Lexus ES Hybrid vs Lexus NX Hybrid

The 2021 Lexus NX compact SUV is showing its age. It’s not an inherently bad vehicle, but with a design that dates back to the 2015 model year, it’s struggling to keep pace with fresher competition—including the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti QX50, Lincoln Corsair, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Volvo XC60—and can’t justify its positioning as a premium product.

Lexus offers the gasoline-only NX 300 and the NX 300h hybrid, but we’ll focus on the latter for this review. The big news for the 2021 Lexus NX 300h is a new F Sport Black Line special edition, which adds sportier F Sport styling features that normally aren’t available on the hybrid. It also comes with a matching two-piece set of Zero Halliburton luggage. Other changes include additional standard driver aids and "low-profile" windshield wipers.

We tested the Black Line for this review, but with production limited to 1,000 units, it will likely be sold out by the time you read this. However, it’s mechanically similar to the regular-production NX 300h hybrid trim levels—base and Luxury.

Cars are falling out of favor in America, let alone luxury models that emphasize quiet comfort instead of raucous performance. The 2022 Lexus ES, however, appears immune to the trend. For now.

This year, Lexus gives the ES a nip and a tuck, adding new grille, wheel, and bi-LED headlight designs along with a couple of new paint colors. More significantly, the ES adds a touchscreen infotainment display and next-generation Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 driving assistance and collision avoidance technology.

Lastly, the 2022 Lexus ES Hybrid is offered with F Sport trim for the first time. But this version of the car is all about the look and not the feel from behind the wheel.