2024 Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport Handling Review: A Practical Plug-In Hybrid

Plug-in hybrids offer a practical middle ground for those who are looking to venture toward the electrified automotive world, a stepping stone between the world of standard hybrid vehicles and their fuel economy benefits, and an all-out battery electric vehicle. In general, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S. leaves a lot to be desired, and not everyone has the option of charging at home. However, advancements in battery technology mean that plug-in hybrid vehicles are now reaching the range of early bonafide electric vehicles before the gas engine even comes into play. A capable example of this particular phenomenon comes in the form of the 2024 Lexus NX 450h+.

Lexus provided us with this NX 450h+ F Sport Handling for a week to get a first-hand experience with its capabilities. It sports a solid power output, a comfortable ride, and an impressive advertised battery-only range of 37 miles. For many, that's more than enough for their daily A to B commute. That ultimately begs the question: how does it do when it comes to real-world testing?

Throughout my stint behind the wheel of the NX, I did plenty of running around town and using it for errands like groceries, general outings, etc. In addition, I took it on a 300-mile round-trip road trip, with average speeds between 70 and 80 miles per hour. Regardless of urban or highway driving, the dashboard displayed showed an average fuel economy rating of 45.4 miles per gallon. That is, of course, taking into account the use of the hybrid battery system.

Where I live, there isn't an abundance of electric vehicle charging opportunities. However, I did luck out by stumbling upon a few shopping centers that offer free charging via either Volta or ChargePoint, which allowed me to charge the vehicle's plug-in hybrid battery completely a handful of times. Even with plenty of driving done with an empty battery — utilizing only the standard hybrid vehicle driving mode — to see north of 45 miles per gallon average at the end of my driving experience was nothing short of impressive.

From a 100% charge, I left the station in full EV mode and managed to eclipse 30 miles without using the engine through traffic lights, school zones, stop-and-go traffic, and so on. With a full battery on the interstate, I cruised over 50 miles without the engine. That said, a lot of it was downhill and can be accredited to regenerative braking.

As one might expect from Lexus, the ride quality is smooth and satisfactory. The adaptive variable suspension offers can be soft enough for easier off-road driving, or tighten up for sportier situations. Sure, a compact Lexus SUV doesn't immediately come to mind if you're thinking about tearing up some canyon roads. However, the NX 450h+ F Sport Handling holds its own through the corners in sport mode. Its combined 308 horsepower output provides plenty of punch for pulling swiftly out of corners, and it's all-wheel-drive. Together, those features did combine for a bit more spirited driving than I might have initially expected.

Let's be honest, though; even those who buy the F Sport model aren't likely to use it for any high-performance situations. The Lexus NX is well-suited for the day-to-day use of a small family, and it's quite good at that. The plush front captain's chairs offer automated climate control to switch between heating and ventilation dependent on the atmospheric conditions inside the car, much like standard automatic climate control would. The rear seats offer a passable amount of legroom, even for adults of a bit larger stature. It's certainly not what one might consider an extraordinary amount of rear-seat room, but you won't need a shoehorn to get adults in there, either.

Ultimately, the NX 450h+ offers exactly what you'd expect out of a compact luxury SUV. That's a comfortable and feature-laden interior experience.

The F-Sport Handling model comes with a 14-inch touchscreen display with three years of included Drive Connect cloud navigation. The screen itself is satisfactory in its responsiveness and user-friendliness. In addition, it offers both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Other luxury amenities come in the form of an optional wireless phone charger, a 10-inch head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, and a 10-speaker premium sound system.

The NX is as loaded with technology features as one would expect from a modern luxury car. That's all well and good, but it also happens to be one of its biggest downfalls. Particularly the controls on the steering wheel, where each side of the wheel is a directional pad that has both tactile buttons and is alsp touch-sensitive. Touching the d-pad — but not pressing it fully — presents drivers with a menu displaying what each button does; from there, you select the option you need (i.e., changing songs, scrolling through cluster displays for fuel economy, navigation, etc.). 

It can be finicky, and requires you to press the desired button twice in most cases, even if you know what you're after. In addition, the myriad of options that appear when one of them is touched is genuinely quite distracting.

While the base model NX 250 has a modest starting price of $41,765, climbing to the top of the food chain with the NX 450h+ F Sport Handling comes with a substantial jump in sticker. It starts at $63,380; fully loaded with options and accessories, you'll be well north of $66,000 in no time. Opting for the plug-in hybrid option without the F Sport package still has a starting MSRP of $62,290.

While that may not immediately seem "reasonably affordable," it does align reasonably well with competitors like the 2024 Audi Q5 e and the 2024 Volvo XC60 Recharge. The Lexus does edge out the competition in terms of battery-only range, though. It handily surpasses the Audi's 23-mile battery-only range and narrowly outdoes the XC60's 35-mile range. 

It is worth mentioning, of course, that both the Q5 e and XC60 Recharge offer the plug-in hybrid option across all trim levels, meaning their base prices come in at $58,500 and $57,900, respectively. So, opting for one of those models at a lower trim level does offer similar sizing and plug-in-hybrid functionality at a slightly lower cost of entry. Lexus, in contrast, bridges its ICE-only and PHEV versions of the NX with a mild-hybrid version.

Overall, driving the 2024 Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport Handling Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (say that five times fast) is a largely tranquil and borderline mundane experience. That said, that's pretty much exactly what you'd expect out of a family-friendly small SUV, built with a primary focus on fuel savings. If you're looking for a daily driver with a decent amount of cargo space, phenomenal fuel efficiency, and a solid battery-only range without sacrificing the opportunity to reserve a sliver of performance and luxury feel, the NX 450h+ F Sport is a solid option.

From day-to-day errands to the family trip into the mountains, the NX is ready to handle it all. Its all-wheel-drive system and 2,000-pound towing capacity offer enough capability for most folks' outdoor adventures. It can easily tow a small boat, camper trailer, or a couple of ATVs or motorcycles. Overall, the NX is designed to be a practical and efficient luxury SUV, and it does exactly that at a more-than-acceptable level.