Lexus to Unveil Compact Crossover

The new NX small crossover vehicle from Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus unit will include turbocharged and hybrid powertrains when it debuts this month at the New York and Beijing auto shows.

The new front-wheel-drive model measures about six feet wide and 15 feet long, giving it a footprint akin to that of a Toyota Corolla. The NX will be the first model from Lexus for the fast-growing compact crossover market that includes such rivals as the BMW X1 and upcoming Audi Q3.

Lexus showed the NX in concept form last autumn at the Frankfurt auto show. The company describes the vehicle as a luxury SUV intended for an urban lifestyle. Interior features include a wireless charger tray for cell phones, a stand-up touch screen atop the center stack and the ubiquitous Lexus analog clock.

Vehicles powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine reportedly will be labeled the NX 200. A more powerful iteration boosted by a twin-scroll turbocharger is to be named the NX 200t. The hybrid system, dubbed the NX 300h, is expected to borrow its 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, electric motor and 6-speed automatic transmission from the current Lexus ES350 hybrid.

Automotive News says the base model won't be offered in the U.S., but the American market will get a sport version of the turbocharged powertrain. The newspaper says Lexus plans to offer an all-wheel-drive option in both non-hybrid versions.