Motor review: Awe, wonder and a Lexus heirloom

Published on 15 May, 2022

Overview

A giant man with cleaved head; the half-woman, half-serpent monster trying to feed a child from engorged breasts; a ghostly ferryman stuck in a pond unable to reach the bank; a naked Eve, with accompanying text revealing what is wrong with St Paul’s teachings; a troupe of the elephant god Ganesh playing their instruments. All of this in a park entered by walking through a massive vagina.

Gosh, things are much more interesting these days on the Sunday drive. It was so much part of my childhood.

The three of us would be packed into the back of my father’s Riley RME saloon for a tootle through the countryside.

There would always be a few refreshment stops in well-known hostelries.

We would get warm lemonade and crisps with the salt wrapped in a little bit of blue paper.

On the whole, they were good days, still uncluttered by other bad memories.

That desire to get out and explore on a Sunday is still with me. For 35 years, I always worked on Saturdays and the proverbial day of rest was the only time we could have complete family days.

Things are a lot easier these days, and the younger family members have four legs now, but unless we are all packed into a car on Sunday and go off for a good trip the week wouldn’t be complete.

It also serves as a time when the test car can really be appraised.

If it wasn’t for the wonderful Sam, who we rescued from Ashtown pound 12 years ago, and now Ziggy and Dooey, there would be so many wonderful places we would never have discovered.

And when the drive takes place in a car like the Lexus NX450+ F-Sport, we are very blessed indeed.

This column has stated many times that Lexus is very much a favourite premium marque. The build quality is exceptional and the Japanese luxury offshoot of Toyota rarely has a dud.

Our NX 450h+ definitely wasn’t that. In fact, it was one of the first plug-in hybrids that could actually half convince me of the rationale for such vehicles.

The Lexus is a big SUV, using a 2.5 petrol engine and a 40kw electric motor, developing an impressive 309hp.

It’s a big, comfortable, automatic four-wheel drive car that looks very impressive and drives that way, too, delivering 0-100kmh in 6.3 seconds.

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We had been tipped off that Victor’s Way, on the Old Enniskerry Road near Roundwood in Wicklow, was something special to visit.

It only opens during the warmer months, and there is a loose booking system, with adults paying €10 for a few hours of quite wonderful contemplation or meditation among woods, ponds and fields over some 20 acres.

In this amazing, dog-welcoming space, you will come across a feast of massive, Indian carved black-granite sculptures, each one representing one of life’s transition phases.

These include some of the scenes I describe at the beginning of this column. The sheer size and magnificence of the sculptures — many of them several tonnes in weight — and accompanying text, fill your mind with wonder and awe.

Wooden recliners are dotted throughout where you can enjoy a spot of forest bathing.

It was one of our best Sunday drives for a long time, including a walk around the Vartry reservoir and a visit to the Djouce Farmer’s Market at the Turquoise Cafe at Ballinstoe Crossroads — by which time we had done 65km from Phibsborough on a mixture of motorway and country roads.

Only then did the electric battery show empty.

During the week, for trips around Dublin, it never went out of battery power and even if it does, I am reliably informed that the fuel economy of 5.5-6l/100km will be attained.

This is impressive for such a big and comfortable car that is absolutely packed with safety equipment and plush features.

With the new NX plug-in, Lexus has much improved its already top performer.

Anyone looking for a real quality drive — and who can afford the €70,900 for the car I tested — should check it out. It will be an heirloom.

But don’t miss going to Victor’s Way — it will both wow and exhilarate you. Nobody can ask for more.

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After the inspiration of Victor’s Way it was over to the racing track at Mondello last Wednesday and Thursday for the launch of Nissan’s all-electric Ariya which aims to reinvigorate the Japanese marque’s EV credentials with a top-of-the-range almost “halo” product.

In this it will be taking on the massively successful Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 as well as the Volkswagen group models.

Of course Nissan were very early at the EV party with the Leaf of which nearly 600,000 have been sold since 2010.

The Ariya comes in at a very different price point which is also much higher than the incredibly successful Qashqai, which when launched in 2007, changed the face of family SUV-lookalike motoring.

Two battery options are available with the Ariya, a 63 kWh battery that delivers a range of 402km and an 87kWh battery that offers a range of 529km.

Nissan is launching the car with two grade options featuring many of its innovative safety and infotainment features as standard.

Pricing will start for the entry grade 63 kWh Nissan Ariya Advance from €48,995 and ranges up to €66,995 for the top-of-the-range 87 kWh Ariya Evolve, inclusive of government grants.

As with all new launches there is a philosophy attached and here Nissan calls it Timeless Japanese Futurism.

Apparently, according to Nissan, “designers have embraced it to communicate how an EV paired with advanced driving capabilities can offer a new perspective to design, function and the ownership experience”.

In other words it has designed a modern car. But it says the new Ariya is the most technically advanced Nissan to date and claims the most spacious cabin in its class. I will report more soon.

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It is 20 years today since my great friend Jim Rowe died.

He was a wonderful journalist and PR consultant, who was involved with both Fiat and Mazda among many top brands. His widow Evelyn has just got his 1999 Subaru Forester back on the road and through its NCT test.

Jim was like an older brother to me and he sometimes despaired of my antics. I still miss him terribly.

Bless you Evelyn for the way you cared for him during his final months in Cavan and for your continuing friendship.

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