2026 Lexus NX 450h+ AWD - Review by David Colman

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

Perfection does not come cheaply

David Colman

What distinguishes a Lexus from any other make on the road? Fit and finish. Not just for the big ticket items, like this 2026 NX 450's immaculately tailored red and black leather sport seats. Nor for its less noticeable attributes, like the vernier feedback its leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel imparts as you swing it through 2.65 turns from lock to lock. If the devil is in the most minute details, then look no further than the engine bay of this 304hp plug-in hybrid. You will not find a prop rod to support the open hood. That's because Lexus wouldn't think of making you fish around for a spindly stick while holding the 50-pound hood with your other hand.

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

In that way, Lexus is in a league of its own because they fit the NX hybrid with a pair of Stabilus Lift-O-Mat hydraulic struts to do the dirty work for you. It's the Lexus Way with everything you touch in this tightly wrapped compact SUV. It's a philosophy that underpins the brand, and repeatedly elevates Lexus to the top spot in JD Power's Initial Quality Survey. Of course, perfection does not come cheaply. You'll shell out $67,134 for this top-of-the-NX model-line plug-in, all-wheel-drive hybrid. But perfection is expensive. Are you willing to pay the price?

When the NX mini-SUV debuted several years ago, I was unimpressed. In terms of size, horsepower and handling, it seemed more like a clown car ride than a genuine Lexus product. While the NX has retained its dwarfish dimensions (length 184in., height 66in., wheelbase 106in.), this time around, it blew me away to discover the little beast would swallow my full-size mountain bike inside its storage area.

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

With all seats erect, the NX offers just 22.7 cubic feet of cargo space. But when you flatten the split back bench seats, that number grows to an impressive 46.9 cubic feet. Hello trail bike. If you need to pack more than one bike, Lexus offers a set of roof cross bars ($395) to support a roof rack for that second bike. Our test NX was also equipped with a $500 optional "Panorama Glass Roof" that will allow you to keep a wary eye on your roof-mounted bike. Just be sure not to trigger the slide/tilt feature with goods up above!

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

The whole point of the plug-in hybrid ("h+" in Lexus Speak) is to allow you to tether the NX to a recharge cord for 36 miles worth of daily driving on EV-only power. If your work/recreation situation warrants frequent short local trips, the plug-in aspect will be a renewable source of wanderlust unsullied by trips to the gas station. Lexus provides the equipment for dual voltage recharges, with specific cables for both Level 1 and Level 2 receptacles. Best case scenario for a full recharge of the 227kW, 96-cell, high-capacity lithium-ion battery is just 3 hours at a Level 2 feeder. The NX plug-in is equipped with a seven kW Onboard Charger.

Of course, the limitless beauty of selecting a hybrid over a pure EV is the dividend it continues to pay out when no recharging station is available, and your e-range reads zero. When that situation occurs, rest easy in the knowledge that this NX' 2.5 liter four cylinder engine will step in with a gas-fueled range of more than 500 miles per tank! That dual power threat makes the NX one of the most dependable short and long-range travel partners you can buy.

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

The best part of driving the Ultra White (Premium Paint: $500) Long Ranger is that you get to enjoy those extended outings cocooned in the abundant comfort and detail attention only Lexus can supply. The heated and ventilated front seats look like hand-tooled Nocona cowboy boots. Their intricate interplay of interlocking red and black leather segments provided saddle-like comfort which complemented the NX's elastic ride quality. While sports car handling is not its forte, you'll appreciate the strut front/ coil-over rear suspension's ability to isolate you from road thumps. The NX maintains its equanimity over potholes despite the fact that the hybrid is shod with 20" x 7.5" black alloys mounting low profile (235/50R20) Bridgestone Alenza A502 run flat radials rated TW 400. You can tailor the ride quality by selecting several drive modes via the handily placed selector lever which resides in close proximity to the rim of the steering wheel. We found that the Sport Mode, which bathes the speedometer in red light, was a bit harsh for corrugated roads, so we left the dial in Eco mode most of the time.

2026 Lexus NX 450h AWD

For 2026, you can, for the first time, purchase the plug-in with an F Sport package, which consists of Dark Graphite paint, aluminum ornamentation, bolstered Nu-Luxe red and black perforated sport seats, sport steering wheel, aluminum pedals and scuff plates, bolder front grill, and color-coordinated fender flares. For my money, I'll pass on trying to turn the elegant and mature NX 450h+AWD into an imitation boy racer. Pretend is not its game.

2026 LEXUS NX450h+AWD

• ENGINE: 2.5 liter inline-4, DOHC 16v Chain drive Fuel Injection Electric Motor Generators: 134hp Front, 40hp Rear
• Horsepower: 304hp (Combined)
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 84MPGe/34MPG (Gasoline Only)
• PRICE AS TESTED: $67,134

HYPES: Nimble, Luxurious, Cosseting

GRIPES: Poor Rear and 3/4 Rear Vision

STAR RATING: 8.5 Stars out of 10

©2025 David E Colman