The 2024 Lexus NX450h+ F Sport is a standout in the hybrid SUV market, offering a blend of luxury, performance, and efficiency. This model is part of Lexus’ commitment to providing environmentally friendly options without compromising on power and style. 

I last tested this car 2 years ago when it was completely restyled and came away with a positive impression, but it could have been a little sportier. So, this one has the F-Sport package, with an Active Variable Suspension system and front and rear performance dampers.  It comes with 20-inch rims wearing Bridgestone Alenza 235/50R-20s all-season tires.

Smoother Looks

The new NX has been smoothed over,  gone are the sharp creases of the old model, and in their place are more rounded lines and curves making it stand out less from the compact crossover crowd. It looks shorter even though it’s marginally longer and higher than the outgoing model.

Under The Hood

The engine is borrowed from the Toyota RAV4 Prime (the platform is shared). It uses the same 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four as in the base NX250 and the standard hybrid, the NX350h. Electric motors assist the gasoline engine and provide power to the rear wheels, providing all-wheel-drive capability.

Total output is 302 hp, Lexus doesn’t quote torque numbers, and from a standstill to sixty it takes a brisk 5.6 seconds, 0.2 behind the RAV4 Prime. With a battery pack which has 18.1-kWh of usable capacity, you get 37 miles of EV-only range. The onboard charger is rated at 6.6 kWh so it will charge in 2.5 hours with a 240 charger.  When it’s not running as an electric, the NX450h+ is a gas miser with an EPA-estimated 36 mpg overall.

Driving

Stab the go-pedal from a stop and the combination of electric motors and a gas engine provides for some zippy and fun motoring. The good news is it still keeps pulling at license-losing speeds, not that we would ever go that fast.

There are some drive modes to play with, Eco, Normal, the default mode, Sport+, and Sport S+. The latter setting dials up a slightly heavier steering effort and firms up the dampers for a more sporty attitude. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves though, this is not a hot hatch, the ride remains smooth and even though the gas engine kicks sooner you’re not going to be faster in a straight line.

It does make a small difference in the turns, the car feels more planted and there’s less understeer even if you attack a corner with vigor. The brakes are also good with none of that vagueness you often get with hybrid setups.

Since there is a button in the center console with a picture of rocks and a tree we decided that we should probably take it off-road. Pushing that button sets the drive mode to Normal and despite our best efforts to find the worst washboard road we could find the NX was always super smooth no matter the terrain.

One technical section where we like to test less-able all-wheel drive vehicles didn’t cause the NX any problems, a small amount of wheel slip was the only issue, and then it scampered up to the top. Despite the lack of hill descent control it managed the descent with ease.

Interior

The interior is very solid as you would expect from a Lexus and if you opt for the contrasting red seats it livens up the NX tremendously. The front seats are super comfortable though with full power adjustment for both driver and passenger but rear seat space is tight including legroom and headroom.

The updated infotainment has a 14″ screen angled towards the driver and is a vast leap compared to the old system which was clunky and past its best. I could use fewer slide controls though and more physical buttons, especially for the HVAC; the fan slider is especially irritating.

Lexus’ new infotainment offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates, dedicated user profiles, a virtual assistant, and cloud-based navigation.

Storage space is good, especially for a car of this size, the wireless charger is perfectly placed, and underneath is a nice bit of additional storage space for your stuff. The center console opens on each side for both passenger and driver, a neat touch, and offers adequate space inside. Big door pockets, with room for a medium-sized container and a roomy glovebox, are another plus.

The NX 450h+ allows the driver to choose from four drive modes: EV mode, AUTO EV/HEV mode, HEV mode, and Self-charge mode.

Cargo Space

The 450h+ offers a powered tailgate to reveal 22.7 cubic feet of space and 46.9 cubic feet if you fold down the seats and some limited storage under the floor where you’ll find the 110-volt charger. Some of the space you get in the NX250 and NX350 has been lost to some electric components needing a home there.

Pricing

The 450 H+ starts at $59,905 and with various options like the panoramic camera system and lane change assist, add destination and the price goes to about $64K.

Standout Safety

Lexus offers a whole suite of safety gear as standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite. The standard offering gets you full-speed adaptive cruise control that adjusts for curves in the road, lane-centering tech, automatic emergency braking, and automatic high beams.

One optional feature in my tester was slightly irritating, the Front cross-traffic alert which beeps every time you lift off the brake at an intersection when there’s cross traffic. The audible warning is loud, backed up by a red warning in the driver display and you can’t turn it off. Unfortunately, it’s bundled with an excellent surround-view monitor so you’ll have to put up with it.

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Verdict

This is a great car, it’s probably quicker than most drivers will ever need it to be, offers a very usable EV-only range, and is stupidly economical even when you have to use the gas engine. Is the F-Sport worth it, I’m not so sure since the standard 450 h+ is plenty quick enough and handles pretty well. The thing you do have to remember on either trim is to actually plug it in.

2024 Lexus NX 450h+ F-Sport Numbers

BASE PRICE: $59,905
PRICE AS TESTED: $64.395
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, AWD, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
ENGINE: DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter inline-4
ELECTRIC MOTOR: 2 Permanent-magnet electric 
COMBINED POWER: 302 hp
TRANSMISSION: Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable
0-60 MPH: 5.6 sec
CURB WEIGHT: 4,444 lb
CARGO CAPACITY: 22.7 ft³, 46.9 ft³ with seat area
FUEL ECONOMY: 36 mpg combined/city/highway and 84 mpge combined/city/highway
OUR OBSERVED: 36.1 mpg
PROS: Very quick, beautiful interior, very economical
CONS: Needs more physical buttons for HVAC