2015 LEXUS NX 200T F SPORT REVIEW | LEXUS NX 200T F SPORT 2015 ,

I have to say, the NX is a supremely quiet car overall; in fact, this is where it excels, as I expected. There’s only the slightest road noise, the ride is comfortable (as I’m sure Lexus buyers demand) and it feels like nearly the perfect size -- not too big, not too small.

The turbo four (Lexus’ first turbo) has good power above 3,000 rpm and no hint of turbo lag as long as I kept the revs up. The steering is decent, while freeway speed stability surprised me -- in a good way. I guess maybe I thought it’d drive a bit more like the compact it is, a little jumpier or something; but no, it’s nice and smooth. Push it a little and it understeers, but I expected that.

Interior build quality is high (again, as I’d expect) and driving position is excellent, as are the seats. Everything is within easy reach, but then remember, this is a RAV4-sized trucklet. The touch pad drove me mad -- it is way too sensitive, but you don’t need to mess with it for controlling the radio and such because that can be done with steering-wheel buttons.

Lexus just keeps rockin’ and rollin’ with sales up nearly 4,000 units this year so far. The 8,386 Encores Buick sold in January and February trump the 5,478 NXs sold in the same period, but the NX beats the BMW X3 (4,465), Mercedes GLA (3,751), Audi Q3 (1,919) and Porsche Macan (1,420).

This is Lexus’ first shot at a compact luxury ute, and I’d say it’s a very good effort. It has the refinement and the certain reliability to be a winner, or at least a winner to Lexus buyers. Give it time -- I’m thinking by year’s end, it’s on the top of the heap.

I know, I’m as surprised as you are. Not that Lexus built a perfectly nice crossover, mind you -- the company, along with parent Toyota -- has made a fortune doing “perfectly nice.” But the NX drifts into that rare space known as “desirable.”

Where the Lexus excels is in its powertrain. Apparently it’s quite difficult to make a small turbo four into a luxury car engine -- witness attempts by BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Cadillac; some (Audi and Cadillac) are better than others (BMW and especially Mercedes). Lexus nailed it, and the NX provides a perfect blend of effortless power with no discernable turbo lag, no wonky dual-clutch transmission and no NVH penalty. The drive mode selector functions as a powertrain fine-tuning knob rather than a personality-change switch -- eco mode slows things down a bit, sport mode speeds things up a bit, and normal is just about perfect. The NX never tries to be something it’s not.

If it were my purchase, I would probably skip the F Sport package. While I’m sure it increases handling capability on a track or quick mountain road, the sport-tuned suspension combined with the short wheelbase makes for a pretty lively ride along Detroit roads -- if you live somewhere blessed with smooth ribbons of asphalt, your experience may vary. Fortunately, Lexus sees fit to offer many of the F Sport’s comfort and convenience options as standalone items -- you don’t have to buy a $4,000 “winter package” to get a heated steering wheel or a 36-speaker stereo to get a moonroof -- a refreshing change for anyone accustomed to German car option extortion.

If there’s a fly in the ointment (and there always is), it's Lexus’ Enform controller. The company has gone from the weird mouse-like knob of previous models to a truly unfortunate touch-pad system. If infotainment interfaces are more art than science, this is a preschooler’s finger painting. Fortunately there are knobs and buttons for 90 percent of controls, so you should only have to interact with the touchpad for initial setup and navigation controls.

Despite that, the NX is my favorite compact crossover on the market today. It’s a car with personality from a brand more associated with clinical precision, and a daily driver I’d be happy to call my own.