Have you ever felt like a brand has been targeting you to at least try out their products? I do all the time and Lexus is one of them. Let me tell you how it all started.
It was sometime last year when the central locking of my continental car failed just as I was about to head out cycling. I called a locksmith and then the car workshop who sent over some people and after 3 days of coming back over and over again they managed to drill a hole through my car and unlock it.
The fun part of course was sending me a bill which was the latest of an estimated RM40K in repairs I had spent in the 5 years I’ve had the car. I started wishing I had a Japanese car instead. The type of car our grandfathers would tell us never broke down just like the old green fridge my grandmother has in her house that is still alive and kicking. The only thing though was that I wanted a reliable luxury car and the only really well known Japanese luxury car brand I knew of was Lexus.
Lexus to me is like this really misunderstood brand in Malaysia. Ask anyone on the street about the Lexus and they would tell you it’s a car as luxurious as any European car but it’s a “Toyota”.
That’s a really odd stereotype because in that same spirit we should be saying “Why buy a Ferrari? It’s a Fiat” because Fiat owns Ferrari the same way Toyota owns Lexus.
I’m pretty sure it’s only in Asia that we feel that way though. I remember seeing a lot of people driving Lexus in the US and when asked why they say “It’s a good car. Why else?”. So anyway back to my story. I started Googling Lexus and checking out the different models they had but I left it at that.
A few days later my brother asked me for lunch. They wanted to go to this Japanese restaurant at Life Center which had a good Sunday buffet. I went and guess what I saw: A Lexus showroom in Life Center itself. I literally had to walk past the showroom in order to get to the restaurant.
Then believe it or not, the next thing I started noticing in the following months was Lexus outdoor ads on Jalan Sultan Ismail. The very same road I take to work every single day. This time a model that really caught my eye It was the new Lexus NX 200t, their new compact SUV. It was a beautiful looking car. I went home and watched reviews on it but still resisted the temptation to test drive it for fear I might end up buying another car in this economy.
Then whether by chance or planning, the next thing I got was a call from my talent manager at Nuffnang. They said Lexus wanted to engage me for a sponsored review of their latest car. Which car I asked? Surprise surprise! The Lexus NX 200t.
How do I say no to that? So last week I’ve had a chance to drive the Lexus NX 200t (Well to be precise I got the NX 200t F SPORT which is a full spec version) for a few days.
I’m not going to tell you about specs because you don’t need me for that. You can find the specs all here on the Lexus website. I don’t think people make their purchasing decisions based on specs anymore.
They make it based on the lifestyle and emotional difference a product makes. Think about it. For those of you who bought an iPhone 6, how many of you know what processor is in there? Heck how many of you even know how much RAM is in there?
If you answered yes I think you’ll be 1 out of every 10 iPhone buyers so congratulations. So for this review I’m going to tell you how the Lexus NX 200t made me feel.
Here’s what I like about it.
1) How the size of an SUV makes life easier for a young parent
I like SUVs because I can bring a lot of things along with me (like my bicycle) and I like driving with an elevated view of the road. What I absolutely LOVE about SUVs though is how easy it is to put my kids into their baby chair or take them out. I tried out Fighter’s baby seat in the NX 200t and it fit perfectly.
The thing I don’t like about most SUVs though is how big they are and how difficult it can be to get around. For that the NX 200t is perfect. It’s an SUV but it is of a size that is easy to maneuver around.
2) How it’s the perfect amount of tall
It’s tall and that’s what I like about it but it’s not too tall.This matters especially considering my wife is FourFeetNine. To get into other SUVs she normally has to stand next to the driver’s door, lasso a rope with a grappling hook on to the steering wheel and then do an Indiana Jones climb up (ok I exaggerate but you get the idea).
With the NX 200t she just hops right in.
3) How it drives
Since we’re talking about things my wife likes, here’s what else she likes. She likes that the steering is really light so it’s easy for someone like her with Smurf strength to drive. It also has a really smooth ride and handles like a compact car. And don’t be put off by the engine capacity. It makes up for it with a turbo charge, the first in a Lexus.
4) The Technology
Amongst many things, I like how the remote touch interface interact with the 7-inch Electro Multi –Vision (EMV) display. It is just like controlling the dashboard computer with this mouse that works just like the one on your laptop.
And the small thoughts that they put into like having this wireless charger for phones that are wireless charging ready.
And a fully working GPS .
5) But here’s what I liked the most about the Lexus NX 200t
It’s ABSOLUTELY BAD PARKER PROOF. What do I mean by that? Well you know how sometimes you park your car and walk away only to realize you parked slightly outside your parking lot? Then you debate on whether to go back to your car and right it or risk getting someone leave you a nasty note for parking like a moron.
Well this car makes it very difficult for you to unintentionally do that because of the insane amount of sensors and cameras they have around the car. On the dashboard screen this is what you see when you’re parking.
A simulated all round view of everything surrounding your car.
Now I’ve seen a lot of cars in my life but this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything on a car in this price range.
It’s absolutely amazing. It’s not just parking. I found myself making a turn but I couldn’t tell if the curb was too close so I just turned on the camera and could immediately tell.
These sensors gave my wife a newfound confidence in driving and parking SUVs.
I let go of the NX 200t a little reluctantly which was a tad bit surprising for me because when I first got the car, my colleague Jack asked me how I liked it. I replied that it was “Okay”. But as I got to know the car better, all its gadgets and use it a lot more it became some sort of an acquired taste for me. I began to really like it.
The only catch is its price tag but I guess that goes to say for all things in life. Good things don’t necessarily come cheap.
Lexus to me is for people who want to buy a good car but don’t need to shout about it. It’s also in my honest opinion (sponsored review or not) one of the best SUVs around.
Check out more about #NXSideofLife .
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space