2024 Lexus NX350 F Sport Video, Review, And Pricing

By: Peter Gregorian
June 11, 2024

The 2024 Lexus NX350 F Sport is a stylish and capable luxury SUV that seamlessly blends comfort, performance, and technology. A week with the 2024 NX350 F Sport, courtesy of Toyota Canada Inc., allowed us to get nicely acquainted with it while also uncovering a few quirks.

Exterior styling is always subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore the captivating styling of recent Lexus models. The NX350 F Sport is a head-turner, with sleek lines and a modern aesthetic that sets it apart from the competition. The F Sport Series III package – a $13,850 option – adds aggressive exterior touches, such as a unique front grille, black roof rails, and 20-inch black alloy wheels, enhancing the SUV’s sporty appeal.

Stepping into the NX350 F Sport, you’re welcomed by an interior that exudes both comfort and sophistication. The seats, endorned in supple yet supportive leather, make long journeys a pleasure, while the ergonomic controls and intuitive buttons ensure that your eyes remain on the road ahead. The interior fit and finish, unfortunately falls short in some areas. While the interior boasts plenty of softly padded materials, other areas, particularly around the center console, exhibit creaky plastics that detract from the solid build quality usually expected from Lexus products.

Cargo space in the NX350 is adequate for hauling everyday items from groceries to small furniture. The trunk measures 643 liters (22.7 cubic feet) behind the rear seats and 1328 liters (46.9 cubic feet) with the seats folded down.

The NX350 F Sport is not just a pretty face. Under the hood lies a potent 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, delivering 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. This translates to brisk acceleration – with a 0 to 100 kilometer-per-hour figure of 6.6 seconds – and ample passing power, making the NX350 F Sport no slouch to drive. The all-wheel-drive system provides confident handling and stability, especially in wet weather conditions.

Driving dynamics in the NX350 F Sport are a mixed bag. The different drive modes significantly alter the vehicle’s behavior. In Normal mode, the suspension feels floaty, lacking a certain level of surefootedness. Switching to Sport mode drastically improves the composure on the road as a result of stiffening the suspension thanks to the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) standard on the F Sport III package.

Custom mode allows for a tailored driving experience but can only be programmed while parked, which is inconvenient when the desire to change driving characteristics on the move arises. While the preset modes miss the mark on power, chassis, and steering tuning, for the majority of consumers, these settings would likely remain untouched.

Where the NX350 falls short from a driving dynamics perspective is in the steering department. Across the different drive modes, from Eco to Sport, there is a notable increase in weight which offers the illusion of added connection to the road, however, there is no tangible enhancement in directness or road feel. This quicker ratio electrical steering system still remains adequate for casual jaunts and daily driving, but on highways or winding roads, it leaves more to be desired.

The NX350 F Sport comes standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0. This advanced system encompasses features like pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, and dynamic radar cruise control, providing peace of mind for both driver and passengers.

Technology is at the forefront of the NX350 F Sport’s design. The standard 14-inch touchscreen display is the centerpiece of the interior, offering access to a wide range of features, including navigation, climate control, and audio settings all controllable via the touch screen. Wireless Android Auto connectivity is seamless and Apple CarPlay is also available.

While there is a good blend of physical buttons and touch-screen activated functions, the touch-based steering wheel control pads for the heads-up display have a small learning curve to overcome. The 17-Speaker Mark Levinson sound system, while boasting good bass, unfortunately delivers shallow vocals, not quite hitting the mark for overall audio quality.

The NX350 F Sport has a claimed fuel economy rating of 10.7 L/100km in the city and 7.4 L/100 km on the highway, which is reasonable for its class. Real world testing across both mixed highway and city driving resulted in a combined fuel economy of 12.6L/100km, despite being on all-season tires and running premium octane gas.

One notable point is that the fuel tank capacity is on the smaller side for this segment, at 55 liters, limiting the NX350 F Sport to roughly 400 kilometers on a full tank. For those looking for more range, it might be worth looking at the NX350 Plug-In Hybrid.

The 2024 NX350 starts at $57,038.08 for the Premium (Standard) package. As one selects additional options pricing incrementally increases with the Ultra Premium representing a $4,150 increase; Luxury Package, a $4,700; F Sport 1, a $4,850 increase; F Sport 2, a $7,750 increase; Ultra Luxury, an $8,650 increase; Executive Package, an $13,650 increase; and, the range topping F Sport 3 package, a $13,850 increase for a total MSRP of $70,383.58.

The 2024 Lexus NX350 F Sport continues to move the mark forward for one of Lexus’ most popular SUVs. With its stylish and sporty demeanor, it represents an attractive choice for young professionals or families looking for a well-appointed SUV. Bearing the Lexus badge, it is not only an indulgent choice but a dependable one that is bound to hold its value for shoppers in the luxury SUV segment.