Lexus NX Drops Its Last Gas Engine for 2027 — and the Plug-In Gets DC Fast Charging
The turbocharged NX 350 is gone, the 450h+ gains a 23-kWh pack and DC fast charging, and every grade gets a redesigned cabin with a 14-inch screen. Pricing is still to come.
The 2027 Lexus NX arrives with two powertrains, and both of them carry a battery. The turbocharged NX 350 that anchored the gas side of the lineup is gone; what remains is the NX 350h hybrid and the NX 450h+ plug-in, which picks up a larger pack and, for the first time, DC fast charging.
Lexus confirmed the changes in a release issued Tuesday, describing the 2027 NX as "100% electrified." The move mirrors what Toyota did with the RAV4 and follows the quiet deletion of the naturally aspirated NX 250 after the 2025 model year.
A bigger battery, but still behind Mercedes
The headline number belongs to the NX 450h+. Lexus says its new lithium-ion pack holds 30% more energy and delivers 8% more output than before. The company's European arm puts the capacity at 23 kWh, up from 18, and quotes a WLTP electric range of more than 100 km (62 miles). For the U.S., Lexus is only offering a manufacturer estimate of "over 40 miles" on select grades, with official EPA figures to follow closer to launch.
That would be a modest step up from the 37 miles the current 450h+ is rated for, and it puts the NX ahead of the Volvo XC60 T8's 35-mile EPA figure. It still trails the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e, which delivers an EPA-rated 54 miles from a 23.3-kWh pack of nearly identical size, and which already offers DC fast charging. Lexus has not disclosed a peak charging rate for the NX.
The new pack also changes how the car is built. Cells now sit transversely rather than lengthwise, which Lexus says stiffens the body laterally, and the pack mounts lower to drop the center of gravity. Both hybrids get a new e-Axle that combines the transaxle, motor, and power control unit into one housing, plus silicon-carbide semiconductors in the inverter.
Lexus hasn't published U.S. output figures for either powertrain yet. In Europe the 450h+ is quoted at 307 DIN hp, up from 292, and the standard 350h receives a lighter battery derived from the one in the new ES sedan.
Four grades, no base model
The trim walk is reshuffled. The entry-level Standard grade disappears, F SPORT Handling becomes simply F SPORT, and a new Premium+ slots between Premium and Luxury. Hybrid Premium and Premium+ models come in front- or all-wheel drive; F SPORT, Luxury, and every plug-in are AWD only.
Losing the base trim will almost certainly move the starting price. The 2026 NX 350h opens at $46,570 including destination, according to Motor1, while the 450h+ starts at $59,505. Lexus says 2027 pricing will come closer to the on-sale date.
New dashboard, smaller wheel, scented cabin
The cabin is the most visible change. A 14-inch touchscreen is now standard on every grade, sitting in line with a 12.3-inch digital cluster on a redesigned, horizontally themed dash. The steering wheel shrinks by 0.4 inches to 14.2 inches and gets a wider telescoping range, and a built-in drive recorder that uses the exterior cameras is standard.
Luxury and F SPORT grades can be fitted with Sensory Concierge, which ties ambient lighting, audio, climate, seat heating, and one of three fragrances into three preset moods. The system is new to the NX.
Outside, chrome gives way to black on the mirrors and moldings, the headlamps adopt a twin-line signature, and the taillamps introduce what Lexus calls its first Double L design. Two new paints join the palette: Shaded Ivy, an ash-toned shade, and an F SPORT-only shade named Incognito. Inside, a color called Abalos that Lexus says was inspired by the dunes of Mars and an F SPORT-exclusive Radiant Red are new.
Under the skin, Lexus added a floor cross member and tunnel reinforcement, redesigned the suspension towers, and fitted new dampers to grades without adaptive suspension. It also introduced a brake-based system that trims yaw and roll during sudden lane changes. Tuning took place at the Shimoyama test center in Japan and at the Nürburgring. Lexus Safety System+ 4.0 is standard across the range.
Lexus expects the new NX to reach global markets by the end of 2026, with European sales starting in early spring 2027. U.S. pricing, EPA ratings, and an exact on-sale date are still to come.
