2015 Lexus NX200t: Mother’s Day in style

Ahh Mother’s Day, our third consecutive holiday after Valentine’s Day and Wedding Anniversary — yay.

Thankfully, this year I had something else to look forward to besides overpriced flowers, and a long wait at Red Lobster. What is it? The hottest SUV on the market, the 2015 Lexus NX! But there was a problem, it was Missi’s Mother’s Day treat and not mine, which meant she had to let ME borrow it and not the other way around.

Today’s market is booming with small SUV’s or crossovers, some luxury and some economy. But when it comes to Luxury SUV’s, look no further than Lexus, because they invented the luxury SUV in the late 90’s. So they know a thing or two…

Delivery day arrived, and not one but two gorgeous Lexus NX’s pulled up to our house, and that’s the moment when our neighbors surely thought we engaged in illegal activities. As Missi glanced at it for the first time, I could tell she was genuinely excited, but I already knew that because she’d been bragging about it for days. It’s the sharp lines and aggressive front end that really captivates you, as this Lexus actually turns heads, and for the right reasons. While loading sand bags for my daughter’s sand box at Lowe’s, three people came over to tell me how great the NX looked. Yet none of them offered to help.

As expected, the NX is smooth and gentle on the road, and the cabin insulation does an incredible job at isolating the stressful world outside. Relax on the heated red leather seats, and if it’s chilly outside, flip on the heated steering wheel. Acceleration is smooth on delivery, and braking is gentle but solid, which is good for our puke-prone children. So the smoother the ride, the better.

When Missi and I first sat in the front seats we were a bit overwhelmed at the buttons on the dash, as they looked very complicated. But once we spent some time behind the wheel we realized that everything is strategically positioned, and once you master the genius touchpad you’ll be left wondering how you ever lived without it. Just lay your wrist on the leather cushion, and glide your fingers across the touchpad like you do with your tablet. Once you become familiar with the way the system flows you can control the A/C, radio, Navigation, and even your favorite apps like FB and Pandora!

As you move to the second row you’ll find more than ample leg room, and a very cool seating arrangement called “stadium seating”, which means that the second row sits a few inches higher than the front, so your passengers not only sit more comfortable, but they also get a better view. LATCH anchors are clearly labeled, and  even our big Chicco car seat fit perfectly and gave Josephine plenty of room for her little legs. The NX offers a spacious trunk that is sure to fit a stroller, kiddie bike, grocery bags, and of course — sand bags, all ten of them.

And because our lives and the lives of our little ones matter, Lexus has gone above and beyond in making  sure you are safe.

• NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Five Stars
• Frontal Impact: Four Stars
• Side Impact: Five Stars
• Airbags: Front and Side Airbags for front passengers, Side Curtain Airbags for rear passengers, and Knee Airbag for the driver.

If I wrote down every feature that we loved this would turn into a boring short novel, so that’s why we made a short but sweet video on some of the coolest “Mom-Approved” features on the Lexus NX.

Tested Features:

• 235-hp Turbocharged engine. (On NX200t model only)
• Head seats and steering wheel
• Sunroof
• Navigation system
• Touchpad with haptic feedback
• F Sport body trim
• Adaptive Xenon headlights
• 18″ F Sport wheels
• XM Radio

 

The Great:

• Looks that turn heads
• Adjustable power-liftgate height
• Versatility and luxury at a great price
• Unmatched comfort

 

The not so Great:

• For this caliber of vehicle, a panorama roof instead of a tiny sunroof would’ve been nice
• Paddle shifters are more for decoration rather than purpose, as the transmission doesn’t like to be told what to do
• We could only achieve 25.5mpg average over a 300 mile trip
• Voice command recognition never understood a word I was saying

 

2015 Lexus NX200t F Sport

Starts at $34,480 FWD or $35,880 AWD

Price as tested: 45,313

 

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