The Lexus NX is available in seven trim levels: NX 250, NX 250 Premium, NX 250 Luxury, NX 350, NX 350 Premium, NX 350 Luxury, and NX 350 F Sport Handling. The NX 250 variants all use a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, and can be had in either FWD or AWD. The NX 350 trims can only be had with AWD, and their 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivers 275 hp and 317 lb-ft. All Lexus NX models feature an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Standard equipment is comprehensive even in the base trim, and feature keyless entry with push-button start, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, NuLuxe synthetic leather upholstery on all non-hybrid variants, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, eight-way power adjustment for the heated front seats, bi-LED headlights, and a 9.8-inch color touchscreen infotainment display with ten speakers and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This standard specification is carried across all trims, with the F Sport Handling adding a G-meter, F Sport badges, trim-specific interior and exterior decorations, sports seats and steering wheel, and powered adjustment for the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Premium and Luxury packages add niceties like heated and ventilated front seats with driver's seat memory, a power tilt-and-slide moonroof, a power liftgate with kick sensor, front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking, a 10-inch head-up display, and a 14-inch infotainment display, depending on the selected package.
Safety specifications are equally comprehensive, and includes the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 for all trims. This driver assistance suite comprises adaptive all-speed cruise control with curve speed management, front pre-collision avoidance with automatic braking, lane departure warning and lane-keeping assistance, intelligent high beams, blind-spot monitoring, a rear-view camera, and rear cross-traffic alert. This is on top of the stability and traction control, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and eight airbags.
The price of the Lexus NX starts at $39,055 for the base 250 with FWD. The Premium Package costs $3,050 and the Luxury Package goes for $6,150. If you want the 250 in AWD guise, add $1,600 to the price.
The base price of the NX 350 is $42,815, and another $3,050 or $7,450 is added for the Premium and Luxury packages, respectively. F Sport models will set you back $47,915, or you can splurge another $2,200 on the F Sport Luxury Package.
Hybrid models start at $42,655 for the 350h in base spec, and the Premium/Luxury packages cost the same as they do for the gas-only NX 350. Nearer to the top of the range, the NX 450h+ starts at $57,505, while the F Sport derivative has a sticker price of $58,755. These prices exclude a destination fee of $1,150 in the US.
There are a few optional packages for the new NX, and pricing for these vary depending on the model and trim you equip them to. For the base model, the $3,050 Premium Package adds things like ventilated front seats, a driver's memory system, and a power moonroof. The $6,150 Luxury Package includes these features along with a perforated leather interior, a 10-inch head-up display, the 14-inch touchscreen display, and more. The wonderful 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system is a standalone option for $2,125, but requires the Premium Package as well.
Similar Premium/Luxury packages are available for the NX 350, but these cost $3,050 and $7,450, respectively. At this level, 20-inch wheels are also available.
Standalone options include the ten-inch head-up display with steering-wheel-mounted touch sensors for $1,100, a digital rearview mirror for $200, and ambient lighting for $100, but some of these may require other add-ons too.
We know, and Lexus knows, that the NX 350 with its standard all-wheel-drive system will be the main seller in the lineup. The only reason we wouldn't push for the NX 250 is the engine, and we do wish Lexus would offer a 350 without all-wheel drive. The sweet spot appears to be the 350h with its much-improved fuel economy and bump in power. The 450h+ is the headliner, but you'll have to really love the NX to pay $57,505 for one. That said, there are much worse ways to spend that kind of money.
The F-Sport models do offer substantial upgrades, but we just do not see the NX as a performance vehicle. Frankly, if you want the modern equivalent of a hot hatch, there's much better out there for the money.
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 250 Premium
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 350
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 250 Luxury
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 350 Premium
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 350 F SPORT Handling
Lexus NX 250 vs NX 350 Luxury
Lexus NX 250 Premium vs NX 350
Lexus NX 250 Premium vs NX 250 Luxury
Lexus NX 250 Premium vs NX 350 Premium
Lexus NX 250 Premium vs NX 350 F SPORT Handling
Lexus NX 250 Premium vs NX 350 Luxury
Lexus NX 350 vs NX 250 Luxury
Lexus NX 350 vs NX 350 Premium
Lexus NX 350 vs NX 350 F SPORT Handling
Lexus NX 350 vs NX 350 Luxury
Lexus NX 250 Luxury vs NX 350 Premium
Lexus NX 250 Luxury vs NX 350 F SPORT Handling
Lexus NX 250 Luxury vs NX 350 Luxury
Lexus NX 350 Premium vs NX 350 F SPORT Handling
Lexus NX 350 Premium vs NX 350 Luxury
Lexus NX 350 F SPORT Handling vs NX 350 Luxury