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More 2022 Lexus NX teaser photos show the SUV moving upscale

Lexus has released two additional teasers for its soon-to-debut NX, this time on Twitter. Emphasizing its Japanese roots — the first image was shot in front of Mt. Fuji — one image shows the silhouette of the NX against an Edo-era-style temple. Despite the dark profile, however, we do get a few more clues as to what the luxury crossover will look like. The second-generation NX largely keeps the same shape as the outgoing model, but the A-pillar looks a bit more sharply raked. The hood also appears to have a raised center area towards the nose, indicating a more prominent grille. A third image shows the car in (or Photoshopped in) a more tropical setting. It depicts a jutting jawline that is only available if you order the NX's F Sport package. However, those would typically be accompanied by a small F Sport logo on the fender, which this car lacks. So perhaps all models will now have more upscale-looking front fascia (or F Sport models won't have that fender badge). One major improvement are the wheels. The teasers show elegant, thin-spoked rollers befitting of a Lexus, rather than some of the cheap-looking alloys from the current generation that would look just as at home on a Toyota or Subaru. Typically, wheels of this ilk would only be available on a higher-spec RX and pricier Lexus vehicles. Though these likely come with a higher trim level, it's at least nice to know a classier option will be available. Overall it's still not much to go on. But combined with the redesigned rear shown in a previous teaser and the expected technological improvements inside, it should move the NX line into more deluxe territory. Lexus will debut the next-generation NX online on June 11. The streaming event will take place on the Lexus website starting at 11 a.m. Eastern time, 8 a.m. Pacific.  

Anti-EV, pro-hybrid ad from Lexus gets a whole lot wrong

Tell us if you're surprised that Toyota (through its Lexus brand) is putting out some questionable information about electric vehicles. While it's one thing for company executives to be anti-EV, it's quite another to put out obviously false information when you speak ill of plug-in vehicles, especially when you also sell them. The automaker offers the RAV4 EV and Prius Plug-In, albeit in limited numbers, First, let's look at what Lexus is saying. On the company's consumer site, in the hybrid section, there are a number of slick videos. In one ("Hybrid Overview"), Lexus makes it look like charging an EV takes four hours. That may be true in some situations, but the video shows an anonymous driver plugging a Nissan Leaf into something that looks like a AeroVironment DC fast charger, which takes around a half hour to charge. Granted, the site has a disclaimer that says, the "charge time represents the average time to charge from empty to full using typically available 240V commercial charging stations," but in everyday use, that's not something EV drivers often do. Charged EVs mentions two previous studies that show how most EV charging is done at home. Lexus knows all this, of course, but doesn't mention it. Lexus says that there are 20 states with an "established infrastructure" for hydrogen. Another video on the site, one that talks about future alternative powertrain technologies, says that there are 20 states with an "established infrastructure" for hydrogen and 37 with the same for electric vehicles. It also blatantly says that we need to consider all of the emissions from the fossil fuels used to make electricity (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.) but does not say anything about the fossil fuel emissions used to make hydrogen. You can see some screen grabs in the gallery or watch the video yourself. It's all blatantly one-sided, especially since the official numbers from the Department Of Energy say that there are Level 2 public EV chargers in literally every state except Alaska and only 11 public hydrogen stations in the US. Ten of them are in California, the other is in South Carolina. A Lexus spokesman told AutoblogGreen it will ask TeamOne, its ad agency, and the Lexus marketing department for clarification on where the data in the videos comes from. We will update this post when we hear back.

The Lexus sprinkles bronze on the 2020 NX 300 Black Line Special Edition

It hasn't even been a full year since Lexus showed the 2019 NX F Sport Black Line, but with the onset of the 2020 model year, another special is already on the way. Lexus is launching a second Black Line Edition on the NX, this time for the 300 model, and this time with bronze accents inside and out. The NX 300 Black Line starts with the $3,720 Premium Package, which has blind spot monitor, autodimming heated side mirrors with reverse tilt, heated and ventilated front seats, the Lexus memory system, a power moonroof, LED daytime running lights and 18-inch five-spoke wheels. On this new special edition, the wheels are differentiated with bronze finishing. Additionally, Lexus paints the normally plastic fender trim to match one of three exterior colors: Eminent White Pearl, Nebula Gray Pearl or Matador Red Mica. Because it's still a Black Line, it has a black grille, a black grille surround, black fog lamp housing and black side mirrors. Inside, the black leather, black dashboard and black headliner are less of the story than is the new decorative bronze pageantry. Lexus used bronze stitching on the door trim, floor mats, center console, seats, and the key fobs.  The Black Line Special Edition is equipped with several modern tech features, including heated steering wheel, and a 10.3-inch infotainment display with Android Auto compatibility and Google Maps navigation. It also has parking assist and a power rear door with kick action. The Black Line treatment can be ordered on front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive variants of the 2020 NX 300. It comes with a 235-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that's paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Including destination costs, the FWD version starts at $45,735, and the AWD version starts at $47,135. They will be available starting November 2019. Design/Style Lexus Crossover Special and Limited Editions crossover AWD