First Drive: The New Lexus NX Goes All-In On Hybrid Power

The Lexus NX has been a fixture of the luxury compact SUV segment for more than a decade now, and for the 2027 model year, the vehicle gets one of its most robust updates yet. With the powertrain lineup now fully electrified with a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, and updates designed to add polish to the driving experience, the NX goes to market across the globe as a more complete offering than ever.

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Shoppers and drivers here want to drive something that’s good-looking, feature-forward, slightly posh, and refined to drive. While I think that the company delivers on most, if not all, of those expectations, it’s fair to say that this is the best-ever Lexus to wear the NX badge.

Make It Electric

The biggest update to the 2027 NX lineup is that all-electrified suite of powertrains. The ICE-only NX 350 with its 2.4T four-cylinder has been retired, while revamped versions of the 350h hybrid and 450h+ plug-in hybrid remain.

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The standard hybrid gets a modest improvement in horsepower, up from 236 to 244 hp, for both front- and all-wheel-drive versions. The plug-in NX 450h+ now offers 45 miles of all-electric range and a sprightly 324 horsepower, up 20 from the outgoing car. Since most of my drive time was in the standard hybrid, however, that’s where I’ll focus my attention for this review.

Naturally, the Lexus team has improved hybrid efficiency as well: the front-drive NX 350h returns an estimated 44 miles per gallon in the city, 35 highway, and 40 combined (EPA figures are still forthcoming). The mpg figures drop to 42 city, 34 highway, and 38 combined for the AWD car. Lexus really stands alone here; the impressive fuel economy numbers are unmatched in the class.

A Subtle Facelift

The NX has a revised front and rear fascia with new lighting and a generally freshened look, but the updates are subtle enough that, at a glance, you might not notice. The headlights, grille, and taillights are all new—and I think they look fresh—but the overall shape of the car seems unchanged. In fact, Lexus told us that while the door panels are technically different, they look almost identical to the outgoing car.

That’s probably a good thing for repeat buyers of the brand or the target demographic (aka, old folks). Some of the company’s more evocative designs, like that of the new ES, are quite challenging—we all kind of collectively stopped having a problem with big spindle grilles and pointy lighting elements a few years ago.

Massive Infotainment Upgrade

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

With that said, the biggest quality-of-life improvement for new NX drivers is almost certainly the standard Lexus Interface infotainment system with a sleek, 14-inch touchscreen display.

Where older Lexus (and Toyota) systems were both frustrating and balky until your phone mirroring loaded up, the new Lexus system is responsive, easy to use the first time out, and deeply customizable. In fact, I liked it well enough that I defaulted to the built-in system even when using my iPhone with CarPlay at the ready.

Lexus isn’t the first company to use a system of configurable big tiles to simplify its user interface, but with lag-free responses to touch inputs and brilliant graphics, the Interface feels like a home run.

Best Features:

• Excellent hybrid fuel economy, with up to 40 mpg combined for the front-drive model
• Great infotainment system that makes Apple CarPlay feel almost optional
• Comfortable, well-designed seats up front
• Optional Mark Levinson audio ready for your favorite tracks

Is It A Little Loud In Here?

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

The luxury brand has updated this compact crossover to feel smoother and quieter than before, and it has a bit more power, but I still walked away wanting more from how the car goes down the road.

I don’t have a problem with the Lexus’s claimed 6.7-second 0-60 time, but the awful noise created under hard acceleration will make you test it out only when needed. Full throttle is kind of a “break glass in case of emergency” proposition.

Under light throttle, the powertrain racket does disappear for the most part, but I was surprised to find a good amount of wind noise at near-highway speeds as well. (I didn’t actually get to drive on the highway, but I hit 60-70 miles per hour a few times for the sake of science.)

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

Overall, the NVH experience was just the least “Lexus-y” thing about driving the new NX, which is a shame since this was a point of emphasis for the vehicle. An improvement over the outgoing car, to be sure, but still behind what I’d expect from a luxury brand even in this entry-level segment. At least the stereo still rocks.

Stick to straight roads, a few mph over the speed limit, with the excellent (optional) Mark Levinson stereo cranked, and you’ll enjoy yourself much more.

Pros

• Interior design and finishes are refreshingly modern and clean
• The infotainment software goes from being an NX weakness to one of our favorites in the segment
• Great seats and an excellent stereo make this a great way to tackle long drives

Cons

• The hybrid is not at all sporty.
• Weirdly high levels of in-cabin noise from the powertrain
• Good legroom but poor headroom for back seat passengers

The Competition

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

The new NX is a nice evolution of the outgoing SUV, and for previous Lexus owners looking to update, or perhaps downsize, the suite of economy, tech, and comfort will be compelling.

There’s a robust landscape of competitors for those dollars, however. The NX sits in a bit of a gray area size-wise, but must reckon with excellent small luxury crossovers like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Acura ADX, along with larger rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLA, BMW X3, etc.

Seyth Miersma | TopSpeed

While it’s hard to call that race without official NX pricing (which we expect to have after this review is published), it’s fair to say that the footprint and super-efficient hybrid powertrain are likely to be strong selling points. The rather unrefined sonic environment, slightly less so.

Still, there’s a reason that the Lexus compact SUV has found so many homes for so many years now; delivering no-nonsense comfort and great tech is a reliable way to keep buyers coming back.

2027 Lexus NX 350h AWD Dimensions And Specs

Sources: Lexus