On the day that the first lockdown was announced, over two years ago, the car I had on test was a Lexus 450h. The staff at the company's Dublin HQ, like everyone else, were sent home, and the call came through that it would be easier all round if I just hung onto it until the immediate crisis passed.

Of course, we had no idea that would mean months rather than a few weeks, and by right I should have been delighted to have such a car at my disposal for the longest test drive ever. Naturally, that wasn't to be either. The 2km radius also was introduced for travel, so the car sat sullenly in my driveway, nudged out only every now and then for a trip to the local supermarket.

I got rather fond of it, but in the normal course of events it would be too big for my needs, which is why this NX makes an awful lot more sense.

The mid-size SUV now is available in Ireland exclusively as the NX 450h+ plugin hybrid.

A standard 350h hybrid is available in other territories, but customers here like the convenience of the 90km range of fully electric motoring around town (you can expect less on the open road).

In Association with

For that reason too, the headline WLTP fuel consumption number of 1.1 litres per 100km really is available only if you go no further than I did in lockdowns.

Somewhere around five litres/100km would be a more realistic figure to bear in mind if your commute is more rural than urban. It's still impressive, not least because of the power on tap here.

There's a four-cylinder petrol engine, with motors on both axles for all-wheel drive and quality performance. From a standing start, you'll hit 100kph in just 6.3 seconds, which is as good as many full EVs in the segment. You'll also have a choice of driving modes, from Eco to Sport+, to help you manage consumption of both petrol and battery power.

The NX is a very handsome car on the outside, easily absorbing the expanse of what in other Lexus models can be an overly exaggerated grille. There's a lovely shoulder line that ties front to back, and the aim of the designers was to produce what they call 'functional beauty', a blend of design with performance.

I first drove the car last October, which now seems a lifetime ago, in Majorca, on hilly roads through the mountains, which proved a good test of the continuous variable transmission gear system (CVT).

I'm not always a fan of CVTs, but this one is smooth and responsive and, after a while, I forgot all about it.

In terms of connectivity, Lexus had fallen behind in infotainment compared with some of its premium rivals, but the new 14-inch screen is vast, and beautifully angled toward the driver in what the company calls its Tazuna cockpit, after a Japanese word describing a rider's use of the reins to control a horse.

The aim is to make sure the driver keeps his or her eyes on the road, to which end all the relevant information regarding speed and directions appears on a head-up display straight in front of you. For most functions, you also just have to say 'hey, Lexus' and the voice assistant will do all the work for you.

The redesigned steering wheel also will be standard on future Lexus models, and it has a reassuring sturdiness while also being light to the touch.

There is a very generous 545 litres of storage space in the boot, expandable to 1,436 litres with the rear seats folded, and the tailgate can be opened with a foot gesture if both your hands are full.

A Lexus Link app also allows you lock and unlock the car, open the boot, pre-set the heating and so on, all from your phone. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard too. Safety is well addressed with the Lexus Safety System+. It identifies pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and adjusts the steering or applies the brakes as needed, while adaptive cruise control also is standard.

Depending on the model you buy, you also can opt for a digital rearview mirror that displays panoramic images from a camera on the back of the car.

Lexus also offers up to a 10- year, or 160,000km warranty, provided you get the car serviced every year at a Lexus dealership.

All in all, I really enjoyed the NX. I certainly don't wish for another lockdown, but a few months stuck with this car would not be any hardship!