Lexus packs a lot into its compact hybrid NX sport-ute

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Lexus went all-out with its 2022 makeover of the NX, a compact luxury sport-utility vehicle that slugs it out in a very competitive segment.

For the most part, the changes hit the target. Critics have been brutally critical in some cases.  Too brutal, in my view.

My tester was the 2022 Lexus NX 350h Luxury model, priced $56,405. Let's start by saying: if I was the owner of this vehicle, I would be decidedly content.

How so?

Let's start with looks.  It's sleek and sporty and has the nearly mandatory swallow-me-whole grille. It looks luxury-laden parked at the country club or outside the liquor store in the strip mall parking lot.

Power is provided by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine paired with a battery and electric motors. That combo (239 horsepower) will take you from zero to 60 miles per hour in seven seconds flat.  In this segment, that's pretty peppy.

Handling is responsive. Steering is easy and precise. Freeway cruising is a walk in the park, and the tester was small enough to handle tight downtown parking lots with ease.

The payoff of the hybrid powertrain can be found on the sticker: 41 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

The Lexus NX has an impressive list of state-of-the-art safety features.  And of all the comfort/convenience features stuffed into this sport-ute, the 14-inch touchscreen draws the most attention.

Some critics don't like it, saying it's too big.  Can there really be such a thing as too big?  Maybe my aging eyes affected my opinion, but I found the big screen easy to read and entirely functional.

Lexus touts the "longer, wider and taller" tweaks to the 2022 NX, and rightly so.  I found the interior space to be more than adequate in this compact class, a definite plus for a daily driver that commutes on weekdays and totes stuff on weekends.

Overall, the NX lives up to the Lexus name and reputation.  The automaker made a good vehicle better this time around.