Introduced in late 2014, the NX has been one of the most popular entry- level luxury crossovers in the market. A smooth ride quality, premium build quality, long list of features and equipment, along with the trust of Leus, have been enticing enough to draw attention of the masses. When it was launched initially, it carried the NX 200t nomenclature. However, over the years it did recieve some mild updates along with a new name as well. This small SUV from Lexus, is still in its first generation and has now moved into its 2020 model year without any significant updates.
The term "NX" in its name stands for 'Nimble Crossover', at least what Lexus says. However, the name seems to be somewhat justifying for the cause. The Lexus NX 300 is based on the Toyota RAV4 and is the second smallest member of the Lexus crossover family after the UX. The smaller proportions and a balanced steering wheel make the NX quiet manueverable around city trafficks.
Apart from the plush interiors and a comfortable ride quality and a decent fuel economy, the NX 300 can indulge in some offroad battle as well along with a decent fuel economy, thanks to the Toyota DNA that it herits. However, where the 2020 Lexus NX 300 might be dissappointing is the outdated interior design and a frustrating infotainment interface. Something in which its rivals like the Jaguar F- Pace, BMW X3, and Volvo XC60 are much better at.
2020 Lexus NX 300h hybrid SUV front angle view
2020 Lexus NX 300h hybrid SUV rear angle view
Features
7.5/10
The 2020 Lexus NX Hybrid comes with a single trim known as the NX300h and is priced decently at $38,335. The features on offer are great and the features to price ratio is well calibrated. There are some exquisite luxury features that are only found on Lexus cars and the Hybrid NX300h gets a lot of it.
Trims
NX 300h
MSRP
$38,335
Features
Smart Access
Drive mode select
Dual-zone climate control
Nuluxe interior trim
Leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob
High-resolution color LCD multimedia display
Scout GPS link
Eight-speaker Lexus premium sound system
Backup camera with dynamic gridlines
Roof rails
Bluetooth technology
USB smartphone connectivity
Subscription-free traffic and weather
Siri eyes free
Eight-airbag system
Vehicle stability control
Lexus Enform safety connect
Lexus Enform service connect
Lexus Enform remote
Carpet floor mats
We Recommend
There's only one trim on offer with NX 300h. So you have just the colors to choose from.
Engine and Performance
7.5/10
“While its acceleration won't blow the doors off any stoplight challengers, the NX should offer enough power for the casual driver.” –Car and Driver
Engine and Performance
The new NH300h and the Toyota RAV4 hybrid shares the same 2.5L 2AR-FXE Direct injection with D4ST turbocharger technology and valve timing intelligence (VVT-i) technology. The inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine is paired to a 6 step E-CVT with paddle shifters. The engine alone produces 153 HP and has a combined peak power output of 194 hp at 5700 RPM and 152 Lb.-Ft of maximum torque. At the time of word go, only electric motors are powered to the front wheels with the help of Nickel hydride batteries and the engine is being shut off. As the throttle input is increased, the engine picks up speed as well along with the electric motors and starts propelling the car forward. The throttle response is very good at low engine speeds and has a pretty good amount of thrust and it is more than sufficient. But once the 4000 RPM mark is crossed, it kind of struggles to pull the vehicle.
2020 Lexus NX 300h hybrid SUV driving view
Models
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
MSRP
$35,985
$24,235
$24,595
$24,150
Engine
2.5L 4-Cylinder
2.5L 4-Cylinder
2.0L inline 4- cylinder, 16V, Turbo charged,TSI
2.4L Inline 4
Transmission
CVT Automatic
CVT Automatic
8-Speed Automatic
CVT Automatic
Power
194 hp
194 hp
184 hp
184 hp
Torque
152lb-ft
152 lb-ft
221 lb-ft
180 lb-ft
The Lexus NX300h is the least affordable car in the given competition by a huge margin. Here both the Toyota RAV4 and the Lexus NX 300H shares the same engine with a unique Atkinson cycle, which is usually found in cars with inline 5-cylinder engines compared to a conventional Otto cycle. The German rival, the Tiguan stands tall at the torque department among the competition at 221 lb.-Ft. The on-paper figures and the real-world performance talks differently though. It is very evident among all the above-mentioned cars.
Acceleration
Although being the heaviest car in the competition, it comes out as the champ in terms of quarter-mile drag race, completing the run-in at 15.3 seconds and decently performs when it comes to 0 to 60 mph run.
Models
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
0-60 MPH
8.4 sec
8.3 sec
8.5 sec
7.5 sec
Quarter mile
15.3 sec
17.0 sec
16.2 sec
15.8 sec
The Honda CR V is indeed the quickest to 60 mph from a standstill at 7.5 seconds (all thanks to its low curb weight) and is 5th of a second shy to the NX when it comes to quarter-mile drag race. The RAV4 is the slowest to complete the quarter-mile run although it is the second quickest to 60 mph from 0.
Handling and steering
The suspension setup of the new Lexus 300h is a bit on the plushier side. Combined with that, the tall boy stance, low center of gravity and the weight of the car itself lead it to wobble a bit at high speeds (as expected). The ride quality is so supple and comfortable at low speeds though. It gets an independent front and rear suspension setup and is superior in terms of gliding over rough patches. The steering feel and feedback is terrific at high speeds and weighs up well. It also eases up as you slow down the car to maneuver at city speeds.
Braking
The braking performance of Lexus NX 300h is surprisingly good. In spite of its higher weight, it came up as the winner, stopping in at 118 Feet. It has decently sized discs on all 4 wheels, which sits at 11.7 inches in the front and 11.2 inches at the front.
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
Brake Front(in)
11.7
11.6
13.4
11.1
Brake Rear (in)
11.2
11.1
11.8
10.2
Curb weight(lbs)
4180
3925
3777
3307
60-0 MPH (ft.)
118
119
134
129
The Toyota RAV4 catches up right behind the NX at 119 feet. Strangely the Volkswagen Tiguan S even though having the biggest disc diameter and weighing less than the two Japanese siblings came in at the last place at 134 feet. The same story goes with Honda CR V LX as well and stops at 129 feet.
Fuel Economy
8.4/10
The 2020 Lexus NX300h, of course, has a hybrid powertrain and does decently well in the fuel economy side. Because of the fact that only the electric motors run the car at low speeds, the MPGs are higher at 33 MPG in the city and as the vehicle needs more power on highways, the engine kicks in and the MPG number drops to 30.
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
MPG (city)
33
34
22
26
MPG (highway)
30
30
27
32
MPG (combined)
31
32
24
28
Both the RAV4 and NX300H are almost neck and neck. The Tiguan comes last in city MPG rating and doesn’t shine at highway as well compared to the 2018 NX Hybrid. The CR V LX being the lightest, is the most efficient on highways.
Interior
6.5/10
“The NX's high-quality, ever fashionable interior is a retreat, and its front seats are among the most comfortable.” –Car and Driver
Seating and Comfort
The Lexus NX Hybrid is a 5-seater crossover with 71.6 cubic feet of passenger volume feet because of the fact that it is shorter. The front and rear headroom is about 38.2 inches and 38.1 inches respectively ad impressive front legroom of 42.8 inches.
2020 Lexus NX 300h hybrid SUV cockpit area
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
Passenger capacity
5
5
7
5
Passenger Volume (ft cube)
71.6
100.7
123.9
105.9
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg)
(In.)
38.2/57.3/42.8
39.8/57.3/42.6
39.6/57.0/40.2
40.1/57.9/41.3
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg)
(In.)
38.1/55.3/36.1
38.9/55.4/37.2
39.1/55.9/36.5
39.2/55.6/40.6
Third (Head/Shoulder/Leg)
(In.)
N/A
N/A
33.8/47.8/27.9
N/A
On paper at least, the LX 300H is the one with the least amount of overall usable passenger volume, which eats up the volume inside the cabin a bit. The legroom, headroom and shoulder room are comparable to the rivals when it comes to real-world though. Yet the cabin doesn’t feel claustrophobic. The Tiguan being a genuine 7-seater offers the most amount of passenger volume at about 124 cubic feet. The legroom for second-row seats is long at 40.6 inches for the CR V-LX, which is almost four inches more than the 2018 Lexus NX Hybrid.
Interior Features
Drive mode select.
Black leather with Shimamoto wood inlays.
Dual-zone climate control.
Nuluxe interior trim.
Driver seat and steering memory adjustment functionality.
The leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob.
High-resolution color 8-inch LCD multimedia display.
Heads up display.
Q/wireless charging.
14 speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system.
Backup camera with dynamic gridlines.
Roof rails.
Illuminated scuff plates.
Bluetooth technology.
Heated steering wheel.
Subscription-free traffic and weather.
Siri eyes-free.
Eight-airbag system.
Blindspot management and towing support.
Infotainment display features
The 2020 Lexus NX Hybrid is equipped with a 7-inch VGA screen and has some interesting infotainment features which actually can’t be found on Toyota cars like the controls for Air conditioning system, an Enhanced GPS system for better accuracy, etc. The features include:
DAB/AM/FM radio
Scout GPS Link with the Lexus touchpad navigation system.
Equalizer presets and settings for the audio.
Controls for media input and USB smartphone connectivity.
E-store for downloadable apps.
Info option shows real-time power distribution of the car’s powertrain, trip history and other info regarding the battery status, optimal usage, etc.
In-display controls for driver side AC and dual-zone climate control along with seat heating and ventilation.
Cargo Volume
The cargo volume for the Lexus NX Hybrid is 17.7 cubic feet when the second-row seats are up It offers 54.6 cubic feet behind the first-row seats when the second-row seats are down.
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
Behind 3nd Row(ft.cube)
N/A
N/A
12.0
N/A
Behind 2nd row (ft.cube)
17.7
35.6
33.0
39.0
Behind 1st Row(ft.cube)
54.6
70.6
65.7
76.0
As can be seen from the table, the 2018 Lexus NX 300H has the lowest cargo volume of 17.7 cubic feet when the second-row seats are not folded and will increase to 54.6 cubic feet when it is lowered. The Honda CRV-LX has the highest cargo space at 39 cubic feet and increases to 76 cubic feet, which is the highest among the rivals.
Towing Capacity
The 2020 Lexus NX Hybrid has the towing capacity of 1500 lbs., which is not too much but sufficient to pull some decent weight of about three superbikes with a trolley to their home, i.e., the race track. Although the 2018 Lexus NX 300h being a hybrid AWD crossover, sadly the towing capacity is on the lesser side of the spectrum, thanks to the lesser torque on offer.
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
Capacity (lbs)
1500
1700
2200
1500
Drive Train
AWD
AWD
FWD
AWD
Power Train
2.5L
2.5L
2.0L
2.4L
The Volkswagen Tiguan has the highest towing capacity of 2200 lbs, again thanks to its higher torque output. The CR V-LX and the 2018 Lexus NX Hybrid shares the same capacity of 1500 lbs. The RAV4, however, has a bit more torque going to the wheels to tow 200 lbs. more than the Lexus NX Hybrid.
“The 2020 Lexus NX is extroverted outside, comfortable inside, and more familiar by the year.” –The Car Connection
Design and Dimension
The Lexus Hybrid is the widest at 73.6 inches and the shortest has the lowest ground clearance (Helps it to handle well). The headroom on paper might seem less but the roof is scooped out for better headroom. The wheelbase is proportionate to the other dimensions and stands at about 105 inches.
2020 Lexus NX 300h hybrid SUV
Model
Lexus NX 300 Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Honda CR V-LX
curb weight(lbs)
4180
3925
3777
3307
Length(in)
182.6
183.5
185.1
180.6
Width(in)
73.6
72.6
72.4
73.0
Height(in)
64.8
67.1
66.3
66.1
Ground clearance(in)
6.7
7.0
7.9
8.2
Wheelbase(in)
104.7
104.7
109.8
104.7
Track width(in) F/R
62.2/62.2
61.8/61.8
62.2/61.8
63.0/63.7
The NX300h is the widest among the competition and that translates directly into the wider cabin space inside. It is also the car with the lowest height and least ground clearance of 64.8 and 6.7 inches respectively. It might be cumbersome for off-road duties but it offers better stability than its rivals at high speeds but the Tiguan is on a different level though.
Exterior Features
Automatic Tri-projector beam headlamps with the automatic level adjuster by sensing the vehicle’s weight
The 2020 Lexus NX 300h is packed with all sorts of safety goodies like Lexus Enform w/Safety system, which is exclusive to premium Lexus cars only which includes stolen car locator, Emergency assistance button (SOS), 24 Hour roadside assistance and automatic pre-collision notification. Other safety features include:
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ABS and Driveline Traction Control
Side Impact Beams
Dual Stage Driver and Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
Forward Collision
Lane Keep Assist Lane Keeping Assist
Lane Keep Assist Lane Departure Warning
Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
Dual Stage Driver and Passenger Front Airbags
Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
Airbag Occupancy Sensor
Driver Knee Airbag and Passenger Cushion Front Airbag
Rear Child Safety Locks
Outboard Front Lap and Shoulder Safety Belts
Back-Up Camera
Competition
9.0/10
Lexus NX 300h vs Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
This Japanese car shares the same internals as that of the Lexus NX300h and comes with fewer features and lower price tag. The design is quite different though. Nonetheless, it’s a solid performer overall and almost everything you need is present.
Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid
Lexus NX 300h vs Volkswagen Tiguan S
The Volkswagen Tiguan S is the only German competitor here in this group and is the bigger sibling of a regular Tiguan. The highlight though is its 2.0L TSI motor from the house of Volkswagen and to be honest it’s a gem. Very responsive to throttle inputs and great tractability but suffers from less fuel economy figures among the lot here.
Volkswagen Tiguan S
Lexus NX 300h vs Honda CR-V LX
The Honda brand is another giant when it comes to Automobile industry I.C Engine production capacity of the world. With its CR V-LX, they are just able to tick most of the right boxes when it comes to this car. It is indeed feature-loaded and the engine is very refined. The looks could have been better to few but it’s a personal choice.
Honda CR-V LX
The Tiguan S is, of course, the most spacious and is the only 7-seater and the FWD vehicle over here and shines in its engine department The RAV4 is like a twin brother for the Lexus NX300H with lower price tag and the Honda CR V-LX is a bit different and unique in the segment.
Final Verdict
The Lexus NX 300h is a very luxurious, safe and feature-loaded car. Anyone getting this car wouldn’t be disappointed with the price that they pay. The engine, however, is tuned to deliver good drivability and great fuel economy in a city and it’s not a bad thing either. The engine is decently powerful. But if you are someone looking for a crossover with a very powerful engine, you need to look away. However, this “Nimble Crossover” is for the bold people who want to show the society that had a bit of success in their life and is naturally cautious.
Features
Trim: Luxury 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
Luxury 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
