2019 Lexus NX 300 Review

Name: 2019 Lexus NX 300 Review
Brand: Lexus

Price Range: $20,998 - $32,998

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$26,861 avg. price

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by Mark Takahashi^{Correspondent
Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.}

Pros

Generous backseat room
Available power-folding rear seat
Cabin is very quiet at highway speeds

Cons

Limited cargo volume
Remote Touch Interface can be distracting to use
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available

What's new

The Lexus NX 300 is unchanged for 2019
Part of the first NX generation introduced for 2015, originally as the NX 200t

The 2019 Lexus NX 300 is a solid choice in the very popular compact luxury SUV class, but there are some drawbacks that keep it from being our top pick. We give it high marks for its spacious rear-seat accommodations and numerous advanced safety features that come standard. We also award points for the smooth ride quality and quiet cabin.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Des Moines, IA

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New Listing
2019 Lexus NX 300
Base 4dr SUV
$27,998
- 64,075 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use
- 4cyl automatic
- CarMax Des Moines (11 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Urbandale, IA
CarMax values transparency and wants you to love your next car, not settle on it. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Check nhtsa.gov...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
24 Combined MPG (22 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JTJBARBZXK2192506
Stock: 26954736
Certified Pre-Owned: No
New Listing
2019 Lexus NX 300
Base 4dr SUV
$21,998
good price
- 100,251 miles
- 4cyl automatic
- CarMax Garland (627 mi away)
- Delivery available*
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
Close
Located in Garland, TX
CarMax values transparency and wants you to love your next car, not settle on it. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Check nhtsa.gov...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary Unavailable.
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JTJYARBZ6K2123385
Stock: 27279292
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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The NX may also win over some shoppers with its sharp styling, but it does come at a cost. That sloping rear hatch cuts into cargo space, leaving you with one of the smallest capacities in the class. We also deduct points for the frustrating infotainment interface that uses a touchpad controller instead of a touchscreen or dial. It takes far too much effort and attention to operate, and may be a deal-breaker for tech-minded drivers.

We suggest checking out the 2019 Lexus NX 300 alongside smaller luxury models such as the BMW X1 and new Volvo XC40, or slightly larger choices such as the redesigned Acura RDX.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

6.9 / 10

There's a lot to like about the 2019 Lexus NX 300, including its roomy back seats, long list of standard advanced safety features, and high levels of comfort. However, these advantages are tempered by limited cargo space and a frustrating infotainment system.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Lexus NX 300 F Sport (turbo 2.0L inline-4 | 6-speed automatic | AWD).

Scorecard

Overall	6.9 / 10
Driving	6.5
Comfort	8.5
Interior	6.5
Utility	6.0
Technology	7.0

Driving

6.5

Odds are, most shoppers are looking for a comfortable ride, and the NX 300 certainly fulfills that mission. But in terms of performance and driver engagement, the Lexus NX 300 comes up as merely average among the current crop of luxury crossover SUVs.

Acceleration

6.5

The NX 300's engine is smooth and has good low-end power, which is ideal for quick low-speed passes and accelerating from a stoplight. But outright acceleration is a little disappointing. In Edmunds testing, the NX 300 covered 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds, which is marginally slower than rivals.

Braking

6.0

In Edmunds emergency braking tests from 60 mph, the NX 300 needed 137 feet to stop, which is a few feet longer than average. Nosedive is noticeable, as is a slight squirm from the rear tires. Still, the NX remains controllable.

Steering

6.5

The steering effort is appropriate and precise, but there's little feedback for the driver to get a sense of what the front wheels are doing. At parking-lot speeds, the effort lightens up for easy maneuvering. As speeds go up, the weighting also increases, providing confidence on the highway.

Handling

6.5

Even in F Sport guise, the NX 300 leans a lot when you drive around turns. Overall stability is respectable, however, and you can drive with a fair amount of confidence. The F Sport model features a stiffer suspension and slightly better response, but it still prioritizes cruising comfort.

Drivability

8.0

The transmission's gear shifts are glass-smooth, and the engine virtually disappears from your conscience. The F Sport is a little more responsive, but overall throttle response for the NX is average. The transmission can be a bit slow to react.

Off-road

6.5

While the NX 300 has a lockable center differential, which increases traction when one or two wheels are on slippery surfaces, its ride height and conservative traction control system are designed for your typical dirt road or unplowed driveway.

Comfort

8.5

The Lexus NX 300 provides high levels of overall comfort. Smooth and quiet are apt descriptors. The seating is roomy both front and rear.

Seat comfort

8.0

The front seats offer plenty of room and adequate support for a variety of body types. The optional front-seat ventilation further enhances long-distance comfort. The rear seats are also accommodating for adult passengers.

Ride comfort

8.5

The NX 300's suspension smooths over road imperfections with ease. Where rivals feel busy and nervous, the Lexus seems to glide unaffected over ruts and bumps.

Noise & vibration

8.5

Even among luxury crossover SUVs, the Lexus NX 300 is impressively quiet. Wind, road and engine noise is pleasantly silenced to levels that we're used to hearing in flagship sedans. When in Sport or Sport Plus mode, the F Sport's piped-in engine note is unapologetically artificial and may be distracting to some.

Climate control

8.0

The dual-zone automatic climate control system is controlled mainly through well-labeled buttons and rockers. The system works well and isn't too loud. We like the ease of operation and that even those with shorter arms can reach all the controls.

Interior

6.5

The NX 300's interior is efficiently designed and accommodating, and controls are situated within arm's reach of most drivers. The main downside is the frustrating and ill-conceived Remote Touch infotainment controller.

Ease of use

5.0

The optional Remote Touch trace pad interface is easily the worst in the industry. The controller is hard to operate, and there is a distinct lack of intuitive menus and buttons. This setup is unfortunately mandatory with the navigation option package. It's a pity because the rest of the cabin controls are well-conceived.

Getting in/getting out

7.5

Thanks to a typical crossover SUV ride height and tall door openings, getting into the NX 300 is an easy, stoop-free affair. The doors are also short enough in length to allow access in tight parking spaces.

Driving position

7.5

The seat and steering wheel position can be saved into a memory position, and the range of adjustability is good. But taller drivers may feel slightly cramped since the steering column can impede into knee room.

Roominess

7.0

The front seats are spacious for larger passengers, and the rear seats have enough head- and legroom for adults in the outboard seats. But the small rear windows do make those quarters feel a bit more confining than they are.

Visibility

7.0

Forward visibility is typically decent, but the rear roof pillars and small rear window obscure the view out back. Fortunately, the standard rearview camera takes the guesswork out of backing into a space, but that doesn't help when changing lanes in traffic.

Quality

7.0

The standard NuLuxe simulated-leather upholstery looks and feels like the genuine article. Common touch points are well-padded, and other interior materials are good quality and tightly fitted for a solid feel.

Utility

6.0

As a compact crossover, the NX doesn't exceed expectations on interior cargo space. Overall, it's a little below average within the segment.

Small-item storage

6.0

The door pockets are small, as is the glovebox and center console compartment. There's a unique makeup case-size compartment adjacent to the cupholders with a removable lid that features a mirror on its underside.

Cargo space

5.5

The NX 300's cargo space behind the rear seats is smaller than competitors' and is further hampered by the sloped rear window. With the rear seats folded down, the NX's expanded volume is reasonably competitive.

Child safety seat accommodation

7.0

The two outboard car seat positions feature easy-to-access top and bottom anchors. The middle-seat car position is odd as the top anchor is located on the ceiling.

Towing

7.0

The all-wheel-drive version of the NX 300 features a tow rating of 2,000 pounds, but a receiver hitch is not standard.

Technology

7.0

Although the technology in the NX is modern and effective, its clunky interface and lackluster smartphone integration will discourage a lot of potential buyers.

Audio & navigation

6.0

The optional premium audio system produces excellent audio quality throughout the register but doesn't like to be pushed to the limits in volume. While we don't like the Remote Touch interface, the integrated navigation system is easy to use and has fairly accurate traffic information.

Smartphone integration

6.0

The NX 300 primarily uses Lexus' Enform app for smartphone integration. It requires downloading and logging into individual apps and needs to be running for it to work. We're not fans of this system due to its complicated setup process.

Driver aids

7.0

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 auto high-beam activation are less useful since their effectiveness varies too much based on terrain and surroundings.

Voice control

8.0

The voice controls work well and allow for some degree of syntax flexibility. The system operates navigation, phone, entertainment and climate control systems. iPhone users benefit from standard Siri Eyes Free capability.

Compare 2019 Lexus NX 300 trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2019 Lexus NX 300 models

The 2019 Lexus NX 300 is a five-passenger compact SUV available in two trim levels: the standard NX 300 and the NX 300 F Sport. It comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (235 horsepower, 258 pound-feet) and a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. The NX 300h hybrid is reviewed separately.

Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, LED headlights, LED foglights and running lights, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning and intervention, keyless ignition and entry, power-folding mirrors, a rearview camera, automatic dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats, simulated-leather upholstery (Lexus' NuLuxe), a 60/40-split folding and reclining back seat, in-car Wi-Fi, Lexus Enform Safety Connect emergency communications, a 8-inch infotainment display with a touchpad interface (Remote Touch), and an eight-speaker sound system.

The NX 300 F Sport version adds 18-inch wheels, special exterior styling elements, a sport-tuned suspension, special interior trim and NuLuxe color schemes, more aggressively bolstered seats, different gauges, and a sport steering wheel.

Other packages are also available, but their availability can vary by region, so you'll want to check with your local dealer. The Comfort package includes heated and ventilated front seats and a blind-spot warning system. To that package, the Premium package adds 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, driver-seat memory settings, and a power-adjustable steering wheel.

The Luxury package bundles the above options with automatic wipers, a heated steering wheel and leather upholstery. There's also a Navigation package with a larger 10.3-inch screen and a 10-speaker premium sound system.

Additional options include front and rear parking sensors, a power liftgate, a panoramic sunroof, upgraded LED headlights, and adaptive suspension dampers (F Sport only).

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2019 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 $3.74 per gallon for premium unleaded in Iowa.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Iowa

$189/mo

$167/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

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Lexus NX 300 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.0

26 reviews

5(50%)

4(23%)

3(11%)

2(4%)

1(12%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Best SUV in the class for the comfort and price

wish1202, 01/12/2019

2019 Lexus NX 300 F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Great overall luxury SUV for the luxury/price/performance compared to a Honda, Hyundai, Acura, Mazda, or Volvo. It is probably not the sportiest SUVs for ride enthusiasts, but comfortable and smooth. Great acceleration for a 2.0 T engine compared to many competitors. Visibility in blind spots is average, but any standard safety features more than compensate for that. Make sure you get a …

No Bias Report Good and Bad

LP, 03/04/2019

2019 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Took our new 2019 NX300 w/17 miles on a week long vacation to Florida from Texas. 2800 miles. Negatives: #1 Cargo space is fine for 2 people WITH the rear seat down. Take your luggage with you when you test drive. If you take this vehicle on a long road trip with large luggage, a third person will be super cramped. #2 Auto climate control is the worst I’ve experienced. My 2 Fords … did/do a better job. I constantly had to readjust throughout the trip. #3 Lexus designers dropped the ball on the HVAC control panel angle. On sunny or bright light days you cannot see or it is very difficult without changing your sitting position to see the LED lights for most of the buttons away from the driver i.e. front defrost, rear/mirror defrost, recirc and A/C. This should not be dependent on sitting position. It should have been angled downward a few degrees and problem solved. I still scratch my head wondering how this design flaw made it to production. #4. Infotainment menu mapping is cumbersome. You pretty much have to use the voice command...which can be slow and frustrating as well. But it’s not completely awful, just not luxury car-esque. #5 Steering is a chore at times around curves. I use less effort in my F-250 4x4’s with 33” tires than this little suv. Again it’s not awful, just weird and catches me off guard at times needing to put more muscle into the turn. #6 Along the same line as the steering, braking. I find myself needing more foot/leg effort bringing it to a full stop. I have to be super light on the initial touch but then push harder to complete the stop than larger vehicles driven. It also “pitches” forward more than my liking....rear brake adjustment needed?...not sure. #7 Outer sliding moonroof....SMH...thought this wasn’t available with the Nav package and didn’t want it but ours came with it....I hate it! It catches too much wind and so it is useless over ~20mph UNLESS you don’t care to hear anything but wind noise. I prefer the normal hiding moonroof. I feel the headroom gain is negligible and a waste of $. We used the normal hiding type in our Explorer a lot. #8 Remote start! Holy cow! Biggest letdown and may have affected my purchase decision had I known how cumbersome it is to use. Enform app is hit/miss, to use the keyfob is a ridiculous joke AND the engine turns off when entering the car! What? That’s the dumbest thing! SMH The GOOD: #1 Excellent power! #2 We got up to 31mpg when driving under 80mph. 25mpg in town and over 80mph. #3 Nice smooth ride for a small suv...AFTER I checked the tire pressure and lowered them from 40psi to the manufacturer recommendation of 32psi. Not sure who put 40 in them or why. I was critical of the ride quality until I thought of checking the TPS menu, checked the door seal label and adjusted them accordingly. Night and day difference! Or should I say rock and pillow difference. #4 Seat comfort is one of the things that impressed me. I have lower back/sciatic trouble and was able to stay comfortable the whole trip without having to readjust my seat or use NSAIDs. This was one of the best features why I chose the NX. And it seemed more comfortable than a 2018 RX we test drove. IMO. #5 Interior surface designs are very luxury car feeling. It is a great traveling suv...for 2 people. #6 I’ve had sports cars and this thing hugs the corners well with minimal body roll. #7 Adaptive/radar cruise control takes some getting used to but when you get the hang of it and where it is best used, it is an awesome innovation. Love it. #8 Navigation worked better than my iPhone map app. Had both running and the Lexus Nav re-routed to miss heavy traffic when my iPhone app didn’t. I got a kick out of the prompt tone because it reminds me of the inflight alert tone on an airplane. Dumb, but it’s the little things in life....#9 Auto dimming high-beam functioned well. Overall it’s a nice little crossover suv that performs well, handles well, is comfortable for 2 even on long trips, has some flaws but aren’t death flaws just disappointing, luxury feel cockpit, high end interior design and exterior lines are superb, best styled crossover overall on the market (IMO), Lexus quality. We chose it over the GLC Coupe(ride quality & lack of features), GLA(no real comparison), XT5 Cadillac (styling/reliability ), RX 350(style preference) and F-pace(interior design & lack of features). UPDATE: Enform app has been updated and more reliable. Car still doesn’t ride as smooth as we were wanting even after 12k miles. We had it in service for an odd issue but they stated no issue; the ventilated seats start to heat up the top back area of the seat when on, so now we don’t use the ventilated seat feature. Had a few instances of rough idle like it wanted to stall be they said no issue there as well. Not what I expected from Lexus. Update 2: At 15k miles the stock Yokohamas were worn out. Typical with Toyota vehicles I’ve been informed. To improve the ride I tried some Goodyear Quietride all seasons. Ride smoothness is noticeably better with these. Unless you have 40psi and a rock hard ride, 19mpg city/25mpg is the best we get even in eco mode, which doesn’t do well for long road trips due to its range per tank. And requiring super unleaded doesn’t help the issue. No issues with anything so far. Just like the day we bought it. Enform app is better now since some updates.

Amazing looks and acceleration (for an SUV)

Velin, 09/25/2018

2019 Lexus NX 300 F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Everything so far is amazing with the car. The upgrade screen seems huge and can be split to show different things at a glance. The safety features such as parking assist and lane change warnings have worked well when I tested them. I'm coming from a V6 sports coupe with quick acceleration, so I was surprised that the NX300 was only slightly slower in that department. I expected an …

Make your next be NX

Paul B, 08/20/2018

2019 Lexus NX 300 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

From style, to performance and cost, the NX300 is the way to go. Service includes lifetime washes and incredibly friendly people. You can both see and feel the luxury built into this lower end luxury SUV. Save on the $2,000 Navigation system as the vehicle allows you to display your map and routing right from your phone. 👍

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2019 NX 300 Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$36,485
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$189/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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Safety

Our experts like the NX 300 models:

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

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover16.1%

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