2024 Lexus NX And NX Hybrid Review: Comfort-Focused Compact Crossover
With its sub-$40k starting price, the second-generation Lexus NX and NX Hybrid that went on sale in the USA just two years ago squares up against other compact premium crossovers such as the Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, and Infiniti QX50. It slots in just above the subcompact UX and just below the near-midsize RX, so Lexus isn't leaving anything to chance with a surfeit of players in a crowded segment, all positioned very closely to each other. The NX isn't as roomy as most of its rivals, especially in the second row, but it gives you almost unmatched flexibility in choosing powertrain options, from the regular 203- and 275-horsepower gas trims to a range of hybrid trims, either in regular 240-hp or plug-in 304-hp formats. Acceleration is poky at the bottom of the range and there's no proper performance model to take on the likes of the SQ5 or X3 M40i, but the NX aims to please more with comfort and excellent gas mileage than speed and thrills. Has it struck a sound balance?
New for 2024
There are very few changes to the 2024 NX, with the entire 2023 range carrying over to the 2024 model year with mostly the same features. The interior colors and detailing are subtly enhanced, with the cabin accent color expanded to the passenger side of the center console and the lid of the glovebox, and new color-coded accents on the door trims. In terms of the options and packages, there is more action. The Luxury package is no longer available with the base 250 powertrain, remote parking becomes available as an option on the 350h and 450h+, and you can now choose between a regular and panoramic sunroof on the 450h+. The price of the 2024 Lexus NX increases only slightly this year, to the tune of a few hundred dollars per trim.
2024 Lexus NX and NX Hybrid Price: Which One to Buy
The base NX 250 kicks off with an MSRP of $39,455, followed by the 250 Premium at $42,505, both with front-wheel drive; upgrading either to all-wheel drive will cost an additional $1,600. All the 350 trims are AWD by default, starting with the base 350 at $43,215 and followed by the 350 Premium at $46,265, the 350 F Sport Handling at $48,315, and the 350 Luxury at $49,355.
The cheapest regular hybrid is the 350h at $43,465, but this powertrain is also available in Premium ($46,515) and Luxury ($49,605). There are only two PHEV trims, the 450h+ Luxury at $58,766 and the 450h+ F Sport Handling at $60,005. These prices are exclusive of the $1,150 destination fee.
Unless you're going to make full use of the 37-mile electric range every day and can charge the car at home, the PHEV is probably not going to be worth it, especially considering it's only available in expensive trim levels starting at nearly $60k. The 350 Premium trim is our favorite because it adds nice features to the base trim, such as the powerful turbocharged engine, a moonroof, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable steering column, parking assistance, and a hands-free power liftgate, all for less than $47k. If economy is more important than performance, the 350h is hardly any more expensive and gives stellar gas mileage, while still being much swifter than the base gas trim.
NX 250 | NX 350 Premium | NX 350 Luxury |
---|---|---|
Base Model | Great Buy | Most Features |
$ 39455 | $ 46265 | $ 49355 |
2.5L I4 (203 hp/184 lb-ft), eight-speed automatic, FWD (AWD option) | Based on the NX 250 Premium, plus: | Based on the NX 350 Premium, plus: |
18” alloys, LED headlights, roof rails | 2.4L turbo I4 (275 hp/317 lb-ft) | 20” alloys |
Heated power front seats, leatherette upholstery | AWD only | Adaptive headlights |
9.8” touchscreen, Wi-Fi, four-speaker audio | 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds | Perforated leather upholstery |
Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 driver-assistance suite | EPA gas mileage of 21/28/44 mpg | Open-pore wood trim |
Active sound control | 10” head-up display |
Best Deals on 2024 Lexus NX
Interior and Features
The interior environment is modern, with high-mounted digital displays and all the modcons expected in this class.
There's little to complain about inside the NX. The modern dashboard is clearly a current design, with a touchscreen tilted toward the driver and mounted high up alongside a digital gauge cluster. The quality of the materials is beyond reproach and tasteful finishes abound, with high-quality leatherette on the seats of the base trims, culminating in leather and open-pore wood at the top of the range. The front seats are soft and supportive, with sportier bolstering in the F Sport models, while the rear bench is more contoured and accommodating than expected. All the controls are not easy to use at first acquaintance, the worst offenders being the Prius-style shifter and the unmarked buttons on the steering wheel, whose functions are shown in the head-up display in the top trims. Interior space is decent if not class-leading in the compact segment, and access is easy.
Space
Sitting on Toyota's modern TNGA-K platform, which has been designed for many different powertrain configurations, the space allocated to passengers and luggage inside the NX remains unaffected by the hardware under the floor of the hybrid and PHEV versions. That said, the NX is a little smaller than some compact rivals, and so is its cabin, partly due to a wheelbase that's several inches shorter than the class average. There is enough space for average-sized adults in the second row, with good headroom, but legroom is an inch or so short of that offered by most of its competitors.
Cargo
Trunk space isn't bad, but it compares better to the subcompact class than compact rivals, which all offer more trunk volume than the NX. You get 22.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats, about the same as an XC60, but around 9 cubes less than a GV70. The 60/40-split rear seat doesn't fold down very compactly and slopes up considerably toward the front, so the floor isn't flat and the total volume of 46.9 cubic feet is definitely below par, considering several rivals exceed 60 cubes.
There's nothing special about the in-car storage options. There's a glovebox, of course, but the door pockets are small. In the center console, you'll find two cupholders, a phone rest ahead of them (which is also the wireless charging pad when present), and the roomy lidded storage bin, while the rear-seat passengers have front seatback pockets and their own two cupholders in the fold-down center armrest.
Lexus NX | Acura RDX | Volvo XC60 | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 sater |
Headroom | 37.1-38.3 in. front 37.4-38.5 in. rear | 40 in. front 38 in. rear | 38 in. front 38 in. rear |
Legroom | 41 in. front 36.1 in. rear | 42 in. front 38 in. rear | 41.5 in. front 38 in. rear |
Trunk Space | 22.7 - 46.9 ft³ | 29.5 - 58.9 ft³ | 22.4 - 63.3 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
The most basic interior belongs to the NX 250. It comes with NuLuxe leatherette upholstery and stippled black trim. The steering wheel and shifter knob are trimmed in genuine leather. Adding the Premium package changes the trim to Black Prism. The Luxury trims get perforated leather upholstery with a chevron quilting pattern, black open-pore wood trim, and thematic ambient interior lighting. In all NXs, you have a choice of four interior colors - Black, Rich Cream, Palomino, and Rioja Red. The F Sport Handling trims come with Dark Graphite aluminum trim and either a Black or Circuit Red cabin with NuLuxe on the seats and a black headliner.
Features and Infotainment
The 250 doesn't come across as a cheap base trim, thanks to the high-quality NuLuxe leatherette on its seats and a steering wheel and shifter both trimmed in genuine hide. Other standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, heated eight-way power front seats, dual-zone climate control, a manually tilting/telescoping steering column, and a seven-inch digital gauge cluster. Higher trim levels add a hands-free power liftgate, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable steering column, open-pore wood trim, and memory settings for the driver, among others.
The driver faces a seven-inch digital gauge cluster, and the cloud-connected base infotainment system has a 9.8-inch touchscreen and comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth with audio streaming SiriusXM, Wi-Fi with a 30-day/3-GB AT&T trial subscription, cloud navigation, Destination Assist, the Lexus app, voice commands, and a 10-speaker audio system. Along with the Premium package, you are compelled to tick the box for the 14-inch touchscreen and you get access to the 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system - which isn't standard on any of the trims.
NX 250 | NX 350 Premium | NX 350 Luxury | |
---|---|---|---|
Power tilt/slide moonroof | O | O | S |
Leather upholstery | N/A | N/A | S |
Seven-inch digital gauge cluster | S | S | S |
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and cloud navigation | S | S | S |
17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system | N/A | O | O |
Performance
Performance is satisfactory but fuel economy is class-leading, especially the thrifty hybrids, so this car is ideal for the eco-conscious crossover buyer.
The base engine in the Lexus NX 250 is a naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder with 203 hp and 182 lb-ft of torque, connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and either FWD or AWD. This does not provide scintillating performance, giving the FWD car a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds, or 8.6 seconds in heavier AWD format. The 350 models get a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a far stronger 275 hp and 317 lb-ft, reducing the 0-60 sprint of the Lexus NX 350 trims to a far swifter 6.6 seconds.
The hybrid powertrain in the 350h trims utilizes the naturally aspirated base 2.5-liter engine and combines it with electric motors to develop 240 hp, resulting in a 0-60 of 7.2 seconds and superior gas mileage with the help of a CVT auto. The quickest NX is the 450h+ plug-in hybrid with uprated electric motors and an 18.1-kWh battery that produces 304 hp and gets the NX to 60 in six seconds flat. Every NX has a top speed limited to 124 mph, except for the 350 F Sport Handling, which is limited to 127 mph.
In terms of trailering, every NX has a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 lbs - better than the RDX, but significantly worse than the 3,500 lbs the XC60 and GV70 can tow. A ground clearance of 7.7 inches is on the low side in this class, so forget about going off-road in an NX, even with AWD.
When in EV mode, the 450h+ doesn't wake up the gas engine at all - it scoots to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds, so it's a livable EV on battery power alone. With the gas engine chiming in as well, the PHEV is the quickest NX in the range. Ride quality is pleasingly cushy, but the NX shows little interest in being hustled, with tire squeal and body lean soon discouraging you. The F Sport Handling doesn't sharpen things up enough to make it a true athlete. The turbocharged 350 trims are pleasingly punchy and offer a fairly conventional driving experience, with plenty of mid-range torque and a smooth-shifting eight-speed auto. The regular hybrid is just about swift enough for most purposes and offers enough punch for safe merging and overtaking, but the four-pot is hoarse when the CVT makes it rev out under duress. At normal throttle openings, it offers the best performance and economy per dollar in the range and will be the go-to powertrain for many thanks to that incredible 39-mpg combined figure.
Fuel Efficiency
The NX trades excitement for gas mileage and it doesn't disappoint. The Lexus NX's mpg figures in 250 format with the base gas powertrain are 26/33/28 mpg with FWD and 25/32/28 mpg with AWD on the EPA's city/highway/combined cycles. With a fuel capacity of 14.53 gallons, they have a range of around 406 miles on a tank.
The 350 AWD trims return 21/28/24 mpg, comparing favorably to like-minded rivals. It gets around 349 miles on a tank. The thriftiest NXs are, of course, the hybrids, with the regular 350h hybrid returning 41/37/39 mpg and providing a range of over 565 miles.
The 450h+ PHEV does 84 MPGe and 36 mpg combined, with a 37-mile all-electric range and a total potential range of 560 miles. It comes with a 3.3-kW onboard charger, but you can buy a 6.6-kW charger optionally. The 18.1-kWh battery can be replenished on a 240-V power outlet in around four and a half hours.
2.5L Inline-4 Gas 8-Speed Automatic FWD | 2.5L Inline-4 Gas 8-Speed Automatic AWD | 2.4L Turbo Inline-4 Gas 8-Speed Automatic AWD | 2.5L I4 HEV CVT Automatic AWD | 2.5L I4 PHEV CVT Automatic AWD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power | 203 hp | 203 hp | 275 hp | 240 hp | 304 hp |
Top speed | 124 mph | 124 mph | 124 mph 127 mph (F Sport Handling) | 124 mph | 124 mph |
MPG | 26/33/28 mpg | 25/32/28 mpg | 21/28/24 mpg | 41/37/39 mpg | 84 MPGe 36 mpg combined |
0-60 | 8.2 sec. | 8.6 sec. | 7.2 sec. | 6.6 sec. | 6 sec. |
Max. Towing Capacity | 2,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs |
Safety
With top scores from the IIHS and a host of standard safety assists, the NX does not lack for peace of mind as a family vehicle.
In the NHTSA's partial safety review of the latest Lexus NX generation, the agency gave it four stars out of five for the frontal crash and five for the side impact, with no other ratings nor an overall score available. The IIHS tested so far only partially tested the 2024 NX, but these scores have been corresponding to the fully tested 2023 NX's which received the top Good rating for all tests, and the agency's most coveted 2023 Top Safety Pick+ rating.
The Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 is fitted to every NX and includes all-speed adaptive cruise control with curve-speed assist, front-collision alert with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, intersection support, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing, road-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Other standard driver assists are automatic LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, safe-exit assist, and an auto-dimming driver's outside mirror with reverse auto tilt-down. From the Premium and up, parking sensors with low-speed braking are fitted, along with rain-sensing wipers. The Luxury gets adaptive headlights with a cornering function.
Only the PHEV gets a standard 10-inch head-up display, but it's available for the other trims. A camera-based digital rearview mirror and surround-view monitor with front cross-traffic alert are available across the lineup.
NX 250 | NX 350 Premium | NX 350 Luxury | |
---|---|---|---|
Front-collision alert w/ pedestrian detection | S | S | S |
Lane-departure alert w/ active lane-keep assist | S | S | S |
Blind-spot monitoring w/ rear cross-traffic alert | S | S | S |
Adaptive cruise control | S | S | S |
10-inch head-up display | O | O | S |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Side Crash Rating |
---|---|
4/5 | 5/5 |
Reliability
JD Power gives the Lexus NX a very good reliability rating, awarding it a score of 81 out of 100 for Quality & Reliability. The NX has been light on recalls too, with both the 2023 and 2024 models so far only being recalled once for a non-deploying driver's airbag.
More peace of mind comes in the form of the warranty applied to the 2024 Lexus NX. The limited warranty runs for four years/50,000 miles and the powertrain warranty for six years/70,000 miles. The hybrid components are covered for eight years/100,000 miles. Lexus also includes complimentary maintenance for the first year/10,000 miles.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance | Maintenance |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 Years / 50,000 Miles | 6 Years / 70,000 Miles | 6 Years / Unlimited Miles | 4 Years / Unlimited Miles | 1 Years / 10,000 Miles |
Design
The NX cannot be anything but a Lexus, for better or for worse. Depending on your take, the bold slashes and creases and the enormous Spindle grille are distinctive and forward-thinking, but some think the grille is a bit overdone, which might be why Lexus has started to tone it down and integrate it more in newer models like the latest RX. LED headlights are standard across the board, and so are roof rails and alloy wheels - 18 inches at the bottom of the range, going up to 20 inches at the top. The F Sport Handling trims have blacked-out exterior trim and wheels. A power tilting/sliding moonroof is fitted from Premium level, but a panoramic glass roof is optional. A power liftgate with a kick sensor is standard above the base level.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Lexus NX A Good SUV?
The NX doesn't immediately spring to mind when one thinks about premium compact crossovers. It's not as quick or satisfying to drive as some rivals, and handling is soft and comfort-biased, so you never get a sporty feel, even in the F Sport Handling trims. It's also a bit on the small side, sometimes being bundled with the smaller subcompacts, a slot that the UX actually occupies, while the not-quite-midsize RX boxes it in from above, so it isn't as roomy as you'd expect from a compact, either for people or luggage. It does have comfort, refinement, premium finishes, and a myriad of powertrain options in its favor, though, so there's a lot to like here, especially if you're in the market for a super-economical yet upscale hybrid.