The 2022 Lexus NX arrives to give the luxury crossover a new generation, and there are some big changes for the model. Among them, the automaker's much-maligned infotainment system is gone, and there's now a big touchscreen. Production starts in the third quarter of 2021, and Lexus is announcing pricing closer to that time.

A Fresh Appearance

The exterior styling has an evolved look from the current Lexus NX. There's still the familiar spindle grille but with redesigned headlights that have pointy, arrow-shaped running lights. Three-projector LED headlights are an option. The rear end gets rid of the brand's traditional L emblem. Instead, there are now bold "LEXUS" letters across the back. The taillights also span the full width of the vehicle, too.

Gallery: 2022 Lexus NX Lineup

Inside, there's the overhauled infotainment tech that the company calls Lexus Interface. It comes standard with a 9.8-inch screen, and a 14-inch display is an option. There physical dials for controlling elements like the climate control and audio volume. Other tech in the cabin includes a 7.0-inch high-definition screen in the instrument cluster and an optional 10-inch head-up display.

Heated front seats are now standard, and there's an option for a heated rear bench. The upholstery is available in Black, Black with Rich Cream, Palomino, and Rioja Red NuLuxe. The trim options include Black Open Pore wood and Black Prism with a three-dimensional fractal pattern. A panoramic moonroof is available that has openings for the front and rear passengers.

Engines

The 2022 NX offers four powertrains. The base version is the NX 250 that has a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder making 203 bhp (151 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (250 Newton-metres). It runs through an eight-speed automatic and comes in front- and all-wheel-drive layouts. The FWD version takes 8.2 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (96 kilometres per hour) and 8.6 seconds to hit that speed for the AWD model.

There's also the NX 350 that comes with a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 275 bhp (205 kW) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm). It also uses an 8-speed automatic and gets to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

If you'd prefer a hybrid, then there's the NX 350h with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder and an electric motor on each axle. It makes 239 bhp (178 kW) and can reach 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. The estimated fuel economy is 36 miles per gallon.

2022 Lexus NX 450h Plugged In
2022 Lexus NX 450h Front Three Quarters

Finally, there's the new plug-in hybrid NX 450h+. Unfortunately, Lexus isn't offering full specs for this powertrain yet. It uses the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder as the NX350h, and Lexus claims there's an "EV output equivalent to a 2.0-litre engine." The sprint to 60 mph is estimated at 6.0 seconds, and the range solely on electric power should be around 36 miles (58 kilometres).

The NX 450h+ comes standard with a 3.3-kilowatt on-board charger. It takes 4.5 hours on 240-volt power to recharge the crossover. The optional 6.6-kW Expedited Onboard Charger cuts this time to 2.5 hours.

The F Sport handling package is available for the NX 350 and NX 450h+. It includes an adaptive suspension and rides on 20-inch gloss black wheels. The front and rear bumpers have a more aggressive look and the fender trim is body colour. Inside, there are sport seats and a different steering wheel. There's a mix of Black and Circuit Red NuLuxe upholstery with Dark Graphite Aluminium trim.

Safety Tech

The new NX has the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite of assistance tech. This has all of the features from the previous version plus some new systems. These include risk avoidance emergency steer assist that can make gentle braking and steering corrections to avert a crash.

There's also left turn vehicle detection and pedestrian detection on both sides of the vehicle that can automatically brake to evade them. The Pre-Collision System can now detect an oncoming vehicle and activate the automatic emergency braking.

The upgraded radar cruise control has curve speed management that maintains the speed and alignment with traffic while also dealing with corners safely.