Lexus hybird sport-ute enables you to have it all

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Don't be ashamed to say it: You want it all.

You want a Lexus, but you don't want to take out a second mortgage or put up one of the kids as collateral to pay for it.

And you care about the planet, so you're thinking a hybrid would be nice.

Resolved, you don't need a big-as-a-bus sport-utility vehicle ... just something convenient and comfortable for the daily driving chores and the occasional road outing.

No sweat, Lexus has you covered with its Lexus NX line.  My tester was the 2019 NX 300h, which meets all of the have-it-all requirements listed above. In a nushell, it's a sweetly styled, agile handling, generously equipped compact luxury crossover SUV with a hybrid package that will net you 33 miles per gallon on city streets and 30 mpg on the highway.

My ride was smartly dressed in a head-turning "Blue Vortex Metallic" paint scheme that accentuated the sharply cut angles of the sporty body.  If a small SUV can prompt double-takes in this day and age, this is the one.

The tester was a pleasure to drive, with instant response and surprising pop.  Slalom runs could be done one-handed, and the NX stuck to the road with barely a shudder.

Power comes from a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine and a small high-torque electric motor, with the gas engine and e-motor sharing the burdens as needed.  The combined package adds up to a 194 horsepower equivalent.  That's matched up to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.

The standard vehicle package includes a long list of safety, comfort and convenience features that should please anyone aiming to put a Lexus in their driveway.  By the way, the NX 300h received a max five stars overall vehicle score in federal government crash tests.

So, what would you guess for all that?  Maybe 50-grand?  How about a starting price of $38,835?  Yeah, that surprised me too.

My tester was dressed up with numerous optional perks -- including a panoramic view back-up monitor, 18-inch all-season tires, triple-beam LED headlamps and a navigation system -- but even with all that the bottom line on the sticker was nearly $1,500 less than $50,000.

Still want it all?  Then you might want to take the NX 300h out for a test drive.