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2022 Lexus NX Review | A solid entry for hybrid hunters

We’ve never considered the Lexus NX a leader in its segment. While a premium compact SUV promising Lexus reliability and finishes seems like a perfectly reasonable proposition on paper, the NX didnÂ’t strike us as the proper execution of that philosophy. Well, it was redesigned from the ground up (What, you couldnÂ’t tell?) for 2022 and now packs a new interior, vastly improved (but still imperfect) tech and a four-pronged powertrain offensive comprising two gasoline-only offerings alongside two hybrids. While NX models powered exclusively by gasoline are perfectly acceptable transportation devices, we wouldn't necessarily recommend them over any of their competitors. However, both hybrids offer powertrains that are not yet commonplace among small luxury SUVs. The NX 350h hybrid returns a whopping 39 mpg combined, which is exponentially better than its gas-only competitors, even if its acceleration is lacking. However, we particularly like the new NX 450h+, which largely shares its plug-in hybrid powertrain with the also-excellent Toyota RAV4 Prime. PHEVs in this space are few and far between, and with 302 horsepower and 37 miles of all-electric range, the 450h+ checks boxes most manufacturers canÂ’t even advertise; only Volvo offers a compelling alternative. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Features   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? While the NX may not look new, it's in fact a clean-sheet redo based new, fundamental architecture that supports expanded electrification. This innovation has spawned a new plug-in hybrid model dubbed 450h+. The PHEV offers 304 horsepower and 37 miles of all-electric range and now sits atop the NX heap, with the standard hybrid slotting beneath it wearing a “350h” badge. There's also a new base model featuring the same gas-only naturally aspirated four-cylinder as the Toyota RAV4. You can read more about all the changes in Autoblog's NX first drive review. What are the Lexus NXÂ’s interior and in-car technology like? While it may be difficult to tell the second-generation NX apart from its predecessor from a quick glance at the exterior, the same cannot be side of the cabin. The 2022 NX sports a redesigned interior bereft of the silly old touchpad infotainment interface Lexus committed to when this very model was introduced way back in 2014.

Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.

These are the top luxury cars bought by people entering the segment for the first time

Let's say you just got a big promotion at work or the kids are moving out of the house, and you finally have some extra money. You decide to blow it all at once and treat yourself by upgrading your ride. Naturally, you look to a luxury automaker. What do you choose?
Models like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class may be tailor-made to introduce buyers to the premium segment, but a new study finds that they don't garner the highest rates of non-luxury customer conquests. It turns out that a Volvo leads among folks moving up to a premium brand, and it isn't even one that's made anymore, at that.
A recent study by Polk and IHS Automotive looked at what models had the highest rates of buyers upgrading from a non-luxury segment. The information comes from its new vehicle registration data through April 2014. All ten top models boasted conquest rates of over 50 percent, but the Volvo C70 led the field with 68.01 percent of its customers coming from non-premium brands.