2026 Lexus NX Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Like most Lexus models today, the NX 350h F Sport Handling—the version we sampled for this NX Hybrid review—borders on over-stylized. Up front, it dons a large, dark, and intricately patterned version of the brand’s “spindle” grille. It’s flanked by squinting LED headlights up top and blacked-out (and mostly filled-in) air intakes below. The face is aggressive and complex; some will find it attractive and others will think it tries too hard.

The profile is sporty, but less extroverted. The flanks are mostly free of lines, rounded edges flow well from one to another, and body-colored fender flares suggest this crossover is built more for road manners than off-roading. F Sport Handling elements include dark trim on the mirrors, window surrounds, rocker panels, and roof rails, as well as dark 20-inch wheels. The sportiest element, however, is the fastback shape of the roof, which echoes coupe-like crossovers such as the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe.

Inside, the NX is just as stylized, combining a sporty look with modern technology. The tech includes a digital instrument cluster that isn’t directly connected with a large touchscreen but seems to flow into it anyway. The screen’s tilt toward the driver gives a cockpit-like feel to the driver’s seat.

Our F Sport Handling test car looked especially sporty with its dark graphite aluminum trim, metal pedals, perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel, and especially its optional two-tone Circuit Red synthetic leather upholstery on sport bucket seats. Lexus’ NuLuxe textile does a convincing impersonation of real leather and has a high-quality look and a sturdy feel. Soft-touch surfaces adorn the door panels, the dash, and the center console, adding to the upscale feel.

The NX 350h F Sport Handling isn't as sporty as the name suggests. While it rides on exclusive adaptive dampers with Normal and Sport settings and has a firmer suspension, it’s not built to attack corners. With 7.9 inches of ground clearance, this hybrid SUV leans a tad too much in bends and doesn’t gather its weight quickly enough to feel agile. Handling is better described as controlled than sporty. The steering is weighty and firms up even more in the Sport S and Sport S+ drive modes, but there's little feedback through the wheel.

The ride isn’t typical Lexus. With 20-inch wheels and the stiffer suspension, the F Sport Handling model has a firm but still comfortable ride. The Sport damper setting never becomes punishing, but makes for a busy ride on broken surfaces.

The hybrid powertrain in the NX 350h consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine teamed with a pair of front electric motors. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, but there's an additional rear motor in all-wheel drive (AWD) models. One front motor helps to power the other and charges the battery, while the other motor supplies power to the front wheels. The rear motor provides AWD and adds more torque, though Lexus only quotes 240 horsepower for both the FWD and AWD drivetrains.

The rear motor's torque makes a difference, and Lexus quotes an 8.2-second 0-60 mph time with FWD and 7.2 seconds for AWD. Power delivery isn't particularly exhilarating and the drivetrain feels slushy. Floor it, and the engine drones, though it's quick enough to get out ahead of traffic. Lexus provides steering wheel paddles for simulated downshifts to access more power, but they don’t trigger stepped gear ratios like a regular automatic transmission.

Buyers wanting a thrifty option with more grunt should consider the Lexus NX 450h plug-in hybrid, which makes 340 hp and costs about $8,600 more.

The F Sport Handling model’s front seats have good bolstering and there's plenty of room, even for tall adults. Power seat and steering wheel adjustments unlock a comfortable seating position for just about any body type, and driver and passenger comfort is aided by heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Heated rear seats are optional.

An available wireless phone charger sits at the base of the center stack, the center console has a pair of cupholders next to the electronic shifter, and there's a large console bin with plenty of room for small items.

There's enough room in the rear seat for a pair of average-sized adults and three across will fit if everyone really likes each other. Even with the panoramic sunroof, the 37.4 inches of rear headroom will work for tall adults, though the 36.1 inches of legroom will be an issue if anyone front or rear is especially tall. The rear cushion sits high enough to be comfortable on long trips, and it's aided by a fold-down center console with a pair of cupholders.

The NX is relatively low on cargo space for its class of luxury compact SUVs, but the cargo hold is still quite useful. It has a healthy 22.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and that expands to 46.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. By comparison, the specs for the Acura RDX are 29.5 and 58.9 cubic feet, respectively, and the Volvo XC60’s are 22.4 and 64.3 cubic feet, respectively. Part of the issue is the shape of the NX’s roof, which angles down at the rear like a coupe's. Still, the NX has plenty of room for a trip to the grocery store or even a run to the big box hardware store.

The NX comes standard with a 9.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, as is a three-month satellite radio trial. A dashcam, a programmable head-up display, and a wireless phone charger are optional, as is a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system in place of the standard 10-speaker system.

Buyers also get a three-year Remote Connect subscription. It comes with a 4G connection and an app that allows remote starting, remote door lock/unlock, and vehicle status alerts. Owners can also add a digital key.

Drivers can choose which information they see in the instrument cluster courtesy of a pair of touch-sensitive controllers on either side of the steering wheel. Options include trip fuel economy, the head-up display information, and phone or audio details. The right-hand controller also handles the adaptive cruise control settings. An energy flow monitor can be displayed in the center of the instrument cluster and on the touchscreen.

That touchscreen is angled toward the driver, which makes it easy to reach, and the infotainment system reacts quickly to inputs. A volume dial at the bottom of the screen and embedded temperature controls mean drivers don’t have to dig into the screen to crank the tunes or turn up the heat. Navigation requires a Remote Connect subscription.

The NX did well in crash tests. It earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and, while it hadn’t undergone complete testing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the time of writing, it earned four out of five stars in the frontal crash test and five stars in the side crash test.

The NX 350h comes standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 set of safety features, which includes blind-spot monitors, rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and intersection assist, and emergency steering assist. Options include automatic parking, front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, and a surround-view camera system.

All of the systems worked as advertised during a Wisconsin winter, though the adaptive cruise control was a little complicated to find and set with the right-side controller on the steering wheel.

Lexus offers the NX 350h in base, Premium, Luxury, and F Sport Handling trim levels, and the base model’s MSRP starts at $45,470, including a $1,295 destination fee. The Premium costs $47,395, the Luxury starts at $51,535, and the F Sport Handling runs $53,945. AWD adds $1,550 for each trim level. All are backed by a solid warranty that includes four years/50,000 miles of basic coverage, seven years/72,000 miles for the powertrain, and eight years/80,000 miles for the hybrid components.

With a spate of options such as power-folding heated rear seats ($1,030), the surround-view camera system ($800), premium Infrared paint ($575), a Technology Package ($375), a panoramic sunroof ($500), and illuminated door sills ($460), our test vehicle rang in at $61,655.

That’s a lot of money, but it buys a lot of premium features. In addition to those options, standard features on the F Sport Handling include adaptive dampers, a head-up display, a large touchscreen, heated and ventilated seats, a power-adjustable steering column, and driver’s seat memory. However, it also lacks leather upholstery or any suspension systems that would aid performance aside from the dampers.

For that money, we’d be tempted by the larger, roomier, and arguably better-looking Lexus RX 350h hybrid. The non-hybrid NX 350 also costs about $3,500 less than the NX 350h and boasts a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 275 hp, but gets worse fuel economy.

The NX 350h makes up for its modest power with EPA-rated fuel economy of 41 mpg city, 37 highway, and 39 combined—but it's not easy to achieve those numbers in real-world conditions. We averaged 25–30 mpg during multiple trips over 170 miles of driving with temperatures in the teens. However, drivers can use the Charge/Eco/Power zones in the digital instrument cluster as a driving coach to improve efficiency.