2023 Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid

Lexus, Toyota’s upscale sub-brand, is among the few luxury automakers that successfully merges technologically-advanced designs with consistently great reliability. Interiors are quiet and finished with finely-crafted materials. The engines are generally smooth and powerful. Many of its cars and SUVs are available with more fuel-efficient hybrid powertrains. Lexus continues to sell sedans, with its ES, IS, and top-shelf LS models. Most of its SUVs have done well in our testing, including the NX, RX, and TX. The brand’s first all-electric vehicle, the RZ, is a luxury version of the Toyota bZ4X EV. Lexus also sells two-door coupes and convertibles, the RC and LC. Multiple Lexus models have earned Consumer Reports’ recommendation for used cars.

The NX450h+ plug-in hybrid gets 37 miles of electric driving range and shares the 304-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with the Toyota RAV4 Prime. The PHEV builds up on the NX350h hybrid with a more robust electric drive that allows longer and more often electric power use. It's very quiet when it uses the electric drive and it transitions to gas power seamlessly. It takes three hours to charge the battery using 240-volt power. Handling is responsive though short of sporty, while the ride is firm but mostly comfortable. The hybrid's brake pedal is a bit touchy and takes some getting used to. The snazzy cabin is impeccably furnished but narrow, and outward visibility is hampered by thick roof pillars and small windows, particularly toward the rear. The touchscreen infotainment screen is straightforward. We're not fans of the electronic interior door releases, unintuitive gear selector, and low center dash vents. Several previously optional features became standard for 2025 including a power liftgate, auto rain-sensing wipers, and Lexus Intuitive Parking Assist -- a system which warns drivers of approaching objects while parking and can apply the brakes to reduce the risk of a parking collision. Lexus also added two USB type-C ports to the front console.