Lexus NX Hybrid vs Toyota Corolla Cross

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.

Toyota Corolla is the most popular automotive nameplate in history, but the compact cars it’s attached to are slowly being usurped by crossover SUVs. So Toyota is trying to achieve the best of both worlds by launching a new Corolla model that’s also a crossover.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross seeks to expand the Corolla lineup in much the same way that the Corolla Matrix hatchback did two decades ago, adding all-wheel drive (AWD) and more upright bodywork but keeping the Corolla name for familiarity. The Corolla Cross shares the TNGA-C platform, as well as a powertrain, with the Corolla sedan and hatchback, but the exterior styling is all SUV.

The Corolla Cross launches into a crowded market segment. At its media preview, Toyota said it’s counted 20 competitors, including the Chevrolet Trax, Mazda CX-30, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, and Subaru Crosstrek. The Subaru is likely the Corolla Cross’s closest rival, as it’s also a small SUV derivative of an existing compact hatchback.

Built at a new factory in Huntsville, Alabama, the Corolla Cross is scheduled to reach dealerships in October. It will be available in L, LE, and XLE trim levels, with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional AWD. We got a chance to sample all three during a day of driving around Austin, Texas.