2021 Lexus NX 300

MSRP Range: $37,610 - $45,460 ^{Price range reflects Base MSRP for various trim levels, not including options or fees.}

Lexus NX 300 F SPORT 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

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When it comes to providing a quiet and comfortable ride, the Lexus NX 300 excels among luxury crossover SUVs. Performance places it midpack in the segment, and its smaller cargo capacity and high cost compared to more capable and spacious SUVs knock it down a few more pegs. But the biggest drawback is the frustrating infotainment interface, which might be the worst in the industry.

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25 mpg

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Total MSRP^{This price includes a $1,075 destination fee charged by the manufacturer.}	$38,685
Edmunds suggests you pay	$36,179

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2021 Lexus NX 300 Review

byTravis Langness^{Reviews Editor
Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.}

Pros

Cabin is very quiet at highway speeds
Supremely comfortable ride and seats
Lots of standard high-tech safety features

Cons

Remote Touchpad interface is frustrating to use
Limited cargo volume
Not much fun to drive

What's new

A blind-spot monitor and auto-dimming exterior mirrors are now standard
Part of the first NX generation, originally introduced for 2015 as the NX 200t

Overview

Comfortable, quiet and packed with all sorts of standard safety features, the 2021 Lexus NX 300 has lots of appeal right out of the gate. Though it's a compact luxury SUV, the NX 300 has enough room for adults, yet it's small enough to easily maneuver around town. On the highway, the NX 300 makes a great road-trip vehicle thanks to its hushed cabin and supple suspension. And even at the base trim level, the NX comes with safety features such as forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$199/mo

$192/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

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Unfortunately, even with all its virtues, the NX 300 has a lot working against it. Cargo space is limited behind the rear seats, negating some of its long-haul readiness. Inside, we like the serenity the NX offers, but Lexus' touchpad user interface is one of the most difficult to use in any car on the road today. What's more, the driving experience isn't as engaging as we'd hope, even in an NX with the optional F Sport equipment. There's a lot to like about this little Lexus, but up against segment leaders from Mercedes and BMW, it's harder to recommend.

Edmunds Expert Rating

below avg

7.0/10

Edmunds Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the NX 300 drive? For performance and driver engagement, the NX 300 comes up as merely average among small luxury SUVs. The engine is smooth and has good low-end power, but its 0-60 mph time of 7 seconds flat is average among compact crossover rivals with turbocharged four-cylinders. In panic-braking tests from 60 mph, the NX 300 needed 136 feet to stop, which is a considerable 10 feet longer than average.

Steering effort is appropriate and precise, but there's little feedback for the driver. When cornering, there's a good amount of body roll, but the NX is reasonably predictable and poised. The transmission provides seamless shifts in typical driving conditions, and the smooth engine virtually disappears from your awareness.

Comfort

8.5/10

How comfortable is the NX 300? The NX 300's abundance of overall comfort is uncommon in the segment. The front seats offer plenty of room and adequate support for a variety of body types, and optional front-seat ventilation enhances long-distance comfort. The rear seats are also accommodating for adults.

In keeping with Lexus' greater emphasis on comfort, the NX's suspension smooths over road imperfections with ease. Neither busy nor nervous, the NX 300 seems to glide unaffected over ruts and bumps. The dual-zone automatic climate control system is controlled mainly through well-labeled buttons and rocker switches. The system works well and isn't too loud. Among luxury crossover SUVs, the Lexus NX 300 is one of the quietest.

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2021 Lexus NX 300 pricing

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Interior

6.5/10

How’s the interior? The front seats are spacious, and the rear seats have enough — but not abundant — head- and legroom for adults in the outboard seats. The small rear windows, however, make those quarters feel a bit more confining than they are. A memory function saves your seat and steering wheel position, and the range of adjustability will allow most drivers to find a decent setup. The Easy Entry feature, combined with below-average legroom, might make it difficult for passengers to get in or out of the vehicle behind a tall driver.

The optional touchpad interface is easily the worst in the industry. The controller is hard to manage, and there's a distinct lack of intuitive menus and buttons. Luckily, most other cabin controls are logical and well conceived.

Technology

7.0/10

How’s the tech? Although the technology in the NX is modern and effective, its clunky interface may turn off tech-savvy buyers. Thankfully Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now available. The optional navigation system, however, is easy to use, with fairly accurate traffic information. The voice controls work well and allow for some degree of natural language. In-car 4G LTE Wi-Fi is included for the first year.

The NX's adaptive cruise control, front collision mitigation braking and optional rear cross-traffic alert systems all work well. The lane keeping assist and automatic high-beam activation are less useful since their effectiveness varies too much depending on terrain and surroundings.

Storage

6.0/10

How’s the storage? The NX sits just below average within the segment for interior cargo space or nooks and cubbies for your gear. It trails competitors with its 17.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. Cargo room is further hampered by the sloped rear window that limits the vehicle's ability to take on bulky items with the seats folded. The door pockets are small, as are the glovebox and center console compartment.

The rear seats are a bit cramped, so installing a large rear-facing child seat will be a challenge. It is easy to find and access the car seat points that serve the outboard seating positions, but the center position uses belts attached to the roof.

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? The all-wheel-drive NX 300 is rated at 24 mpg combined (22 city/27 highway), an estimate that is competitive with other vehicles in the class. We averaged 25.7 mpg on our highway-heavy evaluation loop, which is in line with what we'd expect with such a rating.

Value

7.0/10

Is the NX 300 a good value? A base NX 300 provides good value, especially if interior volume isn't the highest priority. The NuLuxe simulated leather upholstery looks and feels like the genuine article. Common touch points are well padded, and other interior materials are nice quality and tightly fitted for a solid feel. But add a bunch of options and the appeal of the NX lessens because the price gets harder to justify and its shortcomings become harder to overlook. Warranty coverage is a bit better than average for a luxury make.

Wildcard

7.0/10

Styling, both inside and out, may present a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. The many high-tech features should appeal to early adopters, but the heavily flawed touchpad interface will temper their enthusiasm. While the NX 300 lags behind others in its class in driver engagement and performance, it will prove more than adequate for most drivers. It's not particularly entertaining or stimulating, but it is predictable and controllable. It's easy to drive in nearly all conditions and places few demands on the driver.

Which NX 300 does Edmunds recommend?

We recommend the base NX 300 since it comes standard with an abundance of safety features and offers plenty of stand-alone or package options to choose from. The F Sport and Luxury trims add some nice creature comforts, but most of their desirable features can be selected à la carte at the base level.

Lexus NX 300 models

The 2021 Lexus NX 300 is a five-passenger compact SUV available in three trim levels: the standard NX 300, the NX 300 F Sport and the NX 300 Luxury. The hybrid NX, the NX 300h, is reviewed separately. All three trim levels come standard with:

A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (235 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque)
Six-speed automatic transmission
Front-wheel drive

All-wheel drive is optional on all three trim levels.

Standard equipment highlights on the base NX 300 include:

Power-adjustable front seats and simulated leather upholstery
8-inch infotainment display with a touchpad interface
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa compatibility
Eight-speaker sound system

Standard driver safety aids include:

Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Forward collision warning and mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping assist (steers the NX back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while you're in reverse)

On top of the standard equipment, the F Sport adds:

Special exterior styling elements
Sport-tuned suspension
More aggressively bolstered seats
Sport steering wheel

Building off the base NX equipment, the Luxury adds:

Navigation system
Upgraded leather upholstery
Power liftgate

Options are available as stand-alone extras or bundled in packages. They include:

Heated and ventilated front seats
14-speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system
360-degree parking camera
Adaptive suspension dampers (F Sport only)

Lexus NX 300 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

30 reviews

5(60%)

4(27%)

3(7%)

2(3%)

1(3%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

nx300

new to lexus, 12/23/2020

2021 Lexus NX 300 F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

With covid it sure made things different on shopping and working a deal ( sometimes easier as you call walk away much easier) test drove and bought .. car drives so smooth and has alot of electronic ... i would recommend this vehicle so far , only have owned a week . dealer worked with me and never felt pressured . touch pad is a little different and i was concerned from reviews i read , …

Great Luxury Small SUV

Dale Hobbs, 02/20/2021

2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

I really like this vehicle. My daughter has a RX350 which really turned on the Lexus quality and features, but the NX300 fit our needs better. Beautiful interior, smooth ride, and looks that set it apart from other vehicles in its class. Once you get used to the info system, its fine. Also, the speak function prividea everything you need- climates media, phone. Only issue that I don't …

2021 NX 300 Premium Trim Level!

Robert, 04/01/2021

2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

I bought this car January 24th 2021 brand new from Lexus! It’s my first luxury suv and it’s been a pleasure to own ever since. It comes with very comfortable seats the ride feels smooth like butter! It handled bumps and most pot holes on the road very well. The power is adequate for a vehicle of its weight, I do wish it just had a little more power at times, but it’s nothing to have …

Great value for luxury

Kamrock, 11/25/2020

2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

I purchased the base model with a premium upgrade. The drive is smooth and the safety features are superb - much needed for driving in Los Angeles traffic. Although the touch pad for the technology system received subpar reviews, It's worked out okay for me. The only complaint I have is that the headrest for the driver seat and front passenger seat tilt too far inward. It was extremely …

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2021 Lexus NX 300 Features Specs

Trim:

Base

Total MSRP	$38,685
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$199/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Lexus NX 300

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Acura RDX

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Lexus NX 300 vs. Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GLB is currently our top-rated pick in the extra-small luxury SUV segment. It has the edge on the NX 300 with its much more user-friendly tech interface, more cargo space and better fuel economy, all for about the same price. But when it comes to standard equipment, the NX 300 has the Mercedes beat — the base-level Lexus comes with a lot more in the way of driver aids.

Compare Lexus NX 300 & Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class features

Lexus NX 300 vs. Acura RDX

Slightly larger than the Lexus NX, the Acura RDX offers more interior space and nearly double the cargo capacity of the NX 300 behind the rear seats. Both SUVs come with a long list of standard equipment, especially in the driver safety-aid department, and starting prices are similar. The RDX is a bit more enjoyable to drive thanks to sharp steering and handling. So if you can fit a larger SUV in your driveway, we recommend the RDX.

Compare Lexus NX 300 & Acura RDX features

Lexus NX 300 vs. Infiniti QX50

Much like the NX 300, the Infiniti QX50 offers quite a bit of standard equipment for the price. Like the NX, the Infiniti comes standard with smartphone connectivity, blind-spot monitoring and forward collision mitigation. But the Infiniti, measuring 2 inches longer than the Lexus, offers significantly more cargo space (31.1 cubic feet versus the NX's 17.7 cubes) and 2 additional inches of rear legroom. If you want a more spacious SUV, the QX50 is worth a closer look.

Compare Lexus NX 300 & Infiniti QX50 features

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At a Glance:

$40,205starting MSRP

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Safety

Our experts’ favorite NX 300 safety features:

Lexus Safety System+ 2.0: Helps mitigate accidents by alerting you when a front collision is imminent or when you deviate from your lane.
Blind-Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: Alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot and warns about approaching cross-traffic when you're backing up.
Lexus Enform Safety Connect: Lets you connect with roadside assistance and can contact the authorities in case of a collision or vehicle theft.

NHTSA Overall Rating 5 out of 5 stars

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating	Rating
Overall	4 / 5
Driver	4 / 5
Passenger	4 / 5
Side Crash Rating	Rating
Overall	5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating	Rating
Overall	5 / 5
Driver	5 / 5
Passenger	5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings	Rating
Front Seat	5 / 5
Back Seat	5 / 5
Rollover	Rating
Rollover	4 / 5
Dynamic Test Result	No Tip
Risk Of Rollover	16.1%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test	Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test	Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original	Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated	Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original	Good
Side Impact Test – Updated	Not Tested
Roof Strength Test	Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint	Good

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FAQ

Is the Lexus NX 300 a good car?

The Edmunds experts tested the 2021 NX 300 both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.0 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2021 NX 300 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 30 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the NX 300 has 17.7 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Lexus NX 300. Learn more

What's new in the 2021 Lexus NX 300?

According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2021 Lexus NX 300:

A blind-spot monitor and auto-dimming exterior mirrors are now standard
Part of the first NX generation, originally introduced for 2015 as the NX 200t

Learn more

Is the Lexus NX 300 reliable?

To determine whether the Lexus NX 300 is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the NX 300. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the NX 300's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more

Is the 2021 Lexus NX 300 a good car?

There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2021 Lexus NX 300 is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2021 NX 300 and gave it a 7.0 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2021 NX 300 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 30 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2021 NX 300 is a good car for you. Learn more

How much should I pay for a 2021 Lexus NX 300?

The least-expensive 2021 Lexus NX 300 is the 2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $37,610.

Other versions include:

4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $37,610
4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $39,010
F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $39,710
F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $41,110
Luxury 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $44,060
Luxury 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) which starts at $45,460

Learn more

What are the different models of Lexus NX 300?

If you're interested in the Lexus NX 300, the next question is, which NX 300 model is right for you? NX 300 variants include 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), F SPORT 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A), and F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A). For a full list of NX 300 models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more

2021 Lexus NX 300

Pricing

2021 Lexus NX 300 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.

Performance

Comfort

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2021 Lexus NX 300 pricing

Edmunds suggests you pay

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which NX 300 does Edmunds recommend?

Lexus NX 300 models

Lexus NX 300 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

nx300

Great Luxury Small SUV

2021 NX 300 Premium Trim Level!

Great value for luxury

2021 Lexus NX 300 Features Specs

Compare the Lexus NX 300

Lexus NX 300 vs. Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Lexus NX 300 vs. Acura RDX

Lexus NX 300 vs. Infiniti QX50

Safety

Our experts’ favorite NX 300 safety features:

NHTSA Overall Rating 5 out of 5 stars

IIHS Rating

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FAQ

Is the Lexus NX 300 a good car?

What's new in the 2021 Lexus NX 300?

Is the Lexus NX 300 reliable?

Is the 2021 Lexus NX 300 a good car?

How much should I pay for a 2021 Lexus NX 300?

What are the different models of Lexus NX 300?

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Save as much as $3,435 with Edmunds ^{Click on the model you’re interested in to see what Edmunds suggests you should pay to get a good deal.}