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We're not sure what it is, but we like it: Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

£40,000 of style and substance

Toys 'R' Us

What does that all add up to? Well, in terms of drivetrain refinement and driving enjoyment, the NX300h is the best Toyota/Lexus hybrid I’ve ever driven. It handles pretty well, too. For what is quite a tall and high-riding old bus you can hustle it along with some abandon and still not find yourself upside down in a field.

Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

Wireless charging plate, anyone?

Slightly letting the side down are the brakes. Not for their efficacy; they haul the two ton NX300h to a standstill in very short order. No, it’s the feel.

Like many hybrids there is a rather dead and rough feel to the brakes. It's a side-effect of recuperative retardation with a generator (actually generators in this case, as both the front and back electric motors can charge the battery) rather than with good old discs. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is worth a mention.

Being a high-end Lexus you get toys galore. They include a Qi wireless charging tray for your mobile phone, Lexus’ new Remote Touch Interface touch pad control system, a 360-degree panoramic view monitor that can give you a funky bird’s eye view of the car and its immediate surroundings and a 6.2-inch head-up display.

Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

Touchpad falls easily to finger

The Remote Touch Interface deserves a few words because it is a Rather Good Idea. Drag your finger over the touchpad on the centre console and a highlight marker moves from one button to the next on the high-mounted display; up, down, left, right or diagonally. Just tap the touchpad to select.

As a way of navigating a complex interface while on the move it's a winner because you can keep your eyes on the road and the display – at more or less the same time – and not have to look at the touchpad at all. My review car also came with a 14-speaker Mark Levinson stereo which was, quite simply, stunning.

Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

New Lexus family nose can scare the children and the horses

The Reg Verdict

The NX300h is not an easy car to nail down. It’s not a true 4x4 SUV, not a 4-door sports coupé and not a load hauler. Like the Nissan Juke, it’s a semi-tough style statement for urban types. As far as that goes, it does a good job.

If you don’t intend driving over any mountains or moving huge wardrobes it’s a practical and luxurious hatchback that is enjoyable to drive. £44,000 is a lot for a style statement, even one as specced up to the hilt and well screwed together as the top of the line Lexus NX300h I drove.

Still, the target demographic (remember, the TV commercials feature will.i.am) are unlikely to be disappointed if they take the plunge. And being a Lexus it won’t break down and dealer support will be tip-top. ®

Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

We're not sure what it is, but we like it: Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV

Lexus NX300h hybrid SUV featuring a 4-cylinder 2.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors delivering 145kW (195bhp)
Price: From £29,495, £43,640 (as tested) RRP

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