If you told me Lexus’ NX line would enter its 2026 model year without an all-out overhaul, I’d nod along. Lexus never plays catch-up like a hyperactive kid at a playground. Instead, it methodically evolves. The 2026 NX 350 feels like exactly that: a steady, purposeful refinement rather than a reinvention.
From the outside, the NX retains its familiar posture: sleek roofline, Lexus’ intricate grille pattern, and a presence that walks the fine line between discreet and distinctive. It doesn’t scream for attention, but once you’ve seen it, you remember it. Under that sculpted sheetmetal sits a 2.4-liter turbo four producing about 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque via an 8-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive. All of this hustles this compact luxury SUV to 60 mph in a brisk-ish 6.6 seconds–respectable, though not head-snapping.
Stepping inside, the NX feels unmistakably Lexus: quiet, composed, and calculated to make long stretches of highway feel shorter than they are. Materials are rich without being overdone, and tech like the available 14-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and Mark Levinson audio give the cabin a measured dose of luxury and modernity.
But here’s the part where Lexus’ methodical nature shows its dual edge. On one hand, the NX’s hybrid variants now offer front-wheel drive options and improved trim flexibility, broadening the lineup’s appeal without wild surprises. Steering and body control aim for comfort over carve-up-the-back-roads assertiveness, and the turbo four, while willing, keeps its voice tempered beneath the sound-deadening.
Fuel economy for the NX 350 is claimed in the mid-20s mpg (around 24 mpg combined), which, in a segment increasingly dominated by hybrids and electrified options, feels perfectly serviceable.
Where the NX really earns its keep is in the holistic experience combining a smooth, confident ride, a quiet cabin, and a plethora of tech and safety systems.
Lexus hasn’t put a ring on a revolutionary new design or a headline-grabbing powerplant here. Instead, the 2026 NX 350 doubles down on what makes Lexus Lexus: quiet confidence, daily usability, and a luxury experience that favors refinement over flash.
For prospective buyers, ask yourself: Do you want a compact luxury SUV that’s measured, polished, and comfortable? Then the NX fits right in. If you crave something sharper in dynamic character? You might find more engagement elsewhere.
In typical Lexus fashion, the 2026 NX walks before it runs and in doing so, it keeps its balance, its composure, and most importantly, its identity. This NX is 100 percent a Lexus.
