Lexus NX review

Despite Lexus being a trailblazer for ‘self-charging’ hybrid technology in the mid-Noughties, this latest Lexus NX is actually the first model in the Japanese car maker’s history to be available as both a regular hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. 

The regular hybrid is called the 350h and should appeal to those who simply can’t charge their car and/or want a cheaper entry point into the NX range.

Meanwhile, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version – the 450h – has an official electric-only range of more than 40 miles. That puts this family SUV in a lower company car tax bracket than the equivalent Audi Q5 and BMW X3 (although the PHEV Mercedes GLC is in an even lower bracket).

Lexus NX video review

While numbers are undoubtedly very important, the Lexus NX needs to be a good car in other respects too. Among other things, it needs to offer good performance, and be comfortable, refined, practical and well built.

This review will tell you how successfully the NX manages that – and how well it compares with the best family SUVs – as we rate it in all the important areas.

When the Lexus NX 350h’s electric motor and 2.5-litre petrol engine work in unison, acceleration isn’t too shabby.

In four-wheel-drive form, the official 0-62mph time is just 7.7 seconds, which is significantly quicker than a petrol BMW X3 xDrive20i. If you opt for the entry-level front-wheel-drive version, that time increase to 8.7 seconds, and the engine generally needs working harder to get up to speed. 

The NX 450h plug-in hybrid pairs the same 2.5-litre petrol engine with a more powerful electric motor for a combined power output of 305bhp. That’s a pretty punchy combination – enough for a 0-60mph time of 5.8 seconds in our tests, beating the Mercedes GLC 300e by half a second and the Honda CR-V by more than two and a half seconds. 

When its battery is charged up, the 450h operates like an electric car. That means smooth, quiet and fairly nippy acceleration up to motorway speeds.

Officially, it can do up to 45 electric-only miles (it varies slightly depending on trim level), but on our real-world test route the engine triggered into life after 36.8 miles. That’s similar to what you’ll see from a CR-V or a Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge, but much less than the 57 miles we achieved in a GLC 300e.

Entry-level versions of the NX have 18in wheels, and they give you the most forgiving ride both around town and at higher speeds.

The larger 20in wheels that are standard on F-Sport and Takumi models still ride comfortably at low speeds, and even over potholes they don’t cause the car to lose composure and send nasty jolts through your backside.

They're less impressive at motorway speeds, though – the NX jostles you around, almost as though you're sitting on a washing machine on a slow spin cycle. The experience is gentle and stops short of being irritating, but the Audi Q5 TFSIe is more settled at faster speeds.

The F-Sport gets adaptive sports suspension to tighten up the handling. Even with this firmer set-up, the NX is forgiving over ripples, expansion joints and potholes, being no worse than the GLC 300e.

The NX's cornering abilities are more than good enough. This isn’t a fun and sporty family SUV but it does grip the road well and there's not much body lean through corners. Its steering is precise and the weighting is natural and consistent enough to give you confidence on a winding road. 

The heavier 450h PHEV feels a little less agile than the 350h, but the adaptive suspension on F-Sport models allows you to improve body control by firming it up at the touch of a button.

Overall, the NX is closer to the XC60, feeling composed and more nimble than the GLC 300e, but not as sharp as an X3 or CR-V.

When the 450h’s battery is charged up and it's running like an electric car, there's just a hint of motor whine. If the battery runs flat (on both the 350h and 450h), the 2.5-litre petrol engine fires into life. You can hear it happening and you’ll notice a small amount of vibration through the steering wheel and seat, mainly because of the contrast with full electric mode.

When you put your foot down harder, it becomes a bit raucous due to the CVT automatic gearbox – the engine sounds rather coarse and channels vibrations up through the floor. At a cruise, the engine fades into the background.

There’s a hint of wind noise by the door mirrors on a motorway, while road noise could be quieter, even on the smaller tyres of the entry-level model. The Q5, the GLC 300e and the XC60 do a better job of filtering this out.

“By hybrid  standards, the NX's brakes are fairly predictable. There's some grabbiness, but I found I wasn't having to concentrate too hard in order to bring the car to a smooth stop.”  – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The front seats in the Lexus NX are some of the best you’ll find in a family SUV. They’re heavily bolstered and have a wide range of adjustments. On the 350h, they’re electrically adjustable from Premium Plus Pack and up, while all 450h models get electric adjustment for the seat and steering wheel.

The driving position itself isn’t perfect, though. Some of our taller testers noted that they felt slightly hunched over the steering wheel, wishing that the dashboard and steering wheel were mounted a bit higher (or the seat dropped lower). A Land Rover Discovery Sport or Volvo XC60 offers a more natural, commanding driving position.

The dashboard has been designed to wrap around the driver and puts everything in your eye line. It works well, with the raised centre console bringing many of the major controls to hand height – for example, you don’t need to use the touchscreen to adjust the interior temperature because Lexus has fitted some good old-fashioned dials.

The vertical touchscreen doesn’t quite fall to hand as easily as the angled screen in the Mercedes GLC though.

The NX isn't quite as easy to see out of as the Audi Q5 or the Honda CR-V because its wide windscreen pillars tend to get in the way more at junctions and roundabouts. The low dashboard gives a clear view ahead though.

However, you shouldn’t have any trouble parking because all models come with front and rear parking sensors.

The 450h gets a 360-degree camera and LED headlights with self-dipping technology as standard. To get them on the 350h you need to opt for the Premium Plus Pack.

We’ve given Lexus some flack in the past for its overly complicated infotainment systems. Thankfully, the NX has a much more intuitive set-up that won’t leave you tearing your hair out.

It's a touchscreen – measuring 9.8in on entry-level NX and Premium Pack models and 14in on other trims – so it's a bit more distracting than the rotary controller interface in the X3. However, it's still one of the better systems of its kind.

Or, at least, it is if you get the larger screen. This not only features big icons that are well spaced out and easy to hit, but it responds quickly to prods. By contrast, the smaller screen is slow to respond and struggles to load menus smoothly, which is frustrating and distracting.

All models come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. Plus, you get a four-year subscription to Lexus online services.

The NX doesn't feel quite as solid inside as the Audi Q5 or the Volvo XC60, but then few cars do. Lexus gives you some suitably upmarket fixtures and fittings, with a choice of a cream, black, red or tan for the leather bits. They arguably give the car a more special look.

Everything also feels well screwed together, and pretty much everything you touch feels ready to stand the test of time and the rigours of daily family use.

“Takumi versions of the NX come with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, which sounds fantastic. If you're a music lover, I'd definitely recommend it.”  – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

As the Lexus NX is a big car, you probably wouldn’t expect to struggle to fit in the front. And you won’t, even if you’re really tall, although the optional sunroof (standard on Takumi models) does reduce head room slightly.

Storage space is respectable, with decent-sized door bins, a cubby under the centre armrest and a couple of cupholders between the front seats.

Rear space in the NX is slightly better than in the rival Audi Q5, but if you want limo-like leg room, take a look at the Mercedes GLC and the Volvo XC60.

Three adults in the back of the NX will find it a bit of a squeeze – the same is true in most family SUVs – but you can recline the seatbacks for a more laid-back seating position and the central tunnel is reasonably compact. In the BMW X3 xDrive30e, a central passenger is left with virtually no foot room.

The NX is not available as a seven-seater (neither are the Q5, X3, GLC or the XC60). If you want to carry more than five people, look at the Land Rover Discovery Sport or the Mercedes GLB. Of course, there are non-premium seven-seat SUVs too, including the excellent Hyundai Santa Fe.

You can adjust the angle of the rear seatbacks in the NX, plus they split and fold flat in a 60/40 configuration when you need extra space for luggage.

True, some rivals, including the Q5, the X3, the GLC and the XC60, split in a more flexible 40/20/40 arrangement. However, Lexus does at least give you a powered tailgate as standard on all trim levels.

The NX has 520 litres of boot space, which is average for the family SUV class. That allows it to swallow seven carry-on suitcases with the parcel shelf and rear seats in place – one more than the Mercedes GLC 300e and matching the Audi Q5 50 TFSIe, the BMW X3 xDrive30e and the Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge.

The NX also has underfloor storage for the charging cables and load cover, which you won’t find in most rivals.

“It's a pity that the NX's rear seats don't slide back and forth on runners. I love this feature in the Q5, because it allows you to easily prioritise rear passenger space or boot space.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer

The Lexus NX 350h certainly isn’t the cheapest family SUV you can buy, but it undercuts premium rivals such as the Audi Q5 40 TDI, the BMW X3 xDrive20i and the Volvo XC60 by a healthy margin.

The same can be said for the 450h – in entry-level specification, it's cheaper than the Q5 TFSIe, the X3 xDrive30e, the Mercedes GLC 300e and the XC60 T6 Recharge. Check the latest prices on our New Car Deals pages.

The NX is a compelling choice as a company car. The 350h produces less CO2 than the Q5 and X3, so you'll have lower company car tax payments. The 450h's low CO2 emissions good electric range means you’ll pay just 8%.

That’s more than the 2% an electric car attracts or the 5% you’ll pay for the GLC 300e, but the NX is still a strong choice, costing much less than the 12-14% you'll pay for a Q5 TFSIe or X3 xDrive30e.

If you opt for the PHEV, you could potentially save a lot on fuel costs. You probably won't get close to its official 314mpg figure, but if you keep the battery topped up and make mainly short journeys it should be very frugal.

When the battery runs down, you can expect up to 35-40mpg with careful driving. The battery has a maximum charging rate of 6.6kW so a 0-100% charge takes around 2hrs 45min, a lot less time than the plug-in X3 or XC60, which are limited to 3.7kW.

The NX's specification structure isn’t very straightforward, but whichever model you go for, the standard kit list is impressive. The base spec, called NX, is only available on the 350h and comes with 18in wheels, heated faux-leather front seats and the 9.8in infotainment system.

Premium Pack (which is the entry-level trim for the 450h) adds keyless entry, privacy glass and wireless phone-charging. We recommend ticking the options box for Lexus Link Pro, which introduces built-in sat-nav and a larger touchscreen system. That combination is our pick of the range, but we wouldn't deter you from stepping up to F-Sport if you want adaptive LED headlights, ventilated front seats, a head-up display and 20in wheels.

We don't recommend the range-topping Takumi trim. It comes with loads of luxuries, including some more upmarket interior finishes and a digital rear-view mirror, but it pushes the price too close to that of altogether larger PHEV SUVs, including the Volvo XC90 (which is a seven-seater).

Reliability is arguably one of the biggest reasons to choose a Lexus. The brand finish top out of 32 manufacturers rated in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey and the NX itself finished at the top of the family SUV class.

That survey didn’t include this latest-generation NX, but there’s no reason to expect a dip in form. The brand has never finished below second in the car makers table.

The NX was awarded five stars out of five for safety by Euro NCAP and it certainly gets lots of kit to help you avoid an accident.

Automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition are standard across the range, with increasingly more safety aids, including blind-spot monitoring, fitted to F-Sport and Takumi versions.

“The NX has excellent resale values – in part, I'm guessing, due to Lexus’s reputation for build quality and reliability.”  – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

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