Transportation

Car Review: 2015 Lexus NX 300h

Published

11 years ago

May 25, 2015

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

DETROIT (NNPA)– In the Lexus alphanumeric lexicon, any vehicle nameplate ending with a small “h” is a hybrid. Such was the case with the 2015 Lexus NX 300h. It looks like a rocket. The NX was Lexus’ small 5-door crossover and it had very aggressive styling. Beginning with the brand’s spindle grille, the exterior was comprised of sharply angled edges and creases.

The NX had a raked windshield as well as a raked tailgate. It had Lexus’ signature L shaped DRL signature lighting in the front, ground spoilers on the side and a tailgate design in the rear that echoed the spindle grille in the front. Overall, the 2015 Lexus NX looked like it was slicing through air while standing still and we’re sure that is exactly the look Lexus designers were trying to achieve.

Under the hood was a 2.5 liter four cylinder engine and two electric motors that made a combined 194 horsepower and 152 foot-pounds of torque. The engine was mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Lexus NX 300h is not going to blow anybody away off the starting line. But our test vehicle was capable. It wasn’t overwhelmed on the expressways here. And though it was a small crossover, it was not outsized by other vehicles or traffic, either. Acceleration wasn’t explosive but the NX handled well, cornering was good and there were three drive modes. Normal of course was the default setting; it also had an Eco-setting and a Sport setting. We pretty much left it in the default setting.

Our test vehicle had an all-wheel-drive system that was designed for the NX hybrid. It used an electric motor to drive the rear wheels. The front axle was powered by the gasoline engine or second electric motor or a combination of both.

This system operated in front-wheel-drive mode and only sent power to the rear wheels when needed on slippery surfaces. The rear electric motor also acted as a generator when the NX was in regenerative braking mode, increasing the amount of kinetic energy recovered. Since it was dry here doing our test drive we did not get the chance to experience the system at work.

The interior of the NX was special. It was meant to evoke a feel of a sports car and did so pretty well. It was dominated by a center console. Above it, a fixed information-navigation screen was indented into the dash creating a shelf. The vents, analogue clock and climate controls were embedded on a pier-like ledge that gently sloped down from the dash. The audio controls were beneath.

Cup holders and the drive mode selector were in the center console. It was a different but clean layout. We thought the way Lexus handled the TFT instrument panel was thoughtful, too. Two rings, one for the speedometer and the other for the tachometer, where there. The analogue numbers digitally projected looked permanent. But turn the NX off and they disappeared except the rings.

The back seats were spacious; there was plenty of head room and two people could be very comfortable. The floor was almost flat. Thus, if a third person had to sit in the back seat, it would not be that bad – for a short trip.

The passenger cabin was swathed in black and cream leather with linear black shadow wood trim. Our test vehicle had the luxury option package. It was comprised of heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, 18-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, a premium sound system and rearview camera.

It had automatic dimming sideview mirrors that tilted when the NX was put in reverse, blind side alert, parking assist, a pre-collision warning system and adaptive cruise control. In other words, our test vehicle was chocked full of creature comforts.

Using a compatible smartphone, Lexus said the voice-enabled apps on the Entune system let you search the Internet through Bing™, make restaurant reservations using OpenTable^®, get movie tickets via MovieTickets.com™, listen to Internet radio, (including Pandora^®, iHeartRadio™ and Slacker), search business reviews on Yelp^® and check in on Facebook Places™.

The base price of our 2015 Lexus NX 300h was $41,310. Add a pretty long list of options and a $925 freight charge and the total as tested came to $52,013.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure

Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 27, 2026

Post News Group

By Tanay Gokhale, Bay City News

On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.

If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.

The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.

In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.

The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.

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Commentary

Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3

Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 25, 2026

Post News Group

By Patrisha ‘Pat’ Piras Special to The Post

As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.

Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.

As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.

At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.

Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.

I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.

Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.

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Featured

Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears

Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

By Kitty Kelly Epstein

I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.

Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.

I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.

That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.

Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.

I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.

Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.

Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.

Kitty Kelly Epstein