Lexus NX 300h

With a focus on petrol-electric hybrids, Lexus is set to take on the likes of the X3, GLC and Evoque with the NX 300 crossover

- L Sirish Chandran

I’LL CUT RIGHT TO THE chase and address the elephant in the room. That styling! That cheese-grater of a grille! The smorgasbord of cuts and slashes, collateral damage of Beatrix Kiddo’s quest to Kill Bill. But then again we have only ourselves to blame – a million stories accusing the Japanese of being boring flicked a switch somewhere at Toyota’s headquarters and now (at least to look at!) there is no longer a Toyota, or even Lexus, that is boring. Polarising, for sure. But boring? No chance.

Staring at the NX’s elaborate and massive grille, I honestly don’t know what to make of it. I’ve always been a fan of what others would call weird – the X6 SUV-coupe-thing, the offset number plate of Lancer Evolutions – but this is difficult even for me to digest. It’s in your face. It does not blend in the background. There’s no anonymity, but let’s face it most buyers do not want anonymity. They want to be noticed and with the NX, or any Lexus for that matter, your entire neighbourhood will take notice of you. What opinion they’ll form of you is debatable. Then again beauty lies in the eye of the beholder so I won’t dwell any longer on the spindle grille, as Lexus refers it, and quickly jump into the driver’s seat.