Lexus NX vs Jetour T1 i-DM

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol Automatic 8-speed
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Jetour T1 i-DM in South Africa

Jetour T1 i-DM

T1 i-DM Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 689,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 90.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance NX
Fuel Economy T1 i-DM
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality T1 i-DM
🔑 Ownership NX
T1 i-DM starts ZAR 1074200 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · T1 i-DM from ZAR 689,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec NX T1 i-DM
Engine Power 205 kW 100 kW
Torque 430 Nm 220 Nm
Engine Size 2400 cc 1499 cc
Claimed Mileage 12.3 km/l 90.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 190 mm
Boot / Load Bay 520 l 574 l
Airbags Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee Front, front side, and front/rear curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1760-1860 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 7 years / 105,000km 7-year/200,000 km vehicle warranty

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both NX and T1 i-DM are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance NX +41 pts
Efficiency T1 i-DM +49 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality T1 i-DM +7 pts
Ownership NX +31 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

T1 i-DM

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

T1 i-DM

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX T1 i-DM
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Current local listing
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status published Active
Segment Luxury SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec NX T1 i-DM
Ground Clearance 195 mm 190 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2800 mm
Length 4660 mm 4705 mm
Width 1865 mm 1967 mm
Height 1670 mm 1843 mm
Kerb Weight 1760-1860 kg 2000 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 2370 kg 2348 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 520 l 574 l
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 1600 kg
Front Track Width 1605 mm 1690 mm
Rear Track Width 1625 mm 1700 mm
Turning Radius 5.8 m -
Load Bed Length 520 l 574 l
Load Bed Width - -
Number of Doors 5 -
Max Payload 510-610 kg -
Boot Volume 520 l 574 l
Doors 5 -
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 70 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 2370 kg 2348 kg
Ground Clearance Max 195 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance Min 195 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 195 mm 190 mm
Height Mm 1670 mm 1843 mm
Length Mm 4660 mm 4705 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 520 l 574 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 510-610 kg -
Cargo Volume 520 l 574 l
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg 2000 kg
Turning Circle 5.8 m -
Turning Circle M 5.8 m -
Width Mm 1865 mm 1967 mm
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded - 1455 l
Gross Combined Mass Kg - 3948 kg

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

NX leads by 5 points

Both NX and T1 i-DM are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 78 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 79% confidence
78
#1 Winner

NX

79% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 94
Practicality 64
Ownership 93
Leads by 5 points
73
#2

T1 i-DM

81% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 98 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 98
Safety 94
Practicality 71
Ownership 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +41 Efficiency T1 i-DM +49 Safety Level Practicality T1 i-DM +7 Ownership NX +31

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 93/100

T1 i-DM

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 98/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 71/100
Ownership 62/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Lexus NX wins with 78 pts vs 73 pts for T1 i-DM

In structured scoring, NX emerges as the stronger overall package. However, T1 i-DM may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the NX edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: NX 49 vs T1 i-DM 98. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: NX 94, T1 i-DM 94. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: NX 93, T1 i-DM 62. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: NX 64, T1 i-DM 71. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: NX 86, T1 i-DM 45. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The NX edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The NX scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between NX and T1 i-DM in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: NX scores 86 vs 45.

Efficiency: NX scores 49 vs 98.

Safety: NX scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: NX scores 64 vs 71.

Ownership: NX scores 93 vs 62.

Final structured scoring gives NX the advantage in this comparison.