THE little brother of the much-lauded Lexus RX hybrid is out of the box... and causing quite a stir.

The sharp-suited NX 300h will no doubt divide opinion because it's certainly no cute new kid on the block, and neither is it one of those mature carriers that could do with a Make Me More Interesting class.

No, the NX 300h is shouting "look at me", and with good reason. It's very attractive in a muscular, angular sort of way. Lexus goes as far as to call it "hyper-stylish".

It's also Lexus’s first mid-size crossover full hybrid.

Tthe range will grow to include the NX 200t, the first model to adopt Lexus’s new 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine, but for now we have only the 300h, which should prove the more popular of the two.

More than 800 advance orders were taken, and the model promises to add further momentum to Lexus’s excellent sales growth last year.

Choose anything above the basic S model and you'll benefit from four-wheel drive. The NX is a bit of a Tardis, too, with 475 litres of boot space courtesy of a huge hidden compartment and bags of rear legroom. There's also a space-saver spare wheel as standard – unique among the NX's rivals.

And check this out for a practical feature: the bottle holder in the centre console has a high-friction base so that you can open twist-cap drinks with one hand. There's also an induction charging pad that needs no wires to charge a compatible handset.

For the most part the NX continues the trademark Lexus high quality through and through, while the touch-pad computer interface introduces you to some technical wizardy that is right up there with the most advanced available.

For example, there's a rear cross parking alert for when you are reversing out of a space that utilises radars to scan left and right behind you to avoid collisions and LED fog lights that change direction as you turn the wheel. NX is also the first model to feature Lexus’s pre-crash safety system.

Splash out on the Premium edition and you get a panoramic view monitor that at speeds of up to 12mph displays the surrounding situation as a bird's eye or 360 degree view all on one screen.

The drive is impressively refined, with supple suspension, decent body control and super-smooth response from the hybrid powertrain. It's not that hard to accelerate gently away using just the electric motor.

The big seats are both supportive and highly adjustable, conveying a feeling of wellbeing and refinement.

The NX faces stiff opposition but if a hybrid is your cup of tea then this Lexus should seal the deal

It's a clever car, and a lot of people should appreciate its comfort, gadgets and generally premium feel.

Five equipment grades are on offer, with prices starting at £29,495 for the NX 300h S.

Standard features of the NX 300h S include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED low-beam headlights and daytime running lights, pre-crash safety system and adaptive cruise control, dual zone climate control, eight-speaker audio system, Lexus media display with remote touch controller, DAB digital radio, 60/40 folding rear seats. electric, folding door mirrors, drive mode select, hill assist control and remote double door locking.

SE grade adds all-wheel drive, integrated roof rails, 18-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers and heated front seats.

Further features which are standard on the Luxury grade - tested here - include LED fog lamps, rear privacy glass, heated, electrically adjustable front seats, silver trim inserts and scuff plates, parking sensors, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and smart entry.

The NX 300h F Sport gains a series of dedicated styling features as well as further equipment: 18-inch alloys with two-tone finish; headlights with LED high and low beam functions; F Sport heated electric front seats with lumbar support, F Sport suspension with performance dampers, electric steering column adjustment, power tailgate and wireless smartphone charger.

At the top of the range the Premier model builds on the Luxury specification with18-inch alloys with dedicated design, headlights with LED high and low beam functions, auto-dimming door mirrors, heated and ventilated front seats with lumbar support, Mark Levinson audio system, card key, Lexus Premium Navigation, 360-degree panoramic view, automatic high beam, lane keep assist, head-up display, rear cross traffic alert and heated steering wheel.

At a glance

Lexus NX300h Luxury
Price: £34,495 (range from £29,495)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and electric motors combine to develop 192bhp
Transmission: Electric CVT driving all four wheels
Performance: 0 to 62mph in 9.2 seconds; top speed 112mph
Economy: 54.3mpg combined
CO2 emissions: 121g/km