 city / 28 highway MPG235 hp Turbo 4-cylinder6-speed automaticFront Wheel Drive (or) All-Wheel Drive Luxury Crossover
35 city / 31 highway MPG195 hp 4-cylinder HybridCVTFront Wheel Drive (or) All-Wheel Drive Luxury Crossover

SAFETY: Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints. Optional safety technology items include Blind Spot Monitor w/ Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Preview Collision Braking, and Lane Departure Warning amongst many others.

COMPETITION:BMW X1 ($32,000, including destination charge)Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class ($32,000, including destination charge)Audi Q3 ($33,500, including destination charge) Lincoln MKC ($34,000, including destination charge)

The NX comes in 3 trims; NX 200t, NX 200t F-Sport, & NX 300h Hybrid

The available options/option packages include: Luxury PackageNavigation PackagePremium PackageComfort PackageMoonroofLED HeadlampsDynamic Radar Cruise ControlBlind Spot Monitor w/ Cross Traffic AlertIntuitive Rear Parking AssistPower Folding Rear SeatbacksWireless Device ChargerThe end result here is a beautifully crafted and fairly luxurious crossover that has decent power & a very comfortable but slightly overdone interior. If I were shopping for a small luxury crossover the 2015 Lexus NX is one I would consider.MORE PHOTOS:

ROAD TEST.....2015 Infiniti QX80

2015 INFINITI QX80 Limited AWD

BASE PRICE:      $64,000 including destination charge
FULLY LOADED: $91,000 including destination charge 
YIKES! When you choose the Limited package you are automatically required to select every other option package made available on the QX80 such as the Theater, Driver Assistance, Deluxe Technology, & 22" Wheels/Tires. That Limited package includes such niceties as smoked headlamps, taillamps, & exterior trim, dark tinted 14-spoke 22" wheels, stainless steel running boards, welcome lighting, exclusive Truffle Brown quilted semi-aniline leather interior, Matte Ash interior trim, & much more. Overall it's a pretty elegant package that's on par with the best of them in this class.This luxo-barge is big there's no denying it. The first version, the QX56, bowed in 2005 as the bigger brother to the QX4 & was essentially a fancied up Armada. Only a handful of large SUV's on the market today have room enough to carry 7-8 passengers PLUS all of the gear they bring along. In terms of smooth power delivery, interior space/comfort, and available technology the QX80 can hang with the best of 'em no problem. The area that really surprised me in a positive way was handling. This thing looks and feels as big as the rest of its competitors, yet when you get behind the wheel and hit an off ramp corner faster than you may have intended to, this thing does NOT handle big!It's a tad expensive but then again aren't they all in this class? I mean when you stack it up against the Escalade it screams bargain. You could realistically select one or two option packages & get out the door for basically the same as what the Escalade starts at.
MECHANICAL: 14 city / 20 highway MPGI have NEVER achieved over 15 MPG in one of these but every trip to the gas station sure was a comfy one!400 hp V87-speed automaticRear Wheel Drive (or) 4-Wheel Drive Luxury SUV
SAFETY: Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints. Some of the many optional safety features are Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning to name just a few.

COMPETITION: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class ($64,500, including destination charge)Cadillac Escalade ($74,000, including destination charge)Lincoln Navigator ($63,000, including destination charge) Lexus LX ($84,000, including destination charge) 

Besides the aforementioned Limited, other available option packages include: 

Deluxe Technology PackageTheater PackageDriver Assistance Package
At the end of the day, the QX80 is a beautifully crafted and ultra luxurious SUV that has more than enough power & comfort at a pretty competitive price. If I had a large family, made a decent salary, & was looking for an upscale family hauler, the 2015 Infiniti QX80 would be at the top of my shopping list no doubt about it.
PHOTOS: