Lexus NX review - MPG, CO2 and running costs

While the 350h hybrid Lexus NX starts at just under £44,500, the entry-level 450h+ plug-in hybrid version costs around £5,000 more. Which option you go for really depends on your individual lifestyle and driving habits; the self-charging hybrid provides excellent overall economy at around 50mpg for front-wheel drive models, and CO2 emissions from 129g/km, neither of which are going to worry any company-car drivers.

Although more expensive to buy, the NX 450h+ PHEV should prove to be cheaper to run, and should still see fuel economy above 40mpg while running on petrol power. With regular charging, our long-term Lexus NX 450h averaged 70mpg after six-months and nearly 6,500 miles of driving. 

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Charging the 18.1kWh battery shouldn’t be an issue, because topping up using a 7kW home wallbox (from 0-100%) should take just under three hours.

The NX 450h can cover over 40 miles on all-electric power from a single charge of its battery. The battery is covered by a separate three-year, 60,000 miles warranty, which can be extended by 12 months or 10,000 miles at a time (just like the manufacturer’s warranty) up to 10 years or 100,000 miles with an annual Hybrid Health Check that comes as part of your franchised dealer servicing. You can continue to pay for an annual Hybrid Health Check beyond that point for a further 12 months of warranty cover for the hybrid system until the car is up to 15 years old.

Tax 

With CO2 levels of around 21-25g/km, the 450h plug-in hybrid will be the better choice for company car drivers because it’ll attract a much lower Benefit-in-Kind tax (BiK) rate than its cheaper sibling. The 350h with its relatively low 129g/km emissions if front-wheel drive form (135g/km with four-wheel drive) will still compare well against traditional petrol and diesel rivals.

The NX unfortunately breaches the £40,000 barrier, so will be subject to an additional surcharge on annual Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) costs, which will apply from the second time the vehicle is taxed until it is six-years old.

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Insurance groups

Insurance premiums for the NX 350h self-charging hybrid model shouldn’t be too expensive for a premium SUV, as the entry-level NX version is in group 32, while the F Sport Takumi is in group 41. In comparison, a 261bhp petrol-powered Audi Q5 in popular S line specification sits in group 38.

Moving up to the more powerful (and pricier) 450h+ plug-in hybrid inevitably brings an increase in insurance costs, from group 40 for the base car through to group 43 if you opt for either the Takumi or F Sport Takumi trim levels.

Depreciation 

Lexus models have generally enjoyed solid residual values, and the NX continues this trend. Over an average ownership period of three-years and 36,000 miles, the NX is predicted to hold onto between 53 to 63 per cent of its original list price, with the pricier 350h F Sport Takumi losing the most, and the 450h+ Premium holding on to the most. This puts the NX ahead of the Audi Q5 (45 to 51 per cent) and BMW X3 (50 to 53 per cent) over the same period.

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