A few years ago, Lexus released the NX. We had the chance to spend some time in a 2020 Lexus NX 300 F Sport this week so see how the compact luxury crossover SUV handles. Overall, it presents a nice sleek picture. Ours was an amazing metallic orange color that Lexus calls ‘Cadmium Orange.’ We, however, lovingly called it the ‘Lexus Jack O’ Lantern’ as we moved from September to October in an exciting orange luxury SUV.

The Lexus NX was put to the test this week was with some light farm chores. First, we got to drive the crossover on some lovely winding country roads. We also loaded up the cargo area and moved some tools, bulk groceries, and people up to the farm.

The Lexus NX seats

We were already impressed with how easily our car seats installed into the 2020 Lexus NX 300 F Sport. Even more so when the seats easily folded to fit an industrial mop and bucket in the cargo area. I was able to fold only the rear passenger side seat to fit the long mop handle, while everything else fit behind the remaining upright two thirds of the bench.

Plus, I was able to fit a 27 gallon container. With those things already loaded, bulk groceries and a 30 pound bag of dog food easily fit as well. For as small as this compact luxury crossover SUV is, the cargo space held quite a bit.

Additionally, the seats wiped clean of dust with little effort. They are also very comfortable and supportive. Although the rear seat is a bit snug compared to larger SUVs, we weren’t disappointed with their size unless the front passenger wants to lean the seat back a little with a child safety seat installed in the seat behind. Even that, however, was doable but tight.

Can the Lexus NX go off-road?

The 2020 Lexus NX 300 F Sport smoothly navigated the long gravel drive quite well. Our parking area is on sand, and the NX handled itself fine getting in and out of parking spots on the sandy footing. Parts of the trails are pretty rugged at the farm, so we didn’t take the Lexus NX on the sand trails. They are ATV trails and may prove a little much for the 2020 NX in some of the more rugged areas that require some pretty serious ground clearance.

That said, the 2020 Lexus NX 300 F Sport handily traverses a sandy or gravel road. The AWD system feels easy to trust and the turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine is punchy enough to get through some tough stuff. To sum up our experience, the Lexus NX performed light farm duty quite well. The ‘Jack O’ Lantern’––officially Cadmium Orange––Lexus NX 300 F Sort is a very versatile compact SUV.

Overall verdict

I’d gladly spend more time driving a 2020 Lexus NX 300 F Sport. It’s aesthetically pleasing, comes with heaps of modern tech features––including Apple CarPlay––and feels safe and sturdy. This is certainly a Lexus SUV worth test driving. It’s a practical luxury crossover with good fuel economy that hovered around an average of 35 mpg when driven predominantly on country and city highways. Overall, the fuel economy managed an average 27 mpg with a more even mix of city and highway driving.

Although it doesn’t even compare with my minivan in terms of storage space, the cargo was still roomy and the seats were easy to fold down and put back into their former position. Plus, it handled farm chores like a champ and impressed us quite well.