It used to be the case that buying a car from a premium manufacturer also meant buying into an exclusive club where BMWs, Audis and Mercedes – at least in countries where they weren’t forming long and orderly queues at taxi ranks – were a rare sight.

These days those same marques are as common a sight on our roads as Fords and Vauxhalls. There are, however, at least a couple of manufacturers who can still offer both a premium motoring experience and, whether by accident or design, that increasingly elusive aura of exclusivity.

Lexus, the premium arm of Toyota, have always steered a very different course to their rivals. Their current range of cars, including the NX300h that I’m reviewing here, is dressed in body that consists of strong geometric shapes, bold lines and deep creases. It gives the range a very identity and a real presence on the road.

Like the CT200h that I reviewed recently the NX has also undergone a raft of subtle, but significant, revisions for the 2018 model year.

The huge spindle grille is more aggressive and flanked by air intakes that are carved more deeply into the front bumpers which have themselves been finessed. The LED headlights are sleeker still and now incorporate the company’s Adaptive High Beam system. It also sports Audi-inspired sequential indicators.

The NX now also incorporates Lexus’s Safety System Plus technology, which includes pre-collision and emergency braking system, adaptive cruise control, adaptive high-beam headlights that illuminate the road without dazzling oncoming motorists, lane-departure warning and road-sign assist, which occasionally either misread, or simply missed, speed limit signs.

The NX200t with its 194bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine has been axed from the line-up, leaving the 300h as the only choice. There are just five grades to choose from: SE, Luxury, F Sport (tested here), F Sport Premier Pack which adds a head-up display and 14-speaker Mark Levinson audio system and the top-of-the-range Premier.

Like the exterior there’s a distinct absence of curves in the Cabin, Lexus favouring a layered structure for their dashboard architecture. The instrument dials are set low and there’s a significant amount of switchgear – if it’s minimalism you’re after this cabin is not for you – while the use of novel materials gives the cabin a fresh, contemporary feel.

The new 10.3in infotainment screen sits, rather awkwardly I think, on top of the dashboard but the crisp, clear display, is a definitive step up from the one it replaces.

Driving the NX is a mixed bag. The ride is laudable on good roads but starts to quickly lose its composure over poorer surfaces. Unsurprisingly, like its smaller brother the CT, the engine is intrusive under heavy acceleration though, it’s worth noting, the soundproofing between engine and cabin is significantly better on the bigger car.

To extract the best from the NX you have to adopt a more circumspect approach to driving. Planning ahead, conserving forward momentum and teasing what you can out of the hybrid drive, when you can, will provide the kind of effortless luxury that you’d expect.

It is, however, a quite capable cross-country machine thanks to a body that’s resistant to lean and informative steering. It’s let down only by its recuperative brakes that feel over-assisted and, consequently, difficult to operate smoothly.

Where the NX really does shine is in urban environments where it falls back on battery-only propulsion. It’s a remarkably relaxing sensation, edging away from junctions in graceful silence.

Whether you’ll want to buy one depends a great deal on your priorities, and your daily routine, because the NX has a relatively narrow operating window in which it truly shines. There is, however, another very good reason why the NX might appeal. With CO2 emissions rated at just 121g/km, benefit in kind rates are low and for many, that and the high-grade interior and stand-out looks will be enough.

Lexus NX300h F Sport

Price: £40,640

Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: Electric CVT driving all four wheels

Max power (engine): 153bhp @ 5,700rpm

Max power (motor): 141bhp

Max torque (engine):

Max torque (motor)

Max speed: 112mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 9.2sec

Urban: 53.3mpg

Extra urban: 55.4mpg

Combined: 54.3mpg

Emissions (CO2): 121g/km

For more information visit www.lexus.co.uk