Lexus appears to have named the all-new compact crossover that will slot in below the existing RX and LX in its SUV line-up by filing a pair of trademarks in the US and Canada for the nomenclature ‘NX 200t’ and ‘NX 300h’.
The nameplates provide a couple of distinct clues, as the letter ‘X’ denotes ‘all-terrainer’ in Lexus parlance, while the alphanumeric suffixes indicate the powertrain configuration.
The 200t is reportedly the new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine announced at the recent Paris motor show and due to launch in 2014; the company claims the motor will offer high output yet miserly frugal fuel consumption.
Meanwhile, the hybrid-powered 300h is likely to use the 2.5-litre AR Atkinson-cycle petrol engine (paired with an electric motor) that, according to Toyota, “achieves a maximum thermal efficiency of 38.5 per cent, realising both high fuel efficiency and high output”.