As consumers gravitate toward crossovers, Lexus has expanded its lineup to follow suit. The Lexus NX compact crossover, new in 2014, took the formula of the automaker’s best-selling RX and scaled it down. The even smaller UX slotted in beneath it in 2019.

The 2021 Lexus NX is near the end of its product cycle, but it still looks good and drives well. The sleek, sloping roof looks a bit like newer “Crossover Coupes,” though it limits headroom compared to some competitors.  Lexus

The NX competes with several newer vehicles such as the Acura RDX, Infiniti QX50 and Volvo XC40, but it’s still popular. The NX was still the third-best selling small luxury crossover in America in 2020 according to MotorIntelligence.

Despite its advancing age, the 2021 Lexus NX succeeds on the same virtues that made the RX a long-running best-seller in the midsize category. It’s comfortable, refined and stylish with a generous helping of safety technology.

The 2021 Lexus NX is offered in three trims across two powertrains for 2021. The non-hybrid models come in base (starting at $38,635 including destination charges), F-Sport ($40,735) and Luxury ($45,085) trims. Hybrid models are a little more expensive and offered in the Base ($41,185) and Luxury ($47,635) trims. For 2021, hybrid buyers who like the F-Sport’s look can get it on the new Hybrid F-Sport Black Line limited edition ($47,935).

The standard engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with standard front-wheel drive. The NX Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and electric motors that produce 194 system horsepower, driven through a continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive is a $1,400 addition on the regular NXs, but standard on the hybrid.

The NX feature’s Lexus’ controversial spindle grille, but its angularity works well. The mid-level F-sport trim gets various spoilers and visual add-ons that accentuate the look, and an adaptive suspension is available.  Lexus

The regular NX’s 235 horsepower provide more than ample acceleration for darting around town. Zero to 60 takes around seven seconds, which is par for the course in the NX’s class. With this engine the NX returns 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. All-wheel drive reduces mileage to 22/28/24. That puts it right between Acura’s RDX and Volvo’s XC40. The all-wheel drive version of the F-Sport, whose “performance” additions are mostly cosmetic, sacrifices 1 mpg in its highway rating.

The hybrid powertrain is less powerful, both on paper and in practice, but it’s not unbearably slow. The CVT matches well and keeps the engine from whining or droning away on the highway, and the hybrid returns 33 mpg city, 30 highway and 31 combined, near the top of the class.

Light steering and decent suspension dynamics make the NX pleasant to drive, but it’s neither the fastest nor the best canyon-carver in its class.

The NX’s interior is good looking and made of from very nice materials.  Lexus

The NX’s cabin is serene and beautiful, with premium materials that meet in clever and eye-catching ways. The front seats are on par with rivals’ and there’s plenty of legroom but the vehicle’s stylish sloping roof cuts into headroom across the board. Overall rear seating space is about average for the class, but it’s how the space is used that matters.

The shape of the back doors shape follows the roofline, which means they’re sloped in places that can make entry and egress difficult for tall people, but once they’re inside there’s a decent amount of room. The rear doors also make it difficult to load kids into car seats.

Cargo space is a similar tale. Regular NX’s have 17.7 cubic-feet of space behind the rear seats and 54.6 cubic-feet with the rear seats folded, while hybrids have about 1 cubic-foot less in each dimension. With the seats folded the NX has a good amount of cargo space compared with most of its competitors, but if you have passengers in back and need to store things behind the rear seats, it loses considerable space to more upright designs.

The NX’s slightly busy dashboard is actually pretty easy to use except for one real drag. The infotainment screen is controlled by a touchpad on the center console, seen here beneath the shifter.  Lexus

The standard 8-inch infotainment screen, a 10.3-inch unit is optional, is mounted high on the dash and uses a less-than-intuitive touchpad on the console for control. It’s difficult to adapt to after years of using touchscreens, and hard use when the vehicle is in motion. It is, however, comprehensive. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard. Unlike on some of the NX’s competitors, Navigation is optional on all models and also operates from the touchpad. The automaker’s infotainment software has become less confusing in recent years, but it’s still miles behind the competition. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can “cover it up,” providing a more intuitive interface.

The NX gets high marks in crash testing, earning five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick + rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

It also comes with a large slate of safety tech. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts are newly standard for 2021, but all NXs also come with forward pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane tracing assist, lane departure warning with steering assist, road sign assist and adaptive cruise control. Some of these features can cost quite a bit extra in competitors.

The NX is handsome, easy to live with and efficient. The low roof limits space behind the rear seats, but it’s quite capacious with them folded down, and good for a six-foot Christmas tree or plenty of bulky boxes.  Lexus

The first-generation NX is on its way out, with a new model due in 2022. But that doesn’t stop it from being a compelling and luxurious choice. Its size lands somewhat awkwardly between smaller crossovers that are essentially big hatchbacks like its smaller sibling the UX, and larger crossovers that try their best to be full-on SUVs. That’s a benefit for NX buyers, because it’s got space and utility of a larger crossover without sacrificing fuel economy.