The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Jaunty styling
- Elegant cabin
- User-friendly tech
- Potent turbo-4
- Efficient hybrid options
Dislikes
- Not sporty…
- …even with the F Sport package
- Potentially polarizing styling
- Snug cabin
- Hybrids lack steering feedback
Buying tip
features & specs
Lexus packs the 2025 NX with distinctive styling and the choice of turbo punch or thrifty hybrid powertrains.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Lexus NX? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Lexus NX compact crossover seats five and cleverly packages several powertrain options. Shop it alongside the BMW X1 and X3, Mercedes-Benz GLA and GLC, and Volvo XC40.
Is the 2025 Lexus NX a good SUV?
It has its advantages, including reasonable pricing, plenty of features, a comfy cabin, and a powertrain lineup that includes hybrid and enticing plug-in hybrid options. The 2025 Lexus NX scores a TCC Rating of 6.2 on our 10-point scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Lexus NX?
For 2025, Lexus adds two front USB-C ports, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and park assist with automatic braking to the standard features menu. For new options, wireless device charging is now available across the lineup as well as a new exterior and interior color option.
Though small, the Lexus NX crossover goes bold with an angular profile that’s nearly vertical up front at the grille, and rakish out back through the roofline. Front lighting consists of narrow LED strips that flow into extensive detailing, and the rear lights form a wide band.
The base NX 250 is powered by a frugal 2.5-liter inline-4 rated for 203 hp. Upgrade to the NX 350 for more engagement from its 275-hp 2.4-liter turbo-4, plus standard all-wheel drive. These gas engines both use an 8-speed auto transmission.
The NX 350h is the base hybrid model, good for 238 hp and a 39-mpg combined EPA rating. At the top of the lineup, the NX 450h+ with its plug-in hybrid powertrain features a bigger battery pack that yields 37 miles of electric range before switching to the gas engine.
Most versions are available with the F Sport package, which adds 20-inch wheels that are smoothed out by adaptive dampers. The NX isn’t sporty, but it’s generally composed.
The rear row is snug and the cargo capacity is OK, but the NX is well insulated against road noise.
The NX earns a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and includes lots of driver-assistance tech, such as adaptive cruise control, which costs extra on most rivals.
How much does the 2025 Lexus NX cost?
The base NX 250 starts at $41,765, including a $1,150 destination charge. With all-wheel drive, the NX 250 costs $43,365. The turbocharged NX 350 includes all-wheel drive and starts at $45,525. The NX 350h kicks off the hybrid lineup at $46,075, though the plug-in NX 450h+ is available only in premium trims and starts at $62,290.
Standard features include synthetic leather upholstery, a 9.8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 18-inch wheels. Available upgrades are numerous, with options such as a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, cooled front seats, a head-up display, a panoramic roof, and Mark Levinson premium audio.
Where is the 2025 Lexus NX made?
Lexus builds the 2025 NX in Ontario, Canada.
2025 Lexus NX Styling
Lexus flaunts styling conventions with the 2025 NX.
Is the Lexus NX a good-looking car?
It’s definitely interesting, if not universally appealing. Exterior and interior style each earn a point, for a 7 here.
The tall grille is flanked by oversized air intakes and complex headlights, flowing into a deceptively simple side profile with lots of subtle details. The available F Sport package gets an upgrade to 20-inch wheels, though the black finish sacrifices their impact.
A 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen serves as the focal point of the cabin, within easy reach of most drivers. Most surfaces are trimmed in brightly-hued molded plastic.
2025 Lexus NX Performance
Don’t be fooled by the 2025 Lexus NX’s racy looks.
It looks sporty, but the 2025 Lexus NX has a calm, relaxed ride. That’s good for a point, for a 6.
Is the Lexus NX 4WD?
Yes, in most configurations. All-wheel drive comes standard across the lineup, except for the base NX 250, which has front-wheel drive. In hybrid models, the rear axle is driven by an additional electric motor to improve traction without sacrificing efficiency.
How fast is the Lexus NX?
Not at all, especially in NX 250 form, which makes just 203 hp from its 2.5-liter inline-4. It’s a leisurely 8.2 seconds to 60 mph, with about another half-second for all-wheel-drive versions.
Performance improves somewhat in turbocharged and hybrid versions. The NX 350 has a 275-hp turbo-4 with enough grunt for confident passing, and smooth shifts from the 8-speed automatic transmission shared with the NX 250.
Moving on to the hybrids, the NX 350h adds an electric motor and battery pack to the base 4-cylinder powertrain, good for a combined 239 hp, and a dull yet efficient CVT. The NX 450h+ is the peppiest of the bunch but also by far the most expensive. It shares its powertrain with the Toyota RAV4 Prime, a plug-in hybrid with 302 hp and 37 miles of all-electric driving.
Numb steering feel and body lean are drawbacks across the lineup, although the ride is smooth and comfortable. F Sport models feature 20-inch wheels, which typically degrade ride quality, but here, they’re offset by adaptive dampers and underbody bracing.
2025 Lexus NX Comfort & Quality
Claim one of the front seats in the 2025 Lexus NX.
The stylish, modern cabin of Lexus’ second-smallest crossover offers up decent cargo capacity and comfy front seats. Both earn a point for a 7.
The front seats offer lots of support and power adjustments. The second row is too narrow for three adults and too short for longer legs.
There’s 22.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, which opens up to 46.9 cubes with the second row folded down. That space falls short of rivals, but it’s more space than you’ll find in a sedan’s trunk. Hybrid versions of the NX have the same cargo capacity.
Most interior surfaces are plastic, but there are plenty of soft-touch materials and the faux leather seating could almost be mistaken for the real thing.
2025 Lexus NX Safety
Crash-test scores are incomplete, but the 2025 Lexus NX includes plenty of tech.
How safe is the Lexus NX?
The 2025 Lexus NX comes fitted with plenty of standard driver-assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, active lane control, automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, automatic high-beam headlights, and, new for this year, park assist with automatic braking and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The NX earns a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, but with incomplete NHTSA testing, we don’t award a score here.
Lexus offers the NX with blind-spot monitors and a surround-view camera system.
2025 Lexus NX Features
Lexus loads the 2025 NX with plenty of features.
The 2025 Lexus NX is available at a range of well-equipped price points. Standard features include a 9.8-inch touchscreen, synthetic leather upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB-C ports, a 10-speaker audio system, and 18-inch alloy wheels. We award points for standard features, options, and the big touchscreen, for an 8.
No points are awarded for the warranty, which is just average with 4-year/50,000-mile coverage.
Which Lexus NX should I buy?
The base trim is decent for $41,765, including the $1,150 destination charge, or $43,465 in all-wheel drive configuration. We’d skip it, though, and step up to the $45,525 NX 350 or the $46,075 NX 350h, both of which feature all-wheel drive.
The Premium package, for $1,925, adds heated and cooled front seats, a hands-free power tailgate, and a sunroof. For about $1,200 more, you get a 14.0-inch touchscreen, which looks nice but replaces some physical climate controls, and adds voice recognition and a cloud-based virtual assistant. A head-up display and Mark Levinson premium audio adds up to about $50,000.
How much is a fully loaded Lexus NX?
It’s expensive. The NX 450h+ is available starting in Luxury trim for $62,290, and with the F Sport package, it ends up at $63,380. There’s plenty of features here, though, which helps. We’d suggest upgrading to the optional 6.6-kw onboard charger, which shortens charging times. The NX 450h+ hits nearly $65,000, fully loaded.
2025 Lexus NX Fuel Economy
In hybrid form, the 2025 Lexus NX is at its best.
Is the Lexus NX good on gas?
It can be. It rates a 3 for the volume-selling NX 350’s all-wheel-drive rating of 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined.
The entry-level NX 250 improves on those numbers, to the tune of 26/33/28 mpg with front-wheel drive and 25/32/28 mpg with all-wheel drive. Though the NX 250 isn’t particularly peppy, it has the advantage of using regular fuel, while the hybrid options use premium fuel.
That said, the hybrid models definitely offer better EPA ratings. The NX 350h rates 41/37/39 mpg, and if you’re paying the hefty upcharge for the NX 450h+, you can expect 37 miles of all-electric range and then 36 mpg combined in hybrid mode. With the upgraded 6.6-kw charger, the NX 450h+ can hit a full charge on a Level 2 charger in about 2.5 hours.
