2026 Lexus NX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

While the second-generation Lexus NX has been on sale for a few years now, it still looks fairly fresh. The various styling elements are nicely integrated, including chunky fenders, headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights, taillights connected by a thin strip, and the always-controversial Lexus spindle grille. The NX isn’t as classically handsome as the more straightlaced Genesis GV70 or Volvo XC60, but nor is it as awkward as the latest Audi Q5 or BMW X3.

That’s because, compared to their colleagues in Germany, the Lexus design team did a better job of refining an existing recipe. Many of the key elements — such as the big grille and LED DRLs — are carried over from the previous-generation NX. But here they look like they were actually intended to be part of the overall design, not just slapped on to punch things up visually. Even the oversized grille, which some people still haven’t gotten used to more than a decade after its introduction, is balanced out by the placement of the headlights and side air intakes.

For the 2026 model year, Lexus offers the NX in non-hybrid NX 350, hybrid NX 350h, and plug-in hybrid NX 450h+ models. Packages across those three powertrain options include base, Luxury, F Sport 2, Ultra Luxury, Executive and F Sport 3, except for the NX 450h+, which isn’t available in base or Luxury configuration (and the base package is called Ultra Premium). The F Sport packages add adaptive dampers and black 20-inch wheels as well as a different front fascia, black roof rails, and black window framing.

Lexus sales didn’t exactly take a nosedive when the automaker’s styling became more extraverted, showing just how much equity customers put in the brand itself regardless of what the cars look like. However, that’s based in part on an expectation of luxury that the base NX 350 doesn’t quite live up to. Our F Sport 3 test car’s all-black interior didn’t feel like a significant upgrade over high-end versions of the Toyota RAV4 with which the NX shares a platform. Sport seats, aluminum pedals, and an F Sport steering wheel didn’t quite compensate for that. The similarly priced NX 350 Executive package does offer leather upholstery, while heated and ventilated front seats and a power-adjustable steering column are standard.

Lexus offers a variety of powertrain options in the NX, which is good because the standard hardware in our NX 350 F Sport 3 test car does not impress. The NX 350 uses a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine generating 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, which is supplied to a standard all-wheel drive (AWD) system via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This turbo-four is related to the engine used in the Toyota Tacoma, and it definitely feels more appropriate for a pickup truck than a luxury SUV. Its coarse exhaust note is thankfully dulled by the NX’s sound deadening material, but no similar solution exists for the lack of urgency with which it revs. Lexus quotes a respectable 7.0-second zero to 100 km/h time, but the lethargic eight-speed automatic does its best to make that unachievable in the real world. This is one of the few non-performance cars where manual control via the steering wheel paddle shifters is a necessity.

While we only had the opportunity to fully review the NX 350 this time around, the Lexus NX 350h hybrid and NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid models seem more compelling on paper. The NX 350h uses a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and the familiar Toyota/Lexus hybrid system to generate 240 hp, getting it from zero to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds. The NX 450h+ uses a bigger battery pack for more continuous electric power, boosting the numbers to 304 hp and 6.1 seconds to 100 km/h.

However, it’s unclear if powertrain upgrades can cancel out the indifferent chassis tuning we experienced in our test car. Said car was equipped with the F Sport 3 upgrade, which includes adaptive performance dampers and 20-inch wheels. Even in their default setting, the dampers were too firm to deal with pavement imperfections. And on smooth pavement, the NX never felt settled. That made for uncomfortable ride quality and an unengaging driving experience, the latter made even worse by lifeless steering.

Despite roughly 15 years of F Sport packages, Lexus just hasn’t gotten the hang of diet performance models the way Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have. One could argue that Lexus’s core competency lies more with quiet, comfort, and refinement, but the poor ride quality means the NX doesn’t score well here either. And while engineers did a good job of tuning out most unwanted sounds, wind noise at highway speeds still make the cabin less than serene.

When it comes to passenger space, the NX compares favourably with other compact luxury SUVs, but it comes with a few compromises. Rear-seat headroom is close to rivals like the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and Mercedes-Benz GLC, but all three offer a bit more legroom. Front-seat legroom is closer to the Audi and Mercedes, although the Acura offers even more. First-row headroom matches the Audi but trails the Acura and Mercedes.

Subjectively, the front seats feel a bit constrained for a crossover SUV. The relative lack of headroom is apparent, and the deep dashboard and large exterior mirrors combine to hinder outward visibility. The rear window is also pretty small, but our test car’s digital rearview mirror helped with that. Our car’s F Sport 3 package also includes sport seats with a bit of extra bolstering, which prove reasonably comfortable if unnecessary considering the NX’s lack of performance chops.

According to Lexus, cargo space measures 643 litres with the 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat in place and 1,328 litres with the rear bench folded. Those numbers trail most of the NX’s competitive set, and its 907-kilogram (2,000-pound) maximum towing capacity is also far from class-leading. Two giant centre console cupholders — made possible by a small shifter located at the console’s upper-lefthand corner — make hauling hydration easier, at least.

A 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard on base NX, while a 14-inch display is standard when you equip any package. All 2026 Lexus NX models come standard with a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and six USB ports. Wireless device charging is also standard with any package, while a head-up display and 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system are exclusive to the higher-priced packages.

Other tech features require data connectivity packages, which come with free trials but require subscriptions after those trial periods end. Drive Connect enables cloud-based navigation (including Google points of interest) and native voice recognition. Remote Connect enables digital key functionality, allowing the car to be unlocked, started, and driven away via a connected smartphone. Safety Connect provides emergency assistance in the event of a crash or theft, and Service Connect helps schedule maintenance at dealerships.

Sprouting from the instrument cluster like bracket fungus on a tree trunk, the 14-inch touchscreen in our test car was well-placed for easy tapping, but there was still room for improvement. Lexus provides large knobs for temperature control, but fan speed can only be adjusted with an awkward touch slider. Dual-zone climate control is standard, but an eco-minded setting that only directs airflow to occupied seats failed to detect a back seat passenger.

If enabled, the voice recognition system helps a bit here. Like comparable systems from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, it responds to “Hey (insert car brand name here).” It will adjust the temperature if you tell it that you’re hot or cold, although specific temperatures can’t be set. In our test car it also couldn’t switch SiriusXM satellite radio stations and simply pulled up the audio menu when prompted.

The instrument cluster efficiently presents information. A numerical speedometer readout is surrounded by a round sweep serving as a tachometer in F Sport models or a powertrain-state meter in hybrids, with engine temperature and fuel readouts on either side. Everything else is presented in smaller text or graphics, making this modern digital cluster look a bit like the analog displays in cars from the 1990s.

When it comes to driver-assist features, Lexus covers all the bases. The standard Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite includes: forward collision warning (with pedestrian and cyclist detection), automatic emergency braking, left-turn oncoming vehicle detection and braking, Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist (adds power-steering torque during emergency maneuvers), adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and traffic sign recognition. The NX’s electronic door handles are also keyed to a Safe Exit Assist feature that will delay their unlatching if an approaching vehicle is detected.

Other available driver-assist features include park assist, front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, and a 360-degree camera system. The latter feature was helpful given the NX’s compromised outward visibility, but a dedicated button to bring up the camera views would have been appreciated. The car was also a bit overeager with its warnings as we pulled into parking spaces, and said warnings were alarmingly loud.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the NX a 2025 Top Safety Pick. The Lexus missed out on the highest Top Safety Pick+ award because of a lower “Acceptable” score in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, but it received top “Good” score in all other crash tests and evaluations. However, to date, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn’t published safety ratings for the current-generation NX.

Natural Resources Canada fuel economy ratings for the non-hybrid Lexus NX 350 are an unremarkable 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres combined (10.9 city, 8.5 highway). However, despite a mixed driving cycle, we were able to improve on the combined number with a real-world average of 8.9 L/100 km, according to the car’s trip computer.

The NX starts to make more sense when you look at the hybrid models. The NX 350h is rated at 6.0 L/100 km combined (5.7 city, 6.4 highway). The NX 450h+ boasts an NRCan-rated 60 kilometres of all-electric driving range, and fuel economy of 6.6 L/100 km combined in hybrid mode.

The standard Lexus warranty coverage includes a four-year/80,000-kilometre basic warranty and six-year/110,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. NX 350h and NX 450h+ models also come with an eight-year/160,000-kilometre warranty for their hybrid-system components.

With the non-hybrid NX 250 model gone, the cheapest 2026 Lexus NX model in Canada is the base NX 350, which starts at $58,224 including the mandatory $2,205 destination charge and other fees. That’s roughly $4,000 more than the 2025 NX 250 base model. The NX 350h starts at $61,069 with fees, while the NX 450h+ PHEV starts at $63,384, fees in. The latter is priced to qualify for provincial and territorial EV rebates where they still exist.

This pricing is one of the NX’s main assets, as it undercuts most rivals significantly. And while the Acura RDX and Genesis GV70 come close, they don’t offer comparable fuel efficiency to the NX 350h hybrid. That makes the NX an excellent value among luxury cars, but it comes at the cost of many of the attributes that make stepping up to a luxury brand worthwhile in the first place. Rivals offer more, whether it’s a high-end interior (Genesis and Volvo), sporty driving dynamics (Acura, Audi, and BMW), or easy-to-use tech (Mercedes).