iCAUR 03T vs Lexus NX

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

iCAUR 03T in South Africa

iCAUR 03T

2WD Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 639,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
VS
Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

iCAUR 03T vs Lexus NX: the short answer

03T and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

03T starts ZAR 434,300 cheaper 03T from ZAR 639,900 · NX from ZAR 1,074,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification 03T NX
Maximum Power 03T135 kW NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 03T220 Nm NX430 Nm
Engine Size 03TNot applicable — battery electric vehicle NX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 03TNot applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l NX12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance 03T190 mm NX195 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

03T

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

03T

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec 03T NX
Model Introduced Year 2026 2023
Generation South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current 03T generation. Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Published published
Segment Electric SUV Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Facelift History - Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Launched Since - Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Version Ending - Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Tare Mass Kg - 1760-1860 kg
Spec 03T NX
Length 4433 mm 4660 mm
Width 1916 mm 1865 mm
Height 1741 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2715 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 190 mm 195 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 165 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity Not applicable — battery electric vehicle 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 450 L rear seats up; 1,238 L with rear seats folded; 40 L rear storage box 520 l
Kerb Weight 1600–1950 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2173 kg 2370 kg
Payload Capacity 350–650 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m 5.8 m
Front Headroom 1020 mm -
Rear Headroom 990 mm -
Front Legroom 1060 mm -
Rear Legroom 970 mm -
Towing Capacity - 1000 kg

In depth: how these cars differ

This 03T and NX comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: 03T 51 vs NX 86.

Efficiency index: 03T 99 vs NX 49.

Safety-equipment index: 03T 93 vs NX 93.

Practicality index: 03T 64 vs NX 65.

Ownership-cover index: 03T not separately scored vs NX not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

03T leads by 0 points

03T and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 67% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

03T

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 99 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 99
Safety 93
Practicality 64
Leads by 0 points
75
#2

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +35 Efficiency 03T +50 Safety Level Practicality NX +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

03T

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 99/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 64/100

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index iCAUR 03T leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 75 pts for NX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, 03T leads. However, NX may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

03T vs NX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.