We live in a world dominated by time and speed. How fast your broadband is, how quickly your food arrives at your table and perhaps worst of all; how fast your car is. Most seem to get caught up in the big rush.

The Lexus NX 300h is, by conventional measures, quick enough for modern driving with a top speed of 112mph and 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds. But surely, one of its best qualities is how it makes one drive with a certain calmed restraint.

This is in part due to the cabin. You climb slightly up into the driver’s seat which instantly gives you that commanding driving position. Visibility is as good as you could possibly get. But the NX goes a step further with a dashboard that is stacked so it sits up high with you, as well as a clever nod to the car’s exterior shape. That feeling of command over what you survey makes you feel that rushing around is for idiots.

Even the displays give you a gentle nudge in the right direction. With the car in Sport mode, there’s a conventional rev counter illuminated in suitably racy red, but in Normal or Eco mode it instead indicates how efficiently you’re driving. You can also bring up the energy flow meter between the dials or on the large screen, showing when the NX is running on petrol, electric or a combination of the two.

You’d be forgiven for thinking then that climbing into the four-cylinder hybrid Lexus with its CVT gearbox and modest 112mph top speed would be a bigger comedown than January 1, 2000. But the reality is simply quite different.

It starts before you even climb aboard. With the small fob in your pocket, the keyless entry works seamlessly – a timesaver rather than pointless tech – and you just climb aboard and get comfortable without any fuss. Prod the starter button and the Lexus slips into electric mode straight away, which has proved a handy means of not waking up the neighbours when heading for work in the early morning.

The driving experience is well tailored to making the miles disappear into thin air. At cruising speed, the engine falls to a distant hum, the ride takes care of any undulations and the insulation from the outside world is exactly as you’d want it to be.

Prices start from €46,595 for the 300h S version.

But more importantly, what of the hybrid experience? Well, what the NX didn’t require was a big set of instructions. In fact, in some ways it’s even easier than a conventionally powered car. But to get the most out of it you have to drive in true eco fashion, using momentum to recharge the batteries and accelerating gently enough to avoid kicking the engine in to life. It was immensely satisfying to be able to complete short journeys completely on electric power, especially for a car of this size and comfort.

The NX is the first Lexus to adopt the new design approach and it is an appealing car to look at, both outside and inside. What really sets it apart from its most obvious rivals is that it feels like a car that was designed to look after its driver and passengers.

It is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the real world

While some cars are style-led or centred around an exciting driving experience, the NX offers its fair share of both but is more interested in being easy to live with, causing its occupants as little stress as possible and delivering you to your destination in a calm and ultimately dignified fashion.

In a world as busy as this one, the NX is a very appealing prospect. It is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the real world.

Sometimes a little more grunt wouldn’t have gone amiss, but there’s a great deal to like about its mature, understated and soothing approach to getting around. Strong words softly spoken…