2024 Lexus NX 350h AWD Review: Hybrid SUV Proves There's More To Life Than MPG

As the automotive world hurtles toward electrification, it's easy to forget that not every driver is set up to make the leap toward a full EV quite yet. The good news is that — depending on your budget, priorities, and access to a charger — there are still options that trim your gas consumption without demanding a hair-shirt driving experience along the way. Take, by way of example, the 2024 Lexus NX 350h AWD.

Effectively at the midpoint of the automaker's NX line-up, the NX 350h is a mild hybrid. Flanked on one side by its gas-only crossover siblings and on the other by more powerful (and more expensive) plug-in hybrid versions, it's a more premium argument of the sort we've long heard about Toyota's Prius. Take the familiarity of an internal combustion vehicle, add an electric drivetrain component that doesn't involve external charging, and watch your miles per gallon rise with the judicious blending of the two.

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Saving at the pump isn't a hybrid's only advantage, of course. Electrification brings a change in driving dynamics, too, even if mild-hybrids aren't quite as night-and-day a difference as purely electric vehicles tend to be. The big question, then, is whether the NX is worth the premium and whether the experience from behind the wheel lives up to Lexus' luxury billing.

Even with Lexus' gaping grille, the NX arguably looks like the most "normal" of the automaker's SUVs these days. The recent RX refresh feels a little snout-forward to be entirely elegant, while the three-row TX and new GX overwhelm with their scale. And, where the UX has hints of the hatchback about it, the NX possesses a sort of curvaceous elegance that Lexus' bold lighting emphasizes nicely.

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No surprise, then, that it was the company's second-best selling model in the U.S. last year, with the RX securing the top spot. Lexus even offers some bright colors, a novelty among luxury cars that still seem to cling desperately — and conservatively — to white, silver, and black as the only options. The NX looks bold in Grecian Water blue or Redline red, and while Nori Green Pearl is an acquired taste, there's no denying it stands out.

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The 18-inch alloy wheels are standard on the lower trims in a dark gray and machined finish, with 20-inch versions optional. Lexus' F Sport and plug-in hybrid versions of the NX get 20-inch wheels as standard, with a couple of different designs.

Lexus has four flavors of engine for the NX, all boasting all-wheel drive, and half of which are electrified in some way. The NX 250 and NX 350 rely on gasoline alone, the former with a 2.5-liter inline-four good for 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, while the latter gets a 2.4-liter turbo-four with 275 hp and 317 lb-ft. An NX 350 F-Sport Handling AWD version keeps the engine but gets a sportier tune for its adaptive variable suspension.

Almost the same price as the regular NX 350, the NX 350h swaps in a hybrid drivetrain. That combines a 2.5-liter inline-four gas engine with an electric motor for a total of 240 horsepower. The result is a little slower than the gas-only version — Lexus says the hybrid will take 7.2 seconds to do the 0-60 mph dash, compared to the non-hybrid's 6.6 seconds — but promises a significant bump in fuel economy. After all, 39 mpg on the EPA combined test cycle versus 24 mpg is not to be overlooked.

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The NX 350h has an EV mode, but it's only good for very short distances and generally low speeds. If you want actual electric range then you'll need the NX 450h+ (or the range-topping NX 450h+ F Sport Handling version, which gets the fettled adaptive suspension). It's a plug-in hybrid, good for 304 horsepower and a 6.0 second 0-60 time; it's also rated for 37 miles of electric-only driving.

Being able to drive on electric power alone is great, of course, but it assumes you have the capacity to plug your PHEV in. It also commands a price premium, and not a small one. While the NX 350h starts at $44,615 (plus $1,150 destination), that's just $250 more than the non-hybrid NX 350 and $2,410 more than the entry-level NX 250.

The cheapest plug-in hybrid NX, though, is $59,905 (plus destination), or $61,155 if you want the F Sport version. That puts you into RX territory — a bigger and more luxurious SUV, certainly — and, though it's not the fastest of the NX family, the regular hybrid feels plenty perky enough for day-to-day trips. The addition of electric zip means pickup from a standing start is more than adequate, though Lexus' soft tune to the suspension means there's little encouragement to drive too enthusiastically.

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Instead, the NX hybrid does a reasonable job of encapsulating the Lexus spirit of subtle comfort. The electronic CVT — in place of the eight-speed automatic the non-electrified versions get — slurs surreptitiously; even without the adaptive suspension of the F Sport trims, the NX 350h feels true-to-brand compliant. There's a Sport mode, but it's hard to really tell much difference beyond the graphics in the driver's instrument cluster changing.

Better, then, to lean into the NX as a diminutive vision of Lexus luxury. For the most part, it's equipped that way: NuLuxe faux leather is standard, as are dual-zone climate control and heated front seats, along with digital door latches (that you'll probably have to explain to passengers each time, as you can both press them and pull them for manual release), and various USB-A and USB-C ports for both rows. Add the $3,050 Premium Package and you'll also get ventilated front seats, a power tilt/slide moonroof, power tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, and parking assistance.

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Alternatively, the $6,140 Luxury Package nets you all that plus perforated leather seats with more power adjustment for those up-front, plus a 10-inch head-up display and bigger, 14-inch infotainment touchscreen rather than the standard 9.8-inch panel running Lexus' user-friendly software. It also throws in fancier headlamps and nicer ambient lighting inside, though not the exceedingly gratifying Mark Levinson audio system with its 17 speakers and 1,800 watts. That's a hard-to-resist $2,225 on its own or $1,020 if you're also adding the Luxury Package.

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Regardless of trim, the NX is spacious up front but feels snug in the second row. Two adults, yes, but a third would definitely be pushing it. Drop those seats down, meanwhile, and the okay-but-not-class-leading 22.7 cu-ft of trunk space expands to 46.9 cu-ft. With the $160 tow package, the NX 350h is rated for up to 2,000 pounds.

As always, a mild hybrid feels like a halfway measure, even if it's also the right step for a lot of drivers. Regardless of the presence of that EV Mode button, the NX 350h is, for the most part, a gas vehicle with electrification coming along for the ride. That's not to say its presence isn't beneficial, and there's no denying that an uptick in fuel economy and more perky urban driving dynamics are likely to be welcome for the NX's typical audience.

If you have access to a charging plug at home, though, a PHEV SUV is going to allow you to spend more time driving on electric power and save even more gas. And, frankly, the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid is a much more compelling prospect all around compared to Lexus' all-electric RZ. That EV still sadly underwhelms when it comes to range.

Just as everyone's needs vary when it comes to a vehicle, so too does their readiness for electrification. Despite aggressive automaker — and legislator — targets for all-EV fleets, it feels like we're still a long way from that being practical. One day, cars like the 2024 Lexus NX 350h AWD won't be required, but until then this capable and cohesive hybrid SUV feels like an obvious pick out of the automaker's NX line-up.