Land Rover Range Rover vs Lexus NX Hybrid

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover was a testament to understated luxury, maintaining its classic design lineage while offering multiple configurations. Buyers had the choice between standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase versions, with the latter available with a third row of seats. The trim levels—SE, Autobiography, and SV—were not universally available across all body styles, adding a layer of exclusivity to certain configurations. The exterior design, though not drastically different from its predecessor, featured updated headlights and taillights, contributing to its timeless appeal. The Range Rover's minimalist exterior detailing and ample size conveyed a subtle yet unmistakable status, distinguishing it from flashier competitors like the Bentley Bentayga or Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Inside, the Range Rover's interior mirrored its exterior's simplicity, with a dashboard that was almost bare except for a touchscreen, an engine start button, and a shifter. This stark appearance was softened by the subtle curve of the dash and hidden air vents, showcasing a meticulous attention to detail. However, the long-wheelbase SE test car's interior had a bit too much plastic for a vehicle in its price range. Despite this, the Range Rover's design and materials generally exuded a sense of luxury and refinement.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid, particularly the NX 350h F Sport 3, was characterized by its bold and intricate design. The front featured a large, dark spindle grille flanked by squinting LED headlights, creating an aggressive and complex face. The profile was sporty yet less extroverted, with rounded edges and body-coloured fender flares suggesting a focus on road performance. F Sport elements like dark trim and 20-inch wheels added to its sporty appeal, while the fastback roof shape echoed coupe-like crossovers.

Inside, the NX Hybrid combined sportiness with modern technology. The digital instrument cluster and large touchscreen created a cockpit-like feel, especially with the screen angled toward the driver. The F Sport 3 test car's interior was particularly sporty, featuring dark graphite aluminum trim, metal pedals, and Circuit Red synthetic leather upholstery. Lexus's NuLuxe textile convincingly mimicked real leather, adding to the upscale feel. Despite its stylized design, the NX Hybrid's interior was practical and comfortable, with soft-touch surfaces enhancing its luxury appeal.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and 4WD. The entry-level engine was a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six with a mild hybrid system, producing 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid version of this engine delivered 543 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The V8 option, sourced from BMW, was a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre engine, generating 523 hp and 553 lb-ft in SE and Autobiography models, and 606 hp and 553 lb-ft in the Range Rover SV. The SV could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 260 km/h in short-wheelbase form.

The Range Rover prioritized comfort and refinement over agility, offering a traditional luxury car feel. Its excellent ride quality and body control made it easy to drive delicately, even on optional 23-inch wheels. The vehicle's off-road capabilities were supported by features like a two-speed transfer case, brake-based torque vectoring, and height-adjustable air suspension. With impressive ground clearance and wading depth, the Range Rover remained a capable off-roader while providing a spacious interior.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid, specifically the NX 350h F Sport 3, was less sporty than its name suggested. It featured adaptive dampers with Normal and Sport settings and a firmer suspension, but its handling was more controlled than agile. The hybrid powertrain combined a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with three electric motors, providing standard AWD and a total of 240 horsepower. The NX Hybrid could accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in 7.2 seconds, but power delivery was not particularly exhilarating.

The NX Hybrid's ride was firm yet comfortable, with the Sport damper setting providing a busy ride on rough surfaces. The drivetrain felt slushy, and the engine droned under hard acceleration. Steering wheel paddles allowed for simulated downshifts, but they didn't replicate the feel of a regular automatic transmission. For those seeking more power, the NX 450h plug-in hybrid offered 340 hp.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered versatile seating configurations, with three-row models accommodating seven passengers and two-row models seating five. Headroom was ample across all rows, and the long-wheelbase model without third-row seats boasted an impressive 1,220 millimetres of second-row legroom. The long-wheelbase model's 3,197-millimetre wheelbase provided competitive legroom even with the third row. However, cargo space was limited, with only 212 litres available with the third row in place. Folding the second and third rows expanded cargo capacity to 857 litres and 2,050 litres, respectively. The Range Rover's split tailgate and air suspension facilitated loading and unloading, while power operation and gesture control added convenience.

The Range Rover's interior featured three-zone automatic climate control as standard, with four-zone climate controls and additional comfort features available on higher trims. The vehicle's towing capacity of 3,720 kilograms was competitive within its segment, matching body-on-frame rivals like the Escalade and Navigator.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid's F Sport 3 model offered comfortable front seats with good bolstering and ample room for tall adults. Power seat and steering wheel adjustments, along with heated and ventilated front seats, enhanced driver and passenger comfort. The rear seats provided enough space for average-sized adults, though legroom could be tight for taller passengers. The NX Hybrid's cargo space was relatively low for its class, with 643 litres available behind the rear seats and 1,328 litres with the seats folded down. The coupe-like roof shape contributed to the limited cargo capacity, but the NX still offered sufficient space for everyday needs.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover came equipped with a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, while a 35-speaker Meridian audio system was available on higher trims. The Pivi Pro infotainment system had improved in reliability, but the lack of physical controls made it less user-friendly. The touchscreen's integration with the dashboard was aesthetically pleasing, but its functionality was hindered by the absence of buttons and knobs. The gauge-cluster display was crisp and easy to read, featuring a map view and a three-way split of information. Land Rover's natural-language voice recognition system helped mitigate some of the interface's shortcomings.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid featured a 9.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen as standard. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility, were included. Optional features included a programmable head-up display, a wireless phone charger, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. The NX Hybrid offered a three-year Remote Connect subscription, providing remote starting, door lock/unlock, and vehicle status alerts. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a volume dial and embedded temperature controls for easy access. The touchscreen's responsiveness and driver-oriented angle enhanced usability.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover included standard driver assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and a 360-degree camera system. While the Range Rover lacked advanced systems like Super Cruise, its standard safety features performed as expected. The surround-view camera system was helpful, though its activation required manual input. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable at the time of writing.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid excelled in safety, earning the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award. It received four stars in the NHTSA's frontal crash test and five stars in the side crash test. The NX 350h came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, which included features like blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Optional safety features included automatic parking and a surround-view camera system. The safety systems performed well during testing, though the adaptive cruise control was somewhat complex to operate.