Hello everybody, This is my first proper entry despite being a member for years.
I collected my new IS 300h advance just under 2 months ago. I'm really pleased with it so far and when Lexus owners club offered a 24h test drive of a NX - It looked like the opportunity not to be missed.
So here it is on my driveway, white, fully loaded 300h premier from Lexus Hatfield. BTW I found their
customer care quite random (largely person dependent) with some excellence and disappointment depending on the day.
My impressions? Having dome circa 80 miles so far... I can't wait to have my IS back!
Positives first: All of the bells and whistles that come with premier trim, but mostly touch pad controller vs my rotary knob, electric tailgate, heated steering wheel and reclining rear seats.
Now onto negatives: The engine and transmission :-/. It feels like the 300h was designed with IS in mind and was then adapted to the NX. Car feels extremely sluggish in comparison. In normal mode the Is is swiftly responding to my foot and I rarely have to go over to second zone of power range. In NX, I'm having to rev it a lot harder in order to get anywhere near to a satisfactory acceleration. (I'm beginning to understand what a famous 'CVT whine' actually means). results? 1500 miles in my Is so far and mpg easily between 48-49 (struggling to get above 50 with my heavy foot). As for NX? wait for it... 30mpg!!! I can't believe my eyes. Am I a car journalist or something?
I wonder if anyone else from Is stable took-up the offer, whether you have similar thoughts?
Update:
The IS has returned to It's rightful owner :-)
More obs:
Built quality on par with IS overall,
Adaptive cruise control - brilliant, but a bit too sensitive and radical for me, I like the fact that you increase/reduce speed by 5mph itervals,
Another run with my foot as gentle on the pedal as possible (At some point I was actually overtaken by a 02 reg Corsa), 5M in the town (Sun am traffic doing 30-40mph) and 7M on A1 doing 80mph with adaptive cruise control = 31mpg :-((
I also LOVE the panoramic roof. This is is fantastic shame I didn't see it when was putting in an order.