Hybrid SUVs are surging in popularity thanks to their efficiency and affordability compared to electric vehicles. Unlike pricey EVs that occupy a currently shrinking niche market, hybrids have become increasingly accessible as manufacturers apply their electrification technology across broader model ranges, improving economies of scale.
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid exemplifies this success, delivering practical versatility at an attainable price point. Its upscale sibling, the Lexus NX 350h, shares the RAV4’s proven mechanicals while adding premium interior and exterior refinements. Though not a volume leader in the midsize SUV segment, the NX Hybrid stands out for its exceptional build quality, efficient yet capable drivetrain, strong fuel economy, and superior safety ratings.
While neither model offers thrilling performance—a common limitation across today’s hybrid landscape—the NX 350h represents an overlooked option for buyers prioritizing reliability and refinement over excitement.
The Cheapest Lexus Hybrid With More Than 500 Miles Of Range Today
If you want a vehicle from a luxury brand that won’t burn a hold in your wallet and go the distance, this is your best bet.
First Class Luxury At A Reasonable Price – The Lexus NX Hybrid
Pricing Starts At $45,470 – About $14,000 More Than The RAV4 Hybrid
Lexus sells the NX 350h in four trim options, starting with the base derivative at $45,470. This comes standard with dual-zone climate control, NuLuxe synthetic leather upholstery, and electrically adjustable front seats with heating. The 9.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system features cloud navigation, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the brand’s in-house-developed 10-speaker premium sound system.
The $250 Cold Area Package adds a fast-response interior heater and steering wheel heating. The electronically controllable sunroof increases pricing by $1,100, the wireless smartphone charger by $75, and the tow hitch by $160, but this also requires the $400 tow hitch.
The Premium trim will have you increasing your budget to $47,395, but this adds the Black Prism interior trim, memory functions, and ventilation for the front seats. The real benefit of this trim is that it opens you up to many more optional extras, including the larger 20-inch alloy wheels for $1,310 and a $2,225 Premium Package, which includes the brand’s thematic ambient illumination, a larger 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and the 17-speaker 1,800-Watt Mark Levinson PurePlay surround sound system. You’ll have to pay an additional $900 for a 10-inch head-up display and $375 for the digital key function, which requires a Remote Connect subscription and a SmartAccess card key. The digital rearview mirror costs $200. The panoramic view monitor costs $800, and $270 for front cross-traffic alert and lane change assist.
The Luxury Trim Comes With Several Posh Appointments
The Luxury sits near the top of the range at $51,535. This adds ambient illumination, perforated leather upholstery with chevron quilting, additional adjustments for the driver’s lumbar support, black open-pore wood trimming, door courtesy lamps, an upgraded infotainment system, and a heads-up display. This trim is also the only one that has access to the electronically folding rear seats with heating for $1,030, panoramic glass roof for $500, and advanced park with remote functions for $480.
Lexus also offers a plethora of accessories for the interior and exterior, catering to various needs and wants. Standard color options for the range include:
- Nori Green Pearl
- Atomic Silver
- Caviar black
- Grecian Water Blue
- Redline
Copper Crest costs $595, and Eminent White Pearl or Cloudburst Gray costs an additional $500. Interior upholstery colors consist of black, Rioja Red, Palomino, and Macadamia.
Finally, there’s the F Sport Handling time level that includes special F Sport-specific enhancements inside an out to go with 20-inch wheels, front and rear performance dampers, and adaptive variable suspension. Entry level price for this model comes in at $53,945.
Here’s How Expensive A Fully Loaded 2025 Lexus NX Plug-In Can Get
Are all the optional packages and accessories from Lexus really worth it?
The Added Benefit Of Great Reliability
It Scored 82/100 From J.D. Power
The Lexus NX Hybrid is the most well-rounded HEV SUV that you can consider within the $50,000 price point. Even against its more expensive rivals, it’s still a better option just based on accreditation alone. It gets an 82/100 overall score from J.D. Power, consisting of an 80/100 quality and reliability and a 79/100 driving experience grade.
Where popularity is concerned, Lexus confirms that it was able to sell 18,248 individual units of the NX 350h throughout the seven months of 2025, which is a considerable figure for a premium HEV SUV, but relatively low when compared to the rest of the Toyota Group’s HEV sales performance. In July 2025 alone, Lexus confirmed to have sold 2,798 individual NX 350h examples, reflecting a 29.7-percent sales increase over the same period in 2024.
|
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
|
|
The Lexus NX 350h Produces 240 Horsepower
The NX Hybrid features the brand’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine connected to a pair of permanent-magnet synchronous motors that directly drive all four wheels via an eCVT system. This is the same drivetrain that you will find in the likes of the Toyota RAV4 Hybridand Camry ranges, which explains its considerably impressive reliability ratings.
Lexus claims that this produces a combined 240 horsepower, but fails to issue a combined torque figure. We do know that the ICE twists out 163 pound-feet, which helps it achieve a 2,000-pound towing capacity.The brand keeps things modest when it comes to performance, as the NX 350h only achieves a 7.2-second 0-60 MPH acceleration claim time and a limited 112 MPH top speed.
How Much Fuel You’ll Save In Five Years
|
City |
Highway |
CMB |
Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
41 MPG |
37 MPG |
39 MPG |
$1,550 |
Although the NX 350h is a well-rounded HEV SUV that you can consider, it doesn’t benefit from class-leading EPA fuel consumption estimates. Regardless, the agency estimates that you’ll get to save up to $750 on fuel over the course of five years, based on the average American’s fuel bills. The premium SUV brings in a 41/37/39 MPG consumption estimate on the city/highway/combined cycle and covers 556 miles on a single 14.5-gallon tank, with some help from a 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Over the course of a year, you can expect to spend $1,550 on fuel every year and spend $2.62 to drive 25 miles. A full tank of gas will cost you around $59.
10 Reliable Hybrid SUVs That You Can Buy For Under $25,000
Who knew that buying a used hybrid SUV could pull in hefty reliability as well as a new one? The bonus: they are much cheaper than new ones.
Understanding The NX 350h’s Reliable Reputation
A big reason for the NX 350h’s class-leading reliability is in the ICE’s design, and it’s something that the Japanese company has perfected thanks to decades of over-engineering. The Toyota Group applies the A25A-FXS 2.5-liter four-cylinder Dynamic Force powertrain to most of its mid-size HEV derivatives, showcasing its impressive and efficient versatility. Key features of this engine include a dual-direct-injection system as well as a port-injection EFI system to mitigate carbon build-up.
Toyota’s decision to forgo a conventional transmission and stick to a direct-drive eCVT unit further improves the car’s reliability proposition, as it lowers the number of moving parts that require routine servicing. In the event of any possible faults, Lexus covers all new NX 350h models with a 36-month or 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. However, the 60-month and 60,000-mile powertrain and 120-month and 150,000-mile battery warranties are what really translate into the brand’s confidence in its hybrid system.
Sources: JD Power, Fueleconomy.gov