This Lexus Hybrid Is the Smart Upgrade Over a RAV4

Hybrid SUVs are quickly winning over U.S. buyers, and it’s easy to see why. With gas prices on the rise in 2025, more drivers are looking for vehicles that save fuel without sacrificing practicality.

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has struck the perfect balance, giving drivers versatility, reliability, and affordability in one package. Its mix of performance and everyday usability has made it a standout in the growing HEV market.

One particular hybrid takes that foundation and elevates it with a much more luxurious feel. It may not dominate sales charts, but its combination of quality, efficiency, and safety makes it a hidden gem for anyone prioritizing reliability in a hybrid SUV.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Lexus and other authoritative sources, including the EPA and J.D. Power.

The Lexus NX 350h Delivers Premium Comfort at a Smart Price

Starting at $46,720, Around $14,500 More Than a RAV4 Hybrid

The Lexus NX 350h comes in three trims, starting at $46,720 for the base model. Even at this level, it includes dual-zone climate control, NuLuxe synthetic leather, heated power-adjustable front seats, and a 9.8-inch touchscreen with cloud navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 10-speaker premium sound system.

Optional extras let you tailor the experience, from the $250 Cold Area Package with a fast-response heater and heated steering wheel to a $1,100 electronically controllable sunroof, $75 wireless smartphone charger, and a $160 tow hitch (which requires a $400 tow hitch prep).

Stepping up to the Premium trim at $48,645 adds Black Prism interior accents, memory and ventilated front seats, and unlocks larger options like 20-inch wheels for $1,310 or a $2,225 Premium Package with ambient lighting, a 14-inch touchscreen, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround system. Other extras include a $900 10-inch head-up display, $375 digital key (with subscription), $200 digital rearview mirror, $800 panoramic view monitor, and $270 front cross-traffic and lane-change assist.

The Luxury Trim Packs a Host of Upscale Features

The Luxury trim tops the range at $52,785 and brings a host of premium touches. Expect ambient illumination, perforated leather with chevron quilting, extra lumbar adjustments, black open-pore wood trim, door courtesy lamps, an upgraded infotainment system, and a heads-up display.

It’s also the only trim that offers electronically folding rear seats with heating for $1,030, a panoramic glass roof for $500, and advanced park with remote functions for $480. These features make it feel like a true first-class experience on wheels.

Lexus offers plenty of accessories for both interior and exterior customization, so you can tailor the vehicle to your tastes. Standard colors include:

• Nori Green Pearl
• Atomic Silver
• Caviar Black
• Grecian Water Blue
• Redline

Premium paint options like Copper Crest cost $595, while Eminent White Pearl or Cloudburst Gray add $500. Interior upholstery choices include Black, Rioja Red, Palomino, and Macadamia.

Reliability That Makes All the Difference

An 82/100 Score From J.D. Power Shows It Delivers

The Lexus NX Hybrid stands out as one of the most well-rounded HEV SUVs you can get for around $50,000. Even compared with pricier rivals, its credentials speak volumes, earning an 82/100 overall from J.D. Power—80/100 for quality and reliability, and 79/100 for the driving experience.

When it comes to popularity, Lexus moved 18,248 NX 350h units in the first seven months of 2025. While that’s strong for a premium hybrid, it’s modest compared with the broader Toyota Group’s HEV sales, though July alone saw 2,798 units sold—a nearly 30-percent jump from the same month in 2024.

240 Horsepower Gives the NX 350h Plenty of Muscle

The NX Hybrid pairs a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two permanent-magnet synchronous motors, sending power to all four wheels through an eCVT system.

This is the same tried-and-true drivetrain found in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Camry, which helps explain why the NX Hybrid scores so highly for reliability.

2025 Lexus NX Performance Specifications

Lexus says the NX 350h delivers a combined 240 horsepower, though it doesn’t provide a total torque figure. The internal combustion engine alone produces 163 pound-feet, enough to tow up to 2,000 pounds.

Performance remains modest, with a 0-60 MPH time of 7.2 seconds and a top speed limited to 112 MPH. It’s designed more for everyday practicality than track-day thrills.

The Fuel Savings You Can Expect Over Five Years

The NX 350h is a solid, well-rounded hybrid SUV, even if it doesn’t top the class in EPA fuel economy.

Still, the EPA estimates you could save up to $750 on gas over five years compared with a conventional vehicle, based on the average American’s fuel bills.

The SUV achieves 41/37/39 MPG in the city, highway, and combined cycles, and can cover 556 miles on a single 14.5-gallon tank with a little help from its 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

2025 Lexus NX 350h EPA Fuel Consumption Estimates

On average, you’ll spend about $1,550 on fuel each year, or roughly $2.62 to drive 25 miles.

What Makes the NX 350h So Dependable

A major factor behind the NX 350h’s standout reliability is its engine design, honed over decades of meticulous Japanese engineering.

The Toyota Group’s A25A-FXS 2.5-liter four-cylinder Dynamic Force powertrain appears in most of its mid-size hybrids, proving just how versatile and efficient it can be.

Key highlights include a dual-direct-injection system paired with a port-injection EFI setup, which helps keep carbon build-up in check and performance consistent.

Lexus NX 350h Standard Warranty

The NX 350h boosts reliability and keeps thermal efficiency at 41 percent thanks to a longer-stroke engine, a wider intake-to-exhaust valve angle, a high-efficiency intake port with a laser-clad valve seat, and a lofty 14.0:1 compression ratio.

Skipping a conventional transmission in favor of a direct-drive eCVT also helps, reducing the number of moving parts that need regular maintenance.

Lexus backs all-new NX 350h models with a 36-month/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, but it’s the 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain and 120-month/150,000-mile battery coverage that really shows the brand’s confidence in its hybrid system.