2023 Hyundai NEXO SUV

　　

2023 Hyundai NEXO Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　Imagine driving an electric vehicle that you refuel at a station in about five minutes instead of recharging at home overnight. You can own such a vehicle now if you live in certain parts of California equipped with the infrastructure necessary to support hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. It is called the 2023 Hyundai Nexo.

　　The Nexo is a crossover SUV about the size of a Hyundai Tucson. It uses a fuel cell to convert hydrogen into electricity, which powers an electric motor making 161 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque. The byproduct of the process is water vapor, which the Nexo emits from its exhaust system. Depending on the trim level, the 2023 Nexo supplies up to 380 miles of driving range on a full tank.

　　There are two fuel cell electric vehicles available. In addition to the Nexo crossover, Toyota sells the Mirai sedan. Both are surprisingly upscale in appearance, quality, features and technology. For example, the Nexo's interior has a standard 10.25-inch digital instrumentation display paired with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system for a high-tech look, and a Krell premium audio system is available. You can also get a remote parking assistance feature that autonomously drives the Nexo into parking spaces while you're standing outside of the SUV.

　　Naturally, the Nexo's generous list of standard equipment, high-tech features and futuristic powertrain require you to pay a premium. However, Hyundai provides you with three years and up to $15,000 in complimentary hydrogen fuel, and for road trips, you can rent a car for free for up to seven days each year during the first three years of ownership. In addition, up to $4,500 in California state rebate money is available, and Hyundai frequently offers discounts to make the Nexo more appealing. The Nexo also qualifies for single-occupant use of carpool lanes.

　　Still, fuel cell vehicles are rare, and so are the refueling stations that stock hydrogen. As long as you're remaining local to California's urban centers and live a predictable lifestyle, the Hyundai Nexo is a compelling alternative to a traditional EV.

　　

Which NEXO does zzdcar recommend?

The base price of a Nexo is over $60,000, so you might as well spend a few grand more to get the top Limited trim. It gives up some driving range in exchange for larger 19-inch wheels, but it also adds amenities like a hands-free liftgate, a power sunroof, ventilated front seats, a Krell premium sound system and extra driver assist tech.

　　

Hyundai NEXO models

The 2023 Hyundai Nexo is a five-passenger front-wheel-drive crossover SUV available in Blue and Limited trim. Both versions use a hydrogen fuel cell and electric motor drivetrain producing 161 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque. The Nexo Blue can travel up to 380 miles on a full tank of hydrogen fuel, while the Limited can go 354 miles. Standard features include:

　　Blue

　　The Nexo Blue is well equipped with:

　　17-inch wheels LED headlights and taillights Power-folding, heated side mirrors Hands-free proximity keyless entry Push-button start Dual-zone automatic climate control Leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel Synthetic leather upholstery Power-adjustable, heated front seats 60/40-split folding rear seats 115-volt household-style power outlet Cargo coverThe Blue also comes with the following tech features:

　　10.25-inch digital instrument display 12.3-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Satellite radio Bluelink connected services with complimentary three-year subscription Navigation system Dual USB ports Wireless smartphone chargingEvery Nexo includes a long list of driver assist features:

　　Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Nexo and the car in front) Forward collision mitigation (warns of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot) Lane departure mitigation (warns of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking) Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)Limited

　　The top-shelf Nexo Limited has all of the above, plus:

　　19-inch wheels Rain-sensing wipers Roof rails Power sunroof Hands-free liftgate Heated steering wheel Ventilated front seats Eight-speaker premium audio system Blind-spot warning camera (displays an image of the vehicle's blind spot in the instrument panel when the turn signal is activated) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Nexo and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Automated remote parking (the Nexo can park itself without driver intervention; can be triggered while you're in the car or on the outside using the key fob)

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