This redesigned Lexus plug-in hybrid now gets 71 km of all-EV range - Toronto Star
The 2027 Lexus NX 450h+ packs comfort, efficiency and great tech into a very attractive package.
For 2027, the NX450h+ gets new headlights, taillights, wheels and two new colours including Shaded Ivy.
ELORA, Ont. — As I steer through the wonderfully charming town of Elora, Ont. — through the gates of the Elora Mill resort, along West Mill Street and up to the Metcalfe Street main drag, currently dotted with a number of surprisingly sinister Halloween decorations that provide a sharp contrast with the ice cream parlours, boutique hotels and stationery stores that line the drive — it doesn’t take long to realize that the redesigned Lexus NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid (PHEV) compact CUV has many arrows in its quiver.
Styling? With a new headlight treatment, dark-coloured 20-inch wheels, new Shaded Ivy paint job and full-width tail light whose ends look like hockey sticks, I put a big check mark beside that criteria.
Double L tail lamps are a new Lexus signature.
Interior fit and finish? Well, this being a Lexus, it benefits from the drum-tight build quality for which the brand has become so well known. There’s very little noise intrusion from outside, and less squeaks and rattles from inside. The materials used are top-grade, especially in my Executive-spec tester (pricing has yet to be announced, but this one will sit near the top of the NX’s six-trim lineup), which adds real leather seats that come heated and cooled up front and heated in the rear. There’s also real wood trim and brushed aluminum-look panels. Add a standard full-length power moonroof as well as adjustable ambient lighting (plus a choice of three interior fragrances, believe it or not) and the NX’s cockpit is a fine place to spend a drive of any length.
Digital gauge cluster is standard.
Like the exterior, the interior design has also received some tweaks for ’27, including a new, smaller diameter steering wheel, lower-rise digital instrument panel and 14-inch infotainment display as well as a toggle-style gear selector. It all comes as part of an effort to provide a cleaner, clutter-free dash and cabin.
Standard full-length panoramic sunroof adds welcome airiness to the cabin.
Those efforts to declutter the situation continue with the tech. A number of the “buttons” — quotation marks because they are less buttons, more haptic feedback touchpads — only alight when occupants move their hands towards them. The climate controls are located just below the infotainment display, but you wouldn’t know it because other than the defrost controls, they only present themselves once you reach for them. Same goes for the cruise control and electronic driver aid buttons on the steering wheel spokes; only a thing when you want them to be. Not only does this clean things up on the dash, but it means there are less distracting interior lights when driving at night.
The steering wheel spoke thing I see as less necessary — added to which, it looks a little unfinished when the lights aren’t on — but I get what they were trying to do.
Interior gets new steering wheel, toggle-style gear selector and hidden climate control buttons.
My tester also gets a 17-speaker, 1,800-watt Mark Levinson audio system that really thumps. Not sure if a car of this size needs 17 speakers (10 come as standard), but it’s cool to have nevertheless and comes as standard on the Executive trim. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also here. There are three front USB-C ports, but I couldn’t get any of them to activate the apps. I like a plug-in system — it charges devices more quickly and they don’t heat up as much — but the existence of a wireless charge pad does at least make it so you don’t have to plug in to charge. The central display gets a new homescreen and the system responds more quickly to “Hey, Lexus” voice inputs; these can be used to tell the car to do everything from changing the climate control temperature to guiding you to the nearest gas station.
NACS charge port means fast charging to the tune of 10-80% in 35 minutes.
Great features, cool tech, cool looks — we’re off to a good start.
The sheen comes off just a little bit when it comes to interior space.
Compact crossover or no, I was a little surprised by just how compact it felt, especially when it came to back seat headroom. Now, this is a somewhat less important metric in the compact CUV world than in the large SUV or minivan world, but it did give me some pause. The front seat is fine, save for a slightly narrow footwell and the Executive model gets the softer of two seating options. The more performance-oriented F Sport version gets seats with higher side bolsters that aren’t as comfortable.
Cargo-wise, the NX gets a small boost. It’s similarly sized to what it was previously, but thanks to the repositioning of the 12V battery, there’s an additional 26 litres of storage below the trunk floor. You can fit all manner of wet or dirty items in there, which is a boon for families.
Even though the 450h+ has a large EV battery, cargo space equals that of more traditional hybrid model.
The fuel-efficient hybrid engine is a boon for everyone, especially if they are able to plug the NX 450h+ in every night. For 2027, Lexus has increased all-EV range to 71 km. Then, once the EV range is depleted, drivers can use the 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine to take them to the next charge spot (the NX is compatible with the Tesla supercharger network) or use it to charge the battery.
The 450h+ makes 324 horsepower, which is more than the NX 350h hybrid that’s also been redesigned for ’27 (quick side note: the 350h is built in Cambridge, ON; each 450h+ starts life in Japan). It’s quick off the line while providing great ride and handling thanks to a stiffer body structure. Lexus has also added a second damper within the main dampers to reduce road vibrations, making for an even smoother ride. Standard AWD makes for predictable handling while providing an added level of confidence when it comes to navigating more adverse conditions.
But what about navigating Canadians’ everyday lives? Well, I have little trouble saying that — so long as you’re of average height, which I am not — there’s very little to complain about here, and lots to like. Great tech, great efficiency, a comfortable ride and the knowledge that gas prices will have significantly less of an impact on household budgets thanks to all that EV range make for a very attractive package.
