2022 Lexus NX450h+ First Test Review: Why the Best NX Is the Flagship Model

Well, this isn’t what we expected. After the new 2022 Lexus NX350 and NX350h models left us wanting more, the NX450h+ bettered our expectations. Currently the only Lexus-badged plug-in hybrid available, the NX450h+ is the most technologically advanced, quickest, and at $56,635 to start, most expensive NX model on the market. After testing it on the track and in the real world, we discovered the 2022 Lexus NX450h+ is also the best NX, too.

A Prime Plug-In Play

Based on the Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid, the 2022 Lexus NX450h+ sits at the top of the expansive NX range. The Toyota is a great starting point; as with the new NX, we prefer the RAV4 Prime to the standard-engine RAV4. Both the Toyota and Lexus offer 302 hp from a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four and hybrid system. On the Lexus, all-wheel drive and an estimated 37-mile EV range are standard.  

Although off the pace of the RAV4 Prime (42 miles), the Lexus NX450h+ demolishes its luxury competition in EV range. Now that the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class have left the plug-in-hybrid party in the U.S., the Audi Q5 55 TFSI e and Volvo XC60 Recharge remain as direct targets. The 2022-model-year Audi manages 23 miles of EV range, though the more performance-oriented Volvo only ekes out 18 miles. After those EV-propelled miles are gone, these premium plug-ins automatically activate their gas engines to continue your luxury SUV adventures for another few hundred miles. The Lexus changes the game and should be top of mind for anyone who toys with the idea of a luxury SUV hybrid on EV numbers alone. Getting up to 37 miles means you’ll spend more of your commute in blissful engineless quiet before recharging.

Once you return home, charging can be completed in four and a half hours at 240V using the standard 3.3-kW onboard charger, or just two and a half hours with the available 6.6-kW quicker charger. Cargo space behind the rear seats comes to 22.7 cubic feet like the other NX models but lacks part of the deep underfloor storage found on NX250 and NX350.

Quicker Than Lexus Says, But …

That 37-mile EV range isn’t the only impressive number on the NX450h+’s spec sheet. In our testing, we beat the Lexus-estimated acceleration to 60 mph by a full half-second, hitting 60 in 5.5 seconds versus the quoted 6.0-second time. That’s quicker than the other 2022 NX models we’ve tested, but a 2021 XC60 Recharge reaches 60 in a MotorTrend-tested 5.0 seconds. We haven’t yet tested a Q5 plug-in, but Audi estimates its model to be just as quick as the Volvo. In case you wonder, the lighter-weight RAV4 Prime matches the NX450h+’s 5.5-second time to 60.

This means the NX plug-in hybrid is both the quickest NX money can buy and the slowest SUV in its tiny segment. Remember, though, that the Lexus provides a better balance of EV driving range and acceleration than the Audi and Volvo. On the road, the NX450h+ feels quick despite its as-tested 4,444-pound heft. Multiple MotorTrend editors felt the NX450h+ had better suspension tuning than the NX350 and NX350h we also drove. The NX450h+ rides with more stability than its siblings, and it feels like it is the best balanced and best damped among the 350 and 450-badged NX models.

Just don’t expect the agility of a Genesis GV70 or Alfa Romeo Stelvio. On our figure-eight course—a MotorTrend test that evaluates acceleration, braking, handling, and the transitions in between—the NX450h+’s performance doesn’t reflect the way it feels in the real world. The plug-in finished the test in 28.4 seconds at 0.57 g (average), well behind the quicker Volvo’s 26.3 seconds at 0.69 g but also behind the RAV4 Prime (27.0 seconds at 0.65 g) and the NX350h. That NX hybrid variant is nearly 400 pounds lighter than the NX450h+ and finishes the figure-eight course quicker, at 28.0 seconds at 0.59 g.

Still an NX

With the 2022 Lexus NX’s new infotainment system, the model instantly becomes more compelling. The NX’s available 14.0-inch touchscreen dominates the interior with its size and the way it’s tilted toward the driver. (A 9.8-inch screen is standard.) The new system is largely a success; it reacts quickly and, except for the steering wheel controls, is easy to use. It’s a shame we can’t say the same about the digital instrument cluster. On the bright side, the edge of the center console is covered in a soft leatherlike material that serves as a perfect knee rest for those long red lights. 

What the 2022 Lexus NX lacks inside is enough design flair. The well-built interior will either feel subtly premium or a little underwhelming, depending on what car you’re coming out of. Yes, the Digital Key feature is interesting, but that’s a functional change more than something you’ll visually appreciate as you drive down the road. With some practice, owners may appreciate the way Digital Key facilitates a slightly easier door-opening action from the inside and tolerate it from the outside.

Don’t get caught up in the fact the 2022 Lexus NX450h+ is slower than its rivals; that’s irrelevant for a luxury SUV that sprints to 60 in less than 6.0 seconds. This Lexus is quicker than most drivers will ever need it to be yet still comes standard with class-leading EV range. There’s no question the plug-in hybrid version shows off the new 2022 NX in its finest form. Despite the NX450h+’s drawbacks, this Lexus deserves serious consideration alongside the Audi and Volvo.

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