2025 Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid

Our comparison tool provides a comprehensive, side-by-side comparison of up to four vehicles of your choice.

Lexus' hybrid expertise pays dividends with the plug-in NX. In our testing, the NX 450h+ accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. While other plug-in rivals like the Volvo XC60 are quicker, the 450h+ seamlessly delivers plenty of smooth power for merging, passing and day-to-day driving.

The brakes are equally smooth, without the grabby pedal sometimes endemic to hybrids. The suspension's comfort tuning limits grip and handling prowess, and the NX leans heavily in curves. But the ride is comfortable, and road imperfections are smoothed over without it feeling overly soft or bouncy. Note that our test model was a base trim. The optional F Sport package should sharpen the car's attitude quite a bit.

Visibility is good all around, with the exception of a narrow rear window that pinches the view out of the back. The 360-degree surround-view camera system and large display come in handy here. A full suite of driver aids includes adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning. Adaptive cruise control adjusts speed smoothly but is a bit conservative in the gap it maintains from the vehicle ahead. Lane keeping assistance is also a bit too aggressive.

The NX 450h+ can travel an EPA-estimated 37 miles on all-electric power, assuming a full battery charge. After that, the EPA says you can expect 36 mpg combined during regular hybrid operation. Most rivals aren't even rated for more than 30 miles on the battery alone, and none match the NX's gas-powered fuel economy. Frequently plugging in to charge can really help save on gas.

We also verified these numbers on our evaluation route, where we managed to drive 43 miles on electric power alone and saw 35.2 mpg after depleting the battery and running in hybrid mode, with the majority of our miles on the highway. Very good stuff from Lexus.

The NX's interior is spacious and well organized, with enough headroom, legroom and shoulder room to comfortably accommodate four adults. The rear floor sits a bit high, though, so taller passengers might want to draw straws for the front seat. The front seats are supportive, well padded and offer decent adjustability, even if they're not quite as sporty as the available F Sport seats. It's not difficult to find a comfortable driving position that places all of the major controls within easy reach. The NX 450h+ is quiet, too, and near silent while running in EV mode at low speeds.

The short doors and small rear opening might be a bit of an issue for some passengers, but installing a car seat isn't too troublesome. The anchors are easy to access without digging, and there's enough room that fitting larger seats won't be an issue.

The climate control system could be better. The controls are easy to reach and look nice, but some information is hidden when using the navigation system. The system runs warm, too. In our testing, cabin temps were uneven and varied when the gas engine was running. We were constantly fiddling with the controls to stay comfortable.

The NX is one of the smallest vehicles in its class, and that's reflected in subpar cargo capacity. With 22.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 46.9 cubic feet with the seats down, the Lexus offers significantly less cargo capacity than rivals. We give Lexus credit for cleverly packaging the battery so that it doesn't consume additional cargo area, but small is still small.

Storage in the rest of the cabin is a bit better. The door pockets are somewhat small, but the center console is spacious and the bin hidden underneath the wireless charging pad is very handy.

The NX 450h+ comes loaded with most of the latest in-car tech Lexus offers. The dash is dominated by a 14-inch touchscreen display. It's great to look at and quick to respond, but the menu structure isn't the most intuitive. The navigation system is excellent, especially with how it integrates turn-by-turn directions in the 10-inch head-up display. It requires a subscription to use beyond the trial period, however.

The NX comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both with wireless connectivity, if you prefer to use your phone for navigation and other apps. We had mild connection issues when multiple phones were paired but nothing persistent.

The NX 450h+ is priced like similar luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs but comes better equipped. Many standard features are optional on rivals, which can lift real prices to eye-watering levels. Build quality is stellar, too. The interior is classy and well appointed, with nice leather and wood throughout the cabin. Nor do the plastic materials feel cut-rate. There was nary a rattle or shake during our drive — impressive given how quietly the NX moves with the engine off.

A four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty comes standard. The engine is covered for six years/70,000 miles and the hybrid part of the powertrain for eight years/100,000 miles. Lexus covers the battery pack for 10 years/150,000 miles. All are about average for the class.