The sheer elegance of Toyota's engineering reliability and the flawless 7 years of service I have enjoyed, make it impossible to buy a German or a JLR model.

BHPian V.Narayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Bagheera, my panther - 7th birthday, 9th service, 76,000 kms under the belt

On 2nd April 2024, Bagheera turned 7 years old, clocked 76,000 kms and was sent for the 9th service.

It is a testimony to Toyota's quality standards that the car still looks and performs as almost as good as new.

The 9th service was a routine one. Cost Rs 57,000 and change. Total expenditure thus far on servicing, routine spare part changes and new tyres (3.5 years ago) come to Rs 402,000. This translates to Rs 5.29 per kms or ~Rs 57,400/- per annum. For an entry-level luxury car, I am comfortable with this kind of budget for maintenance.

The front fender panel on the left side got dislodged a bit thanks to some erratic riders in Delhi NCR. That was fixed with needing a fresh panel or paint. The service included a ceramic coating top up. The tyres are good to go for about another 10,000 kms.

Bagheera runs like a panther, purrs like a kitten and has no squeaks or rattles or niggles. The after sales service remains top-class with no effort to sell spares or extras. I must mention Sanjay Baluni the engineer who has maintained the Lexus ES300h all these 7 years. Other than being a competent engineer, he is also a very pleasant person to work with.

Serviced, washed and posing in the sun

Rear profile showing raised dickey to compensate for the rear mounted batteries

The cockpit. I like its retro look. Or am I making a virtue out of necessity!! The Lexus's woodwork quality is to die for especially the matt finish and within that the bamboo version. In my erstwhile career, we operated, maintained so many executive jets right up to the Gulfstream VI and believe me, none of them have the sheer woodwork quality of a Lexus, especially in matt finish.

Where I spend at least half my time in this car. The leather of the rear seats is the one it came with. The front seat leather covers I changed in July'23. I wish Lexus had fancier-looking carpets. They are hard-wearing but… I think I'll consult my wife, she has an eye for taste.

Another example of the woodwork. I love it. The Japanese call this craft Takunami.

Showing off my left profile. The sheer elegance of Toyota's engineering reliability and the flawless 7 years of service I have enjoyed makes it impossible to buy a German or a JLR model. The reliability spoils you.

The best angle to photograph this car from. I have some deeply cherished memories associated with Bagheera and intend to keep her till the law permits me - 15 years as of now I guess.

Sayonara, till we meet again on my 10th service. Thank you for reading.

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I have witnessed the luxury van in person as I was invited for its private viewing where I experienced the 4 and 6-seater models.

BHPian Karjun recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I think the Lexus LM would be a massive success as an even more premium offering to the Vellfire.

As a Lexus customer and Vellfire owner, I was invited for the private viewing of the LM in Cochin. The 4 and 6 seat configurations were displayed, the 6-seater is basically a 2024 Vellfire with higher-quality leather and wood thrown on every inch of the cabin. Has a few additional features like the active damping on the suspension which reduces pitch and keeps the ride flatter and more comfortable.

The Mark Levinson audio should be much better than the JBL system in the Vellfire. The 4 seater is very different and the partition gives it a truly unique experience. But buying a car of that size just for 2 seats as the front 2 are for your chauffeur and staff with the partition in between, hence can never be used as a family or road trip car with friends etc. Even then the qualities outweigh the cons and there isn’t a single car that can compete with the Vellfire or LM ensuring it dominates this niche market like Innova did back when it launched.

Underpowered engine?

The LM and new Vellfire have the same engine as the 2020 Vellfire and I can say the engine is built for a totally different purpose which I failed to understand during the first few months of ownership. Engine and hybrid system combined produce very little torque which means on highways, the car takes its own sweet time to pick up pace and overtaking isn’t exactly the easiest like it’s with the German and British competition.

But drive the Vellfire at a much more relaxed pace with less braking and using the momentum to maintain speed and overtake and things become a lot more easier as that’s what the car and engine are built to do. Just to put some context on how much lower average speed we do in a Vellfire vs an Audi Q7 or E class, I travel from Cochin to Trivandrum by road once in a while and returning late at night it takes me 3 hours or under max to cover the 220km in the Audi or Merc whereas in the Vellfire it’s 3:40 min at least.

Now for the unfamiliar, this route is almost completely 2 lane but wide and post 9 it’s fairly empty. As the Vellfire struggles to keep up average speed, taking time to pick up speed once you brake. The average speed and distance covered is far less compared to the Audi or any other luxury car for that matter. But if you’re willing to sacrifice that time and pleasure of overtaking cars with ease for rear seat comfort, trust me nothing comes close to the comfort of thrones in the middle row of the Vellfire. These seats can be put down flat like a bed and in the hand of a good chauffeur, you can sleep with ease and on roads that aren’t the smoothest you don’t need to worry or slow down a lot as Toyota's reliability and low maintenance will keep your mind at ease.

Here in Kerala, these cars have a celebrity or boss image which very few cars can compete with. Hence ensuring its success here.

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They treated with nice coffee, a super luxurious lounge to get some work done and a free replacement car. Last time was UX 250h which I did not like as such, however this time, it was a brand new ES 300H.

BHPian dileepcm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Lexus NX300H 1 year ownership, ~205k kms, major annual service updates

It's been a couple of months and time for another update.

A year and a month of ownership has passed and I got major service done last week, together with a mandatory fitness/roadworthiness check [APK]. I was expecting this to be an easy one, but that was not the case.

Major service (205k kms) included below.

• All scheduled fluid and filter changes
• Hybrid system check
• Wheel alignment
• Fitness [It's free when major service is done at the same time]
• Exteriors wash
• Front break discs and break pads changed

• Water pump changed (It had a small leak that was slowly expanding).

With that, car including the hybrid system has another year of guarantee and free roadside assistance.

The last two were a bit of unexpected ones and overall it cost way more than what I was hoping the annual major service to cost. But on the other hand, its a 2 lakh run car, and wear and tear replacements are to be expected - it's also good to see that no other parts including the hybrid system had any issues so far. I also confirmed that break discs and water pump were first-time replacements - so the life of 205k kms seems reasonable to me.

Just like previous times, I went to the Lexus showroom [Louwman Exclusive Cars] and obviously, that is more expensive than other garages, however, their customer service is the best in business.

They treated me with a nice coffee, a super luxurious lounge to get some work done, and a free replacement car. The last time was UX 250h which I did not like as such, however this time, it was a brand new ES 300H. Wow, what a car to be in! Let pictures talk.

Louwman Exclusive Cars is a multi-brand showroom and there are always some nice cars worth a walk around.

Time for some numbers:

• Total Kms run: 204955 as of last refuel.
• Overall fuel efficiency: 14.27 KMPL
• Avg Kms per day: 75.4

What is coming up:

Two trips are coming up.

April last week to May first week: Destination not decided but for sure we will have a break as it is school vacation time.May second week: including two holidays + weekend, we have 4 days, planning to head to Dresden which is a nice German city. The Idea is to spend a day in the city and rest at nearby hiking trails.Another minor update is about Dashcam. After some 10 years of service across all the cars I drove so far here in NL, I decided to retire an old but trusty Transcend a few months ago and replaced that with a Red Tiger f7n. However unfortunately it had some sensor issues and I had to return it. I have now just bought another one - Viofo A129 Pro 2CH Duo - I need to get this installed.

That is all that I have for now. See you later!

Thanks,

Dileep

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On the Spanish motorway, the car behind me scratched my NX300h's bumper. It was the first time ever that such an incident happened with me in the EU in all these 12 years.

BHPian dileepcm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

5700kms Solo journey from the EU to touch the continent of Africa

My family and I live in the Netherlands and it’s been almost 12 years here! Time flies.

After enjoying several road trips within the EU across the last several years, I finally made my mind up to try and extend it beyond the EU borders. Driving within the EU is very simple and seamless as there are no real no borders, checks etc and I wanted to break that for good.

Kid starting school means only one thing for parents. Long vacations can be taken only during school summer holidays which is what I did. Out of the 3+ weeks that I had in August, I decided to spend 2+ weeks on this trip, rest kept aside for a short visit to India that I didn’t want to skip. My wife and kid flew to India the next day after school vacation started as they had no plans to join this road trip madness.

Destinations considered

• UK: I initially considered driving from the Netherlands to the UK (Scottish highlands in mind) but that did not excite me enough and the UK is still like half EU.
• Russia: Russia would have been on the list, but with recent developments, it's not an option at the moment (+ I have been to Russia in the past).
• Turkey: Then considered Turkey, but again I have been to Istanbul and to a few other places in Turkey.
• Tunisia or Morocco: Then I turned to the continent of Africa and it came down to either Tunisia or Morocco given I wanted to try something manageable in my first attempt. I have colleagues from both countries and after some research, finalized Morocco which seemed easier and tourist friendlier of the two.

Then the detailed research began, took a few weeks to get a fair idea of what I should be doing and more importantly what I shouldn’t be doing. In the following days, finalized the locations I wanted to be in:

• Tetouan
• Chefchaouen
• Volubilis archeological site
• Meknès
• Marrakesh
• Casablanca
• Rabat and
• Tangier made into final list

I skipped Fez as it's similar to several other cities in my plan and Merzouga (FYI this is real Sahara with sand dunes) as it would be 50+ degrees in summer. Moreover, the Sahara needs its own trip – parked it for later.

Is Morocco safe?

Besides the small typical tourist scams, generally, it is a very safe and politically stable country unlike some of the other West African countries. There are tons of tourists (and their cars) flowing to Morocco every year from the EU. There are some not-so-safe feeling areas towards the south of Morocco (aka Western Sahara) but those are not typical destinations for tourists. Places from North of Morocco until Agadir which is towards mid-south are all very safe areas. Having said that, like I do when I visit any new place, I always take precautions like staying closer to cities, not driving late at night etc. – it’s just common sense of safety – that’s all that you need.

Heads up:

Unfortunately, this trip did not end as originally planned and for the same reason, I wasn't planning to write this article. I had to cut short the trip after about a week+ at Meknès and drive back to the Netherlands as I had to fly to India sooner on some personal urgencies. However, after posting a short update on my car ownership thread, I got a couple of messages asking about the documents needed, border crossing formalities etc. so decided to still create a thread about the experience.

While I am a bit sad that I had to return sooner, the whole experience of driving my own car from the EU (Netherlands) to Africa (Morocco), touching the continent of Africa and being able to drive there was a very rewarding experience for me. I have never done anything like this before. This is my longest solo road trip ever. There are lots of interesting details like getting you and your car into Morocco, getting a temporary import permit, driving culture in Morocco, fuel, roads, food and so on. So this thread is more about such experiences rather than describing the touristy side of Morocco as I did not have much chance to explore due to early return. Having said that, I will share details of places where I have been to.

Then, I spent several days reading blogs and watching YouTube videos of driving from the EU to Morocco. I also tried to learn more about the culture of Morocco and potential tourist traps etc. While I kept learning more and more, I also got caught up with several gray topics. Like how would I find a safe parking spot sometimes made me anxious, to be honest. Anyway, no stepping back at this point. This is what the final version of the plan looked like.

After leaving from Netherlands, drive straight to Barcelona.

• 1.5 days in Barcelona
• 1 day in Algeciras, Spain where the next day, I would get on a ferry to Tangier Med in Morocco.
• 2 days in Chefchaouen, Morocco
• 1 day in Meknes, Morocco
• 3 days in Marrakech, Morocco
• 2 days in Casablanca, Morocco
• 2 days in Rabat, Morocco
• 1 day in Tangier Med, Morocco
• Stay as needed for return trip stopovers

Then it was time to make reservations and get the final prep ready.

• Made all the hotel bookings on booking.com
• Booked the ferry to cross from Spain to Morocco and return [FRS is what I selected]
• Printed all necessary details
• Downloaded offline maps in two phones (Here maps)
• Packed dresses, some snacks and other items needed

Day 0 - Getting the car ready

Back in February, I sold my VW Golf wagon and replaced it with a 2016 Lexus NX300h which I purchased at 175k kms. Ownership report here.

Car was almost due for the next service. I got the service done on Aug 4th. No surprises. More details on the service experience are in my ownership thread above.

Day 1

Loaded most of the items like a couple of bags with dresses, snacks, drinks etc. [There isn’t much as it’s a solo trip] previous day itself except fruits and coffee and a few items such as laptop/passport backpack etc.

Distance from where I live in NL to Barcelona, Spain via Paris is about 1540 Kms. Route map is here. Initially, was planning to go Via Luxembourg, but maps kept showing heavier traffic as I started. So decided to re-plan via Pais as Google suggested.

Started at 04:00 from home, reached at 21:10 with several tolls [in France], fuel, food and restroom stops.

I did not know while starting to drive, but this route crossed Millau Viaduct which is the only notable attraction that showed up along the route.

Wiki: The Millau Viaduct is one of the world's tallest bridges, standing at an impressive 343 meters. That's about 19 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower (from the tower's tip at 324 meters). It is world-renowned for its wonderful design which was once considered impossible to achieve when its construction was announced.

Lexus sailed like a Yacht, with cruise control on most of the time. Roads were fairly good throughout with enough locations available to grab something on the way. It was a bit difficult for the lunch as most of them were packed. Needless to say, with school vacations on in NL, there were way too many NL cars than normal throughout France and Spain.

Averaged around 13+ Kmpl throughout.

Day 2

More or less rest day in Barcelona. However, I had to make a quick visit to the City center. My hotel was closer to the highway which means that it was the outskirts of the city center. I took a train to the city center [35 minutes] with a one-day ticket that cost 10 EUR and also works in Metro. I visited some of the most known destinations like La Sagrada Familia church, Placa de Catalunya, Cathedral of Barcelona etc.

Then I had a quick roam around the city and travelled back to the hotel for early dinner and sleep as the next day was another long day from Barcelona to Algeciras which is the southern tip of Spain [close to Gibraltar].

That is where I would be boarding a ferry the next day [8th] to cross over to Morocco.

Day 3

Barcelona to Algeciras 1140 kms. Route goes via Maliga.

Nothing special on the way as such. Started around 7 and reached around 7pm obviously with several stops. Motorway mile munching is all that it is. What is interesting though is the way geography changes along the way. Temperature touched 41 at some point.

Car accident:

On the way, a sudden stop on the Spanish motorway caused the car behind me to scratch my bumper - My first ever such incident in the EU in all these 12 years.
However, that did not spoil the trip at all. We both parked the cars on the shoulder, and had a very friendly chat, he signed my insurance papers and the job was done in 15 minutes. I have already completed the administration for the claim and will hand over the car to the Lexus dealer for fixing it later this week or next week. I could have done it earlier, but I was in India for the last week which delayed the whole process a bit.

Reached the hotel in the evening, and had a walk around the neighborhood. Hotel was 10 minutes away from the port. Grabbed some quick dinner and settled for the day.

Ferry travel between Spain and Morocco

There are several options to travel between Spain and Morocco. Multiple ports and multiple operators. I chose the FRS ferry from Algeciras to Tangier Med and return, which takes about 1hr 30 minutes on the way. But that is not the shortest. Tarifa in Spain to Tangier is the shortest that takes less than an hour. There are plenty of day tours on offer from Spain to Morocco.

What was initially confusing for me was that I did not realize until I looked at a map that the Port of Tangier and Tangier Med are two different ports. Besides that, tickets can be bought online which is what I did, or can be bought in gas stations or other shops in the area.

Photo from Google

Day 4

Ferry crossing day. Ferry takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Got up at 4:00, checked out from the hotel and drove to Algeciras port by 4:30. Directions are well marked and there are people to guide you – no space for any confusion as I doubted.

Documents needed – all these details are based on the fact that I was driving my own car. Different types of documents may be needed if you are driving someone else’s car or a rental car.

• Passport (and Visa if applicable)
• Car’s original registration card
• Car’s insurance green card

In my case, the insurance I have already covers Morocco (and Turkey) so a green card with those details was readily available. If Morocco is not covered, you could ask your insurance company to add Morocco if that’s possible or I also heard that you could buy insurance after getting down at Morocco – but not quite sure of this option.

Documents got checked a few times by gatekeepers and ferry folks and finally ended up at Spanish immigration. Post passport check by Spanish Immigration, boarded ferry by 5:30. Probably because of the early morning time, Ferry was only half full. After parking the car, went upstairs.

Immigration Paperwork in the Ferry:

While going from Spain to Morocco, all the paperwork needed for Morocco takes place in ferry which is brilliant! as it saves a ton of time and queuing up later once landed.

After parking the car and getting to the first floor where the passenger space is, the first step is to queue up for immigration where the passport gets a stamp. Since I have a EU passport, no visa was needed. From what I understood, it's fairly easy to get a visa for Morocco when it's necessary.

Second step is to then queue up for the customs desk where the car’s temporary import permit is sorted out. It took about 15 minutes and received a small print out that needs to be kept safe throughout the time the car is in Morocco. No fees to be paid.

After about an hour in total, I was done with all that was needed and then it was just about waiting for another 45 minutes for the ferry to dock at the Moroccan port. Post 1:45ish hours of sailing, touched the shores of Morocco and got out in no time. Probably because of the early morning time, the ferry wasn’t crowded at all.

Third step takes place after getting off the ferry. Drove straight to Moroccan customs clearance gates where documents were checked again and a few random questions were asked. For me, it was a sniffer dog just taking a walk around and verifying documents by the police whereas I saw plenty of cars being fully unloaded and searched. Got things done within 20 minutes drove off through the motorway and at first fuel stop, filled in and exchanged some EUR for Dirhams. Unlike in the EU, gas stations are operated by attendants. Gas stations near the ports accepted EURs as well.

Petrol costs around 1.4 EUR which is around 14 Dirhams / Liter. One EUR was about 10.5 Dirhams at the time of my visit.

Cash Vs Card:

• Cash is king. EU cards cannot be used in most local shops.
• Toll payment is also in cash. In short, cash is needed everywhere for everything. So it's important to have cash in hand.
• There are bank ATMs where EU cards can be used to withdraw Dirhams however they are few and far in between.

I grabbed a coffee from a roadside shop and spent a few minutes just digesting the fact that I now have touched the continent of Africa for the first time in my life, that too together with my car.
What a great feeling!

Navigation apps for Morocco:

I downloaded offline maps of Morocco on my two phones using Here Maps and also Maps.me. Here maps is what I used and works pretty well except in city centers. It also shows speed limits on the roads which is something to be strictly followed due to frequent police checkpoints.

Destination for the next couple of days: Chefchaouen

Since I had no idea how long the immigration / temp import procedures were going to take, I did not plan anything else on the day other than driving from Port to Chefchaouen which is not that far (~130 km). Now I had a lot of time, I decided to drive to Tetouan first which is a small, but beautiful city located around 65 kms away from Port. Tetouan looks like one of those Spanish or Mediterranean cities on the slopes, next to a river.

After taking a quick round, drove further off to Chefchaouen which is about another 70 kms kms away. This is where the next two nights will be.

Driving in Morocco

First few kilometers were motorway/toll roads which is more or less like how it works in the EU (except the payment is in cash) and then roads turned into more local ones (dual carriageways). Driving on these roads is more or less the same as it is in India. Dusty roads, road works all over the place, slow trucks causing long bottlenecks, plenty of shops nearby if you want to stop for tea or snacks, kids selling local fruits on the sides of the road etc.

So it’s all a bit chaotic but not a big deal. Overall, it looks like Morocco has been prioritizing road development a lot of late from all the constructions seen on the way.

Two things I learnt on the way.

• Moroccans love their flag. It's everywhere.
• Then there are police checkpoints every 10-15 kilometers and speed checks are very common. I never got stopped though.

Chefchaouen is a walled city in northwest Morocco. It is the main town of the province of the same name and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue, for which it is nicknamed the "Blue City.

What is a Medina?

All these old cities in Morocco have Medinas which are the most important historical neighborhoods like a city center. Chefchaouen also has one where blue and white paint dominates the walls and houses, and the streets are so narrow that cars cannot pass usually there are steps to climb as well, which provides a gem of an experience. And trust me, no maps can help navigate you in these Medinas as they are like a spiderweb of small walkways – but that’s also the charm, to be honest.

Generally, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the narrow streets in any Madina except some locals bikes. Experience is similar to visiting the Grand Bazar of Istanbul for that matter. Media is filled with shops/ restaurants, etc. Very soon, I found myself enjoying Moroccan mint tea and freshly made orange juice a lot – almost like one every couple of hours.

The city of Chefchaouen was built on slopes leading down to the river so as you walk from the city wall into the central portions you are heading down as the streets or walkways become narrower and buildings higher, adding to its Charm.

Tourist traps

‘Let me help you’ scam – I had learnt about this from all the videos and google research I have done. Usually, locals approach tourists offering some help to get into a specific place or a shop and in the end they demand money. Typically something like a couple of Dirhams will do, but there are more severe versions of this scam in bigger cities like Marrakesh. Please do your research if you plan to visit.

Another scam I read about is about restaurants having different menus with different pricing – so take a photo of the menu when you order something.

Finding parking

Finding a parking is complex affair for those who are not used to how it works here and I think generally in all major cities in Morocco. There are no obvious big parking lots anywhere in Chefchaouen, the situation in the rest of the cities is similar. Roadsides are already filled with cars. Finally found a guy whom I paid 10 Dhrs to find a parking and he guided me to a local parking garage near the Hotel that cost me 80 DHrs for two nights. Probably it's expensive to the local market but honestly finding roofed parking is a bit of a deal, to be honest and I think I was lucky to get one close to the hotel as otherwise carrying baggage etc is not easy in the middle of the day when it's super-hot.

Generally, you drive into the city and find areas where cars are parked and there will be some walking around in yellow/orange vests guiding the parking activities. Pay him a few Dirhams and you get a spot. No fixed rates or anything as such but it almost always works.

Accommodation (Riads)

There are plenty of options available, I booked everything using booking.com. While being in Morocco, it is good to try what is known as Riads. These are the traditionally decorated living spaces. They were not that expensive given I was paying in EURs. Obviously, I am paying a premium as a tourist coming in with EUR, but it’s still really worth it.

Most of them also come with a traditional Moroccan breakfast.

Photos from some of the Riads I stayed.

Language

Arabic is the primary language. Not everyone speaks English. So ended up using my phone a lot for translating to French which pretty much works everywhere.

Mobile data

The wifi in hotels is not great. I grabbed a sim from a local shop [Passport copy needed] for data. Sim + 5 GB cost 70 Dirhams and got instantly activated. Most places have 4G.

Weather

August is proper summer time. Day temperatures are up to 45 degrees and night temperatures are around 30 degrees. So be prepared for it. However, winter here is not that mild. Given the hills, temperatures can be really low. If you plan to visit the Sahara and sand dunes, do not even think of going for it in the summer months.

By the way, did you know that there are skiing slopes in Morocco?

Places like Ifrane receive a fair amount of snow during the winter months. Just google the location to get a gist of it.

Day 5

Hotel had a nice Moroccan breakfast and again I opted for Mint tea. Morocco is not a morning place as far as I have seen. Streets are fairly empty even at 11 AM. Things catch up towards evening and then there is active street life until past-midnight.

Nothing much happened until the afternoon as it was pretty hot. Then I went to the sort of highest point of the slope where I could get a panoramic view of the city.

Then spent a few hours getting lost in those small alleyways inside the Medina. Chefchaouen is really like the Moroccan version of Santorini of Greece. Let me also make it clear, there is a lot of tourism here but it's not that hard to find local interests as well. Finally had dinner and settled for the day.

Next day was check out and drive to Conservation du site Archéologique de Volubilis, then one night stay is going to be at Meknes.

Day 6

Conservation du site Archéologique de Volubilis, Meknes

After another fabulous breakfast, it's time to head to the next destination which is the Archaeological Site of Volubilis. I have a lot of interest in ancient ruins and this is probably the most prominent of all in Morocco.
It’s about 2.5 hours from Chefchaouen on the way to Meknes which is another famous city where I will be staying overnight.

The road from Chefchaouen to Volubilis has nothing much going on. Narrow roads pass through barren lands. Temperature was above 40 all the time.

The Archaeological Site of Volubilis is a gem of a place. Nothing like I have seen before. There are vast vacant lands for hours on the way and then at a super random valley, you have this massive site containing BC-era Roman ruins in the middle of nowhere in Morocco.

Photo from Wiki - Adding to give a sense of perspective

Wiki: Volubilis is a partly-excavated Berber-Roman city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes that may have been the capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania, at least from the time of King Juba II. This is from the 3rd century BC era.

Wiki: Built on a shallow slope below the Zerhoun mountain, Volubilis stands on a ridge above the valley of Khoumane (Khuman) where it is met by a small tributary stream called the Fertassa. It overlooks a rolling fertile alluvial plain north of the modern city of Meknes. The area around Volubilis has been inhabited at least since the Late Atlantic Neolithic, some 5,000 years ago.

The Site is especially notable for the fine mosaics that have been discovered in a number of buildings. They are amazingly beautiful.

Let's talk about the sad reality now:

While the ruins are invaluable and a must-see in my view, the location just has very basic facilities. Either due to extreme heat [up to 44C] or maybe that is how it is, I was pretty much the only one visiting these vast old Roman ruins when I was there. I had it pretty much for myself for the few hours I spent there.

Entry for foreigners costs 70 Dirhams. It takes about 2 hours to have a good walk around. While there are some amazing ruins and mosaics that will twist your brain a lot as the location does not fit into our transitional idea of Roman sites, the maintenance of the site is next to none.

You are on your own, there is no proper anything around. People have been walking all over the place and there are names scratched on every possible wall. Stones scattered everywhere, no protection to even the few mosaics they recovered. All left to the mercy of the weather. It’s all a bit sad and tired-looking. I could even see shops nearby selling what looks like pieces of mosaics and stones from the site.

It looks like some construction is going to start at the entrance soon that hopefully brings better facilities, protection and fame to this invaluable gem of a place before it gets lost any further.

I spent an hour sitting under a tree looking at this magnificent site. I still could not get my brain to trust what I was seeing.

After a couple of hours of walking around and thinking about how magnificent this place would have been several thousand years ago, I drove towards Meknes and checked into the room (Riad). I spent about an hour walking around city center and tasting some street food and finally called it a day.

Food scene in Morocco

Moroccan food is nothing less than amazing. Its not spicy hot, but very flavorful. Moroccans use a lot of spices that we use like turmeric, pepper etc. Moroccan cuisine is primarily meat-based. There are vegetarian possibilities but not a lot. Here are a few most iconic dishes that you must try if you are in Morocco.

Tagine: It’s a clay cooking pot with a conical lid with multiple types of dishes slow cooked inside (beef, lamb, chicken, veggies, etc). You can get it practically anywhere, at roadside stops, cafés, and nicer restaurants. Typically it costs from 30 to 60 Dirhams. Generally, a few slices of Moroccan bread [Khobz] are served with every dish. It's tasty and very filling. I think I had one every day either for lunch or for dinner.

• Couscous: Couscous is originally from Morocco and is typically served with meat or vegetable stew.
• M’smen – traditionally eaten for breakfast – almost the same as Paratha.
• Brochettes: All sorts of Kebabs are typically cooked as street food.
• Mint tea: Super delicious. You will find it everywhere. Costs a couple of dirhams. I stopped at numerous places on the way to sip tea – a truly great experience.
• Zalouk, Fish Chermoula, Harira, Bastilla etc are also some of the well-known dishes.

Return trip

While being in Meknes, I knew I had to return sooner. I could have afforded to stay a day or two more in Morocco and I could have touched Marrakesh on a stretch, but decided to skip it and start returning the next day morning as I wanted to keep a reserved day during my return journey.

Cancelled the rest of the hotel reservations, called up the ferry company to move my ticket to the next day noon and also booked a hotel near Albolote, Spain for a night stop. Also important to know - when I enter Morocco with my EU car, I can only exit with the car. Car alone cannot stay in Morocco.

Return journey was quite boring as you can imagine. Kept munching miles, stopped at Albolote, Spain for one night and at Massy, France (outskirts of Paris) for another night. Reached back in NL before noon the next day and flew to India the day after. I drove a bit more than 5700kms during this trip which is now my longest trip ever. That not only made me more confident to do even longer trips but also made me trust my car that I bought at 175k kms even more.

What did I learn from this trip?

As I mentioned earlier, the biggest takeaway from this trip is the super rewarding feeling of being able to drive my own car from the EU to Africa. I had a few friends asking me about why I did not fly to Morocco and rent a car to drive around which is practically making a lot of sense – but for me, it’s the experience and freedom of having my car with me that makes me most comfortable.

Maybe I will rent a car if I go to Morocco again with my family. But for a trip to a new destination, I think there are no such questions, but driving my own car is going to be always my preference.

Now I have touched Africa, I am starting to dream of something like EU to Asia next time Crossing to Turkey is all that it takes to touch Asia (or maybe even try driving to India??). If I drive the same distance I drove on this trip towards Turkey then to Iran + drive another less than 1000 kms, I will have theoretically entered Pakistan. From there, the India border is just 1700 kms - So why stop dreaming?

Let’s see!

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I went to the event with my dad in our green Gypsy to watch the tastefully modified SUVs, hatchbacks and whatnot.

BHPian shankar.balan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Cars and Coffee Meet up

June 25 2023 - EZone Marathahalli

A good selection of cars!

The June 25 meet was probably larger in scale. I'd gone with my Dad in my Green Gypsy but didn’t bother photographing my own car as there was a lot of other car candy. It only appears in the background in one or two photos.

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The car continues to behave like a cat that purrs. Not a noise out of place.

BHPian V.Narayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Bagheera completes her 8th servicing. 65,000 kms clocked.

The servicing by itself was a routine affair with no major part replacement by the passage of time. The cost of the servicing all told came to Rs 50,000 and change. A ceramic top up coat was done for free. The car has thus far cost a total of Rs 345,000 odd on maintenance which comes to Rs 5.30 per kms driven or ~4540/- per month. This includes the 4 new tyres at the 3.5 year mark.

Last service in August 22, i.e. 10,000 kms earlier I had the PPF removed and replaced by ceramic. That was the long term investment in keeping her ship shape. This time I went for new leather upholstery for the two front seats which I have been grumbling and hissing about for a while. The leather came from Lexus Japan and the stitching was done at Lexus Delhi. It set me back by a whopping, embarrassing Rs 505,000. If my wife knew I’d be history. As I intend to keep the car for 15 years at least {9 more to go} and more if possible, maybe I’ll digest this expense by then.

Including the leather seat covers, the total cost of the car including cosmetics like seats and ceramic coatings has been Rs 10,30,000 thus far.

Like she has thus far the car continues to behave like a cat that purrs. Not a noise out of place. And straightforward reliability. And Lexus’s A.S.S. continues to please.

Photos of my favourite model posing...

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Why would Lexus give LHD oriented control stalks for the Indian models, when they give proper RHD controls in other RHD markets have confused me to no end.

BHPian DicKy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Ever since Team-bhp had the first drive of the Lexus lineup in 2016, the first thing that caught my eyes was the LHD orientation of the control stalks.

Indian market 2018 Lexus ES300h with LHD control stalks.

Latest Indian market 2022 Lexus NX350h with LHD control stalks.

VNarayanan Sir's 2017 Bagheera with LHD control stalks.

Here we have 2023 Australian market Lexus ES with correct control stalk orientation.

And the ASEAN market Lexus ES with correct control stalk orientation.

A pet peeve of mine, this subject has been discussed to death in the forum for decades now.

Link 1

Link 2

Why would Lexus give LHD oriented control stalks for the Indian models, when they give proper RHD controls in other RHD markets have confused me to no end. The first reason I could up with is that we were given UK spec models. Why that thought? Just that I read in some magazine that we were getting the UK spec cars as imports, namely the 2000s Prado. The CBU Kizashi straight from Japan also had LHD control stalks. Add to that the initial batch of Dmax pickups (double cabin) that was showcased in India too had the control stalks in LHD orientation. Again, UK spec.

Why the UK uses LHD orientation?

UK is pretty forced due to being an island in the midst of LHD markets.

In fact, if it was Volkswagen or Renault that had came instead of Maruti (read Suzuki), we may well have been forced as well to use LHD controls like UK does.

Funny thing is, in many UK based car reviews the poor guys point out RHD control stalks as oddity and cost cutting from the Oriental Far East, when in fact with the absence of strong domestic players, the cars from Ford/VW had made them get used to LHD stalks borne from cost cutting in the first place.

But just like how the Isuzu Dmax got RHD control stalks when production was localized, Lexus could have easily given RHD control stalks when the cars started hitting the market officially. Also, the UK spec argument doesn’t hold water when we get models that the UK market doesn’t. Like the Lexus LX. Also we get models that are different in spec compared to the UK.

JDM Lexus LX570 with correct RHD control stalk orientation.

Australian market 2023 Lexus LX600 with correct RHD control stalk orientation.

The 2023 Lexus LX500d shown at the 2023 Auto Expo. Presumably Indian spec. With LHD oriented control stalks.

Another argument was that Lexus is primarily a North American focussed company, so they would naturally use LHD control stalks especially in models like the Lexus ES. But that is a moot point, considering how other markets get RHD controls. Even the OG Lexus LS400 targeted at the US market had the correct control stalk orientation in RHD markets.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We also had a similar issue in our Skoda Superb and Laura but surprisingly to a lesser extent.

BHPian V.Narayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I try to maintain Bagheera in as close to showroom condition as I can afford. It might not be incorrect to say that she looks almost as good as new. However, one fly in the ointment is the dirtying of the driver's seat.

All my half-hearted attempts to remove them have failed including making Lexus try out their solutions. Clearly, this is caused by my driver's clothes, sweat and what have you as he is the primary driver of this car. And the Volvo which I usually self-drive does not have it. He is a good man and wears a clean set of clothes so there is only so much I can say to him. In the Skoda Superb and Laura we also had a similar issue but to a lesser extent surprisingly. I wonder if this Lexus leather is too real and too soft and soaks in all the dirt and sweat.

So, in the end, I bit the bullet. No makeshift arrangements for my favourite car. I've ordered new seat covers from Lexus Japan and in about a month they shall be stitched on. The local Lexus shop has a fully trained workman to do the stitching or so I'm told. It will set me back by Rs 2.3L. I've decided to (a) not inform my wife and (b) hiss and curse to high heaven and then get on with life.

Photos below. As readers can see the dirtiness is horrid. A flaw in an otherwise perfect car.

Further, I visited the Lexus showroom at Janpath, New Delhi. A UX was parked there for tests and some press meetings. All electric. I wasn't permitted to click photos.

In about a year, it will be time to purchase a small/medium vehicle with a high-ground clearance. I've decided to stay with Lexus/Volvo. Their reliability and service standards have spoilt me. If a Lexus, it would be the NX or the UX. If a Volvo, I'd need to check out what will be on offer in mid-2024.

Representative photos of the UX below. The car at the showroom was this exact colour. Very eye-catching. The UX is the baby Lexus. Its smaller size is what attracts me. Price unknown.

Update

I forgot to mention the cost of Rs 2.3L is for two seat covers for the two front seats. Decided to change both or they will start looking of different shades.

It is an all-in cost. Still steep.

Here's what BHPian Dead_Pedal had to say about the matter:

Have you tried enquiring at any leather restoration studio? They definitely can get it done at reasonable rates unless Lexus fit and finish is what you want. There's one in Bangalore by the name refurbstudio and they work mainly on premium cars. I'm sure they'll have a solution for this. They have several before/after shots for reference on their Google page. There may be similar options in Delhi. But, sad to see that seat in such a state.

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say about the matter:

A common issue on all Toyotas (Lexus included). This happens when drivers are sitting for extended times, usually waiting. Though you could have got the leather shine corrected, there are some permanent scuffs / wear which will never go. Happens on Germans too but usually, we can clean those as leather is different (better?)

If possible, tell the driver to wait outside whenever possible or maybe put a good quality white towel on the seat.

Lexus should have passed you some goodwill discounts though.

Here's what BHPian sandeepmohan had to say about the matter:

It's too late for this comment. India is a large and top-notch leather hub. The next time you're attempting to renew leather seats on your car, try the likes of Stanley, or a boutique leather shop etc before heading to Japan. Not only will it save you money, will save time too. The sooner that seat starts to look clean, the better you feel.

On electric cars, I'd pass Lexus. They aren't there yet with electric cars. The current lineup is a half-hearted/baked attempt.

That said, the recent appointment of Koji Sato has resulted in the latest Toyota BZ3. It's probably been in the works for some time now. This is a proper, ground-up new electric vehicle platform. The surprise is that it's a joint effort with BYD, China and Toyota. Initial response to the vehicle has been good. Far better than their own Bz4x/RZ450e.

For now, a Volvo C40 Recharge, XC40 or Polestar are better bets than any Lexus EV vehicle.

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I've had multiple vehicles in the past including a Volvo V40 Cross Country but this is my first automatic car.

BHPian dileepcm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Intro

This is a short (functional) initial impressions summary of my new (used) Lexus NX300h [Officially "Lexus NX300h AWD Business Line Pro"].

There are no real technical details/numbers in this summary as I am one of those who worries more about comfortable cruising than Nürburgring lap times. If you are really looking for super details on numbers, a detailed review by T-BHP is here.

I moved to The Netherlands for work back in 2012. My automobile life after moving to NL looks something like the below.

Renault Twingo: 2000 make, bought it in 2012 with ~150k Kms. First car, it was more of an experiment to even check whether I could drive comfortably on EU roads as I was that doubtful. It did not take long to get used to new ways of driving and I was very happy to have a car. I was also presently surprised at how good this small, funky but spacious car is. Almost no troubles except a battery change and a starter motor. Used it for ~3 years and about 25k Kms.

I guess someday, I might buy another one!

After a job change in 2015, I opted for an office lease car as the job involved a fair amount of travel. Lease car days were a bit more interesting.

VW Golf 1.0 hatchback - 2015 to 2016 - It was a short lease, lasted for about a year after that lease company wanted the car back for some reason.

Opel Astra - Late 2016 to Early 2017 - After the lease company wanted to take away the Golf, they replaced it with another short lease which was an Opel Astra that lasted a few months as I was then eligible for my long lease.

Volvo V40 Cross country - Early 2017 to late 2019- Picked this long-lease car after a lot of research and test drives. Drove for 3 years and 100k kms! What a car it was. We toured from Italy to Norway and Paris to Berlin and all in between loved every moment of driving it.

Volvos will remain in my heart. They are amazing cars with one of the best seats in business combined with very high build quality.

Golf Estate 1.6 Bluemotion 2019 to 2023 - After 3 years with Volvo, I moved away from the office lease and bought my second private car - 2015 make, used Golf Estate 1.6 Bluemotion TDI. It was 100k run, but was almost brand-new in and out. Main reason for an estate car was that by this time our family had grown and we needed more room inside the car to be able to carry everything that needed around. Fantastic car, everything felt like home very soon.

However, water pump and timing belt replacements besides regular maintenance meant that it was not particularly cheap to maintain overall. Covid times in-between also meant that the amount of travel drastically reduced. However several Germany/Italy trips and one super long NL-Croatia-NL trip made a lot of great memories.

If I am in search of an estate, Golf would still be on my list. Btw, the eagle-eyed of you know the location!

Golf did around 65k kms by the time we moved on.

Lexus NX300h Feb 2023 - Present

Towards the end of 2022, A few things changed. Kid started with her school - that meant driving within the city limits to her school every day with several traffic lights in between. That also meant that I had more traffic jams to face as I further drive to the office as I could not leave early anymore.

The travel for work never picked up to the pace that existed before Covid. Relatively lower run was not really justifying the higher taxes and insurance to be paid for Diesels. For reference, The road tax amount needed for Golf now more or less pays road tax + full coverage insurance for my Lexus.

Besides, Diesels were getting stricter restrictions all across Europe. Several cities do not allow older diesels anymore in their city centers.

Though I thought I would never be an 'automatic' person, having a few days driving with friend's automatic cars clearly initiated some second thoughts especially given the more frequent city driving. I could have still driven the Golf at least for a few more years, but I also had a growing wish to move towards something like a cross-over or SUV sooner than later. Though not serious, a casual search went on. I was spending a couple of hours every week looking at used cars by the end of the year 2022.

The Search

So the search was getting more serious as time passed by. Tried several combinations of criteria and eventually settled on Automatic + Petrol/Hybird + AWD + Post 2017 + 5 seats crossovers or SUVs.

Started looking at VW SUVs/Cross overs given great VW Golf ownership, Followed by Volvos (XC60 in particular) having no major luck in the used car market, then looked at other German/Japanese options like X1/3s, GLAs, RAV4s etc however it was almost impossible to find original NL cars within 150k kms mileage fitting within the budget of what I was looking for.

Then looked at Vitaras and CRVs for a while, but dropped them as best efforts within mine could not convince myself of the lack of interior quality for Vitaras and for the body shape of CRVs. I even look at a few Subaru Foresters but internet wisdom never gave me any confidence in boxer engines.

Tried my best to convince myself on Mitsubishi Outlander but nothing could create any good impressions besides the PHEV factor. Interiors were too basic and plasticky to my liking.

Then eventually landed in Mazda CX5 and that was a milestone.

At some point, I was pretty much convinced that I was going to get a Mazda CX5 AWD Automatic and there were a few available from 2018-19 and even took a few test drives. Mazda Service center was very nearby which was a plus. But then I came to know that a friend of mine had serious troubles with his 2019 (office lease) CX5 with cylinder deactivation tech that had some serious recalls [Just google it!]. Given most of the new Mazdas on the road would be lease cars where no one worries about issues or recalls, privately owning one was of a different league for me given the potential issues related to cylinder deactivation tech. So almost overnight Mazdas went off my list.

Then there was a brief moment where I had no idea of what next but somehow ended up looking at Lexus NX300hs at some point.

I have to admit that Lexus were never in my thoughts until this point - not sure why though. Probably that's because, unlike several other markets, Lexus is not a strong brand here in NL. I also had some worries about hybrid tech failing over time. I somehow got tagged after spending some time reading through several forums, ownership experiences and watching Youtube videos and could not leave it for some other brand thereafter. There were not a lot of NXs available, to begin with, and the ones available were either too far off from where I lived or were too pricy for my budget.

One fine day, to my utter surprise, the Toyota dealer literally 2 minutes away from my home had an NX300h in their used cars stock. It was a 2016, AWD and original NL car with 176k km. I neither liked the 2016 make factor nor the high mileage situation but since the showroom was just a few minutes away, thought of paying a visit. Rest is history!

It had most of the features I need and a bit more. With the exception of the infotainment system [more on that later], there is a clear pursuit to perfection in every aspect of this car.

Here is what I am referring to.

• A trustable and reassuring brand image
• Service center 2 minutes away from my home
• Automatic
• AWD
• All typical safety features
• TPMS
• SUV stance
• Very High quality interiors [+ the amazing stitches]
• Proximity sensors for locking/unlocking
• Automatic wipers and headlights
• Cruise control
• Heated seats
• Reclining back seats
• Sofa like armrest
• Hill hold
• Physical sturdy buttons for most regular operations such as volume control or AC temp adjustments
• Dual zone AC and rear AC vents
• Heated mirrors
• Auto dimming mirror which I badly missed in my Golf
• Auto activating parking brakes
• Takes regular fuel,

List goes on. A few were missing though, more on that later.

Buying process

Though it was 2016 make with 176k kms, car looked almost brand new top to bottom to in and out - no single trace of any serious wear and tear even.

That is a good start. Generally used cars are well maintained here in NL though they could be pricy. I'd pay a premium for a good quality used car than try my luck with cheaper unknowns. Dealership was very friendly and open to talk, they took me to their service area to have the car lifted and allowed me to have a look at the underbody which was very clean with no rust or any serious scratches. Several test drives, grinding through all service records and a few sleepless nights of research gave me enough confidence to proceed. My Golf that I wanted to exchange also received a fair quote from the same dealer that was higher than what I received from several others [Toyota dealer offered a quote that was 73% of original price paid in 2019. 27% lost in 3 years 65k km].

Initial offer price was not within my limits but a few rounds of talks somehow made it possible. Finally, I also negotiated for a year of warranty and that came together with one year of free NL roadside assistance which is not really helpful as I anyway had a third-party EU wide road side assistance subscription.

On 11th Feb 2023, I exchanged my Golf to the same dealer, took delivery of Lexus with a year warranty included in delivery price. Had it not been for the 1 year warranty, I would not have opted for it given 2016 make + high mileage factors.

On the plus side, when the car is serviced at Toyota/Lexus dealerships, the warranty will get renewed for another year until 200k kms / 10 years. There is also a (paid) hybrid system check that can be performed post which the warranty of the hybrid system will get extended every year for another year until car is 15 years old. Above all, I also somehow kept telling myself that Toyotas are supposed to last longer than rest of the ones around - Hope that stays true.

Right after getting out of showroom. The color is some sort of Metallic Brown (still need to figure out the official name). By the way, the color is also something special to me. Usually the cars here are white/black/grey. This metallic brown is something that I had never seen before and I love it!

My kid wanted a glittery golden car though!

Initial days

Something unbelievable happened the week leading to the Saturday when I got the car. There were several challenges with one of our on-going software implementations [I am a Solution Architect for supply chain software products by the way] and that demanded a quick trip to our India development office. Before I could blink my eye, travel date got finalized and that was 12th - the next day after getting a new car. I had no other choice but to leave the car behind for what was supposed to be a week's trip. But then the trip, unfortunately, got extended by one more week. While it was great to catch up with the development team and I also had a chance to enjoy some good food, I was equally glad and eager to return at the end of 2 weeks sprint to start exploring my new car.

So, this is my first automatic. It meant some getting used to the new ways of using the machine. It was also my first hybrid - that meant another learning curve.

A few days and few short/long drives, it was all set, things started to feel more natural.

I am in no way an aggressive driver looking for peaks of steering feedback or for cornering stability, so CVT wasn't particularly of any concern. I had paid enough attention earlier during the test drives itself to ensure that I was going to be ok with it.

Car comes with an EV mode button - pressing the button forces the car to run only on batteries (provided it has juice) while speeds are below 60kmph for a few kms, but do not expect any extended range beyond 3-4 kms at a short. Where it really helps is when there is heavy traffic or when it's bumper to bumper city traffic.

Likewise, it also comes with Eco/Normal/Sports driving modes.

Sports mode for sure makes the throttle response quicker. After initial playing around, I left the settings in Normal mode for now.

Quick view of interiors

Here is a quick glance at what I was referring to as quality interiors. Not to forget, Previous owner and the dealer have done fantastic jobs in keeping things in shape and getting it professionally cleaned.

Leather steering wheel with Lexus branding. The surface was a bit too smooth to my liking for which I have now added a perforated leather wrap. This is something I had done in my Golf as well. Classic looking dials. The left one can be switched between Hybrid systems view and traditional RPM gauge view. The right one has no customization. Center portion is sort of an information display unit where you could customize what needs to be shown (Songs/Battery level etc)

Center console is dominated by gear knob. It looked a bit complicated at first with all those sideways movements but in a day or two, everything falls right on spot at first shot.

To me, the silver stripe design is one of the eye catchers. It resembles the grill design. Once you see it, you never unsee it. Armrest deserves special mention, so is the analog clock.

Seats are of Volvo rating. When it comes to comfort, these two guys make best in class seats as far as I have experienced.

Back seats are equally good too. Plenty of space, Recline-able, AC vents, Iso fixes, Arm rest - Has everything needed for comfortable long trips.

All key controls are sturdy physical buttons.

I also replaced original mats with rubber ones, added dashcam, added a sturdy mobile phone holder with wireless charging and finally also added a leather steering wheel cover to make it a bit more grippy (The stitching took a couple of hours though) - All these are my standard changes now based on what I did for Golf.

We had a short trip to Paris (Disneyland) a few weeks ago (~1000km round trip) and car performed really well. No issues/rattles etc. noticed. Very stable on high speeds. Very comfortable to drive and very quite inside the cabin.

Another trip to South of Germany coming up in a few weeks where I will really face some uphill roads which I can't wait to experience! I am also going to give it a push on Autobahns on the way to get a good feel of it.

Compromises made in favor of Lexus NX300h [This particular car]

• I really wanted adaptive cruise control in my next car after the Golf, but that's something I had to give up in favor of this one.
• Mileage: I was not going to buy anything above 120-150k kms, but ended up with 176k kms in this case. 1 year dealer warranty and the possibility to get it extended is what justified the decision to make a compromise.
• Not a big one, but leather seats. Though it's a luxury factor, I prefer (semi) fabric seats. But again in the used cars market, I cannot spec everything the way I need.
• Better infotainment system - again not a big one as I prefer using my phone, but it would have been nice to have a better system. To add, 2018 onwards models got a new one but mine is not compatible for an upgrade.

After 5200 Kms, What I Like:

• Extremely comfortable to drive supplemented by butter smooth eCVT. 2.5l Engine makes it easy to cruise, never felt like it was getting anywhere closer to running out of breath.
• Very silent cabin. Seats are at the same league as that of Volvo's.
• I know, not everyone likes the styling, but I love it! It really stands out.
• More spacious than I thought!
• There is real feel of luxury and build quality in and out. Everything feels strong, reassuring and safe.
• Seats offer higher seating [compared to Golf obviously] and it's great to enjoy the commanding view.
• So far trouble-free. No signs of any issues/warnings seen.
• Averaging around 14.5 KMPL which is not too bad given the increased city driving on a daily basis.
• Ambient lights / puddle lights upon key proximity.
• Built-in wireless charging!
• It might sound silly, but I love the fact that the seat recliner is a lever operated one instead of those German rotary knobs that take forever!
• The analog clock in center console - adds class and character.
• Comes with a full size spare wheel/tire [18"]. Volvo or Golf did not come with one.
• No idling of engine is needed while parked even with AC on for the most part.
• Heated seats are sort of soft heated with good heat spread which makes it really comfortable. Golf's heated seats were not bad but at high setting, it wasn't getting heated evenly across the surface.
• The switch between electric drive and ICE drive is very smooth which is very hard to even notice.
• I am yet to visit a Lexus service center, but their customer care has already given me a great initial impression. I had to be in calls/chats with them several times while I was in the process of investigating the history of the car, looking for information about warranties, parts costs etc. They even serve you on Sundays - now that is not that common here in EU but Lexus does it.

"Quirks and features"

It is a quirky car in many ways. the design of the grill sort of repeats in its interior's silver line placed above center console. The way window glass slows down just before closing off to allow sort of a soft landing is impressive. So is the vanity mirror in the center console [Buy why one would need that?]. In some ways, even the existence of a CD player impresses me. I am now going to hunt for some good-quality audio to give it a try. Not sure of the location where EU spec cars are getting built/assembled but several parts got Toyota and/or 'Made in Japan' stamps on them, list goes on.

Economics of daily driving a Lexus NX300h

My travel these days [until next projects design starts in a couple of months], is very consistent.

Home - School drop - Office - home + weekend errands + a long trip [~1200 kms return sort of] every other month.

I average between 65kms to 70kms per day.

With 5200 kms under the belt, Car averages 14+ Kmpl right now.

Except the rubber mats and phone holder I purchased and few other misc items, Car itself did not need any fixes or expenses until now. Service is due at 190k.

After 5200 Kms, What I dislike:

• Though the sound quality of the speakers is great, operating infotainment system is a nightmare. Neither the UI design nor the rotary knob are intuitive to use. I knew it before buying the car; there is no real alternatives besides some after-market systems in this case. For navigation, I use Waze/Google maps on my phone - so that part is taken care of however my wife gave up on using it for music from pendrive which she has been happily doing in Golf.
• Though Lexus has a reverse camera (none of my previous cars had it) which is great, I still miss the auto dipping reverse mirrors that I had in my golf.
• It would have been better to have steering-mounted buttons to operate cruise control instead of having the stick behind the steering wheel. At least the stick should have been placed to the left hand instead of right. Having to take hands off the center console at times for operating cruise control is tiny bit annoying.

That's it really! No other complaints or drawbacks noticed so far. I really hope it stays that way.

Looking forward to driving a lot in coming months and years. I will keep this thread updated when something major happens!

Last but not least: I had one spare sticker that I carried from India back in 2017 or 18 I think. That made the entry now very official.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Mercedes E Class EWB has more legroom at the back than this car.

BHPian V.Narayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Bagheera the panther turns six; 62,000 km

A cleanship and photo shoot for the birthday girl.

I love this car and its sleek feline looks. And unlike the German 3, there is an exclusivity about a Lexus that I am immodest about.

Bagheera in her Sunday best

Front quarter looks, right side displaying the subtle butch lines.

Left side looks without the benefit of the sunlight

Cockpit. The woodwork is in pristine condition. Not just my love and care but really it is Lexus’s quality control

Rear seat. Decent legroom. An inch less than the Skoda Superb she replaced in 2017. Mercedes E Class EWB has more legroom than the Lexus ES300h. For me and my wife rear seat leg space and seat comfort, soft ride are paramount. I often sit at the back while she always sits at the back unless I am driving.

Side door, inside. I never use that netting shade. Wife puts it up all the time.

Front seats. The leather has worn marvellously all over except the driver's seat which looks jaded.

Basement parking slot. Note the 15 amp socket point installed for the EV to come {one day!}. I had these installed while the building was still under construction 14 years ago on the presumption that the wiring will be hard to organize later.

Waiting under the porch

Farewell readers till the 8th servicing review in a few months. Thank you for your goodwill these 72 months. The car is maintained by engineer Mr. Sanjay Baluni of Lexus Delhi whose hard work and excellent service over 6 years deserve a mention in the credits.

Photo credits to my daughter who as she is a working lady now does not need pin money for her efforts any more.

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