2027 Lexus NX Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Lexus has kept the NX's sporty shape and side profile for 2027 but sharpened the details. The new headlights are larger and now use two levels of lighting to integrate the turn signals and daytime running lights into a new signature. At the back, the NX debuts Lexus' “Double L” signature taillights, which bookend an illuminated Lexus logo. The outside mirrors are now housed in mostly black accents, giving the NX a cleaner, more cohesive look.

F Sport models get their own exterior trim pieces at the front, side, and rear, plus gloss-black fenders, roof rails, and rear spoiler, and exclusive 20-inch wheels; buyers can even opt for red brake calipers. Luxury trims get color-matched fenders and 20-inch wheels, while the Premium and Premium+ grades ride on 18-inchers. Nine exterior colors are offered, including a new ash-green called Shaded Ivy and Incognito, which is exclusive to the F Sport.

The bigger story is inside. This may only be a mid-cycle refresh, but the entire dashboard and center console have been completely redesigned. Gone are the swoopy, cockpit-inspired design and the slick dual-zone climate knobs. In their place is a more austere and functional setup built around a 14-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument panel set side by side. A continuous line of light runs from the dashboard into the door panels, and a redesigned steering wheel spells out L-E-X-U-S in the brand's latest font.

While we're fans of what Lexus is doing inside the NX, it's not perfect. The cabin layout and materials feel a bit too cold; it's a modern design that, on some trims, eschews the warmth of wood or the polish of brushed metal for a flatter, leather-and-plastic look. Those with the means should certainly opt for a trim that includes wood decor, which brings some much-needed personality.

Buyers do get some choice in how the cabin looks. Premium and Premium+ grades come with perforated faux leather seating (the F Sport gets its own version), plus an all-black dashboard with contrast stitching, while the Luxury grade gets leather. New interior colors include Abalos, said to be inspired by the sand dunes of Mars, and a vivid Radiant Red that's exclusive to the F Sport. On models with the Mark Levinson audio system, the door speakers sit behind perforated metal grilles that light up at night.

Cross-shoppers coming out of a European rival may feel as though the NX’s build quality and robustness—while certainly high-end and worthy of the Lexus badge—don’t quite match that of a BMW, an Audi, or particularly, a Mercedes or a Volvo.

Lexus has been on a mission to bring further refinement to its laudable stable of fuel-sipping luxury hybrids, most recently with the redesigned ES sedan and now with the mid-cycle refresh of its popular NX crossover. Hybrid is the only option for an NX for 2027.

The gas-only NX 350 has been discontinued, leaving the 350h hybrid and 450h+ plug-in hybrid. But despite the familiar nameplates, there are actually quite a few differences between the 2027 models and the ones they replace. Both use a revised 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 186 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque that’s been re-tuned to cut down on unwanted noise and vibration. It's paired with a new, more compact e-Axle that combines the transaxle, electric motor, and the power control unit.

The NX 350h has a total output of 244 hp, four hp more than last year. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard on the Premium and Premium+ trims; all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on those trims and standard on the F Sport and Luxury versions. Lexus quotes 0–60 mph times of 6.9 seconds for the FWD 350h and 6.7 seconds with AWD.

The refinement and smoothness of the updated setup help to make the 2027 NX a delight to drive. The handoff between the electric motor and gas engine is seamless and undetectable, acceleration feels effortless—especially from a dead stop—and there's a healthy mix of torque and power throughout the rev band. Our only gripe with the 350h is that it can feel a little flat when flooring it while already at speed, such as when passing someone on the freeway.

Lexus also updated the chassis with a stiffer body structure, and grades without the F Sport’s Adaptive Variable Suspension get new shock absorbers designed to respond to even small suspension movements. The steering wheel is slightly smaller in diameter, an upgraded steering rack is standard on all trims, and a new brake-control system applies subtle braking during cornering to settle the vehicle during sudden maneuvers. All this adds up to a light and lively feeling on journeys both long and short, even if the NX doesn’t quite feel as solid and robust as its German rivals.

The NX's interior is on the small side for its segment, especially when it comes to rear legroom and cargo space. Rear-seat passengers get 36 inches of legroom, while those up front get 41 inches. Headroom clocks in at 38.3 inches in front and 38.5 inches in back, dropping to 37.1 and 37.4 inches, respectively, with the panoramic glass roof, which is standard on every grade except the Premium.

Despite being smaller than most of its peers, taller passengers still have plenty of room in the rear seats, even if those up front are also tall, and the NX’s cabin is more than up to the task of longer road trips with a car full of adults.

There’s 22.7 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seat. That puts the NX conspicuously behind the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3, though it does offer a trick (and meaningful) storage space under the cargo floor, and the seat backs are split 60/40 and fold (nearly) flat when needed.

Everyday convenience features are generous. Every NX comes with a hands-free power liftgate with a kick sensor, SmartAccess keyless entry, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel with power adjustment (F Sport and Luxury grades add heated outboard rear seats). A memory system for the driver's seat, outside mirrors and steering wheel is also standard, along with a wireless phone charger, two USB-C ports up front and two more in back.

The NX's interior tech is another highlight and is perhaps the biggest (or at least the most obvious) change Lexus made to this crossover for 2027.

All trims come standard with a 14-inch center touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a setup that mirrors the one introduced in the ES sedan (and will appear in the upcoming TZ three-row electric crossover) and has quickly become one of our favorite systems in the luxury space for its functionality and common-sense design. For instance, the fan speed controls are anchored to the bottom of the main screen, always there when drivers need them without multiple taps to find them and without hogging the entire screen to use them (unlike the setups in current BMWs and Audis).

The rest of the menus and functions are all easy to find and use in a refreshingly straightforward way that is sadly lacking in far too many luxury brands. And yes, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is standard.

Another highlight is the set of soft-press buttons for other climate functions, integrated cleanly into the panel below the infotainment screen; nothing touch-sensitive or screen-based here. Lexus calls them Responsive Hidden Switches, and they handle temperature, defroster and defogger controls. Their cool parlor trick is that when the NX is turned off, the panel's backlighting turns off and it looks like a simple trim piece. To the left of the steering wheel, the same panel also houses the driver's memory seat buttons, and on F Sport and Luxury grades, buttons for the surround-view camera system and park-assist features.

The latest Lexus Interface software adds a new home screen that can display multiple widgets at once, large on-screen tiles for key menus, and simultaneous connection of two Bluetooth phones. Every NX also gets an integrated Drive Recorder that uses the vehicle's exterior cameras as a built-in dashcam, plus over-the-air software updates.

Connected services include voice control, Cloud Navigation and Destination Assist, a Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM with 360L, and Spotify connectivity.

Premium, Premium+, and F SPORT grades come with a 10-speaker audio system, while a 17-speaker, 1,800-watt Mark Levinson PurePlay surround-sound system is available. A digital rearview mirror is available on every grade, too.

At the time of writing, crash-test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) were not available, but there’s good reason to expect the 2027 NX to fare well. The 2026 NX 350h was an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner, and the car garnered a five-star safety rating from NHTSA.

Every 2027 NX comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 4.0, which Lexus says brings enhanced detection, broader situational awareness and expanded driver-assistance features. These include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist, which adds steering support during a driver-initiated emergency maneuver, and Intersection Turn Assist, which can warn and brake for oncoming traffic when turning left, or for pedestrians when turning right.

There’s also adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, high-beam assist and Proactive Driving Assist, which provides gentle braking or steering in certain conditions, such as maintaining distance from the vehicle ahead.

Beyond that suite, every NX gets blind-spot monitors, front and rear cross-traffic alert, a driver monitor, parking assist, rear pedestrian detection, and lane-change and trailering-assist features.

Lexus will release NX pricing closer to its on-sale date, which is expected by the end of the year. That said, don’t bank on a dramatic price increase over the current models. The 2026 NX 350h started at $47,420, including a $1,395 destination fee, for the base AWD version.

Even if the 350h gets a bit more expensive, it would still have an advantage over its European competitors, all of which start at thousands of dollars more. The tradeoff comes down to whether shoppers prefer the value, execution, and amenities of the NX over the larger proportions, robust build quality, and brand recognition of its Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Volvo rivals.

At the pump, Lexus estimates the FWD NX 350h will get 44 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 40 mpg combined. AWD versions are estimated at 42/34/38 mpg city/highway/combined, and the F Sport at 41/34/38 mpg.

The plug-in NX 450h+ is estimated to return 39 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined when running as a hybrid (38/34/36 mpg city/highway/combined for the F Sport), but its bigger draw is the Lexus-estimated 45 miles of all-electric range. That's up from the 2026 NX plug-in hybrid’s EPA-estimated 37 miles, thanks to a revised battery with 8% more capacity and output and the new hybrid system.