[TEST DRIVE] Lexus NX 450h+ reveals sporty side

Lexus’ NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid SUV shows a split personality in a drive from Seoul to Ganghwa Island in Incheon, combining calm city manners with sharper performance on open roads. It is Lexus’ first plug-in hybrid model based on the second-generation NX platform. The SUV pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors for a combined 307 horsepower and can run up to 56 kilometers on electric power alone. It reaches 100 kilometers per hour in 6.6 seconds and uses an E-Four electronic all-wheel-drive system.

The NX 450h+ has an 18.1-kilowatt-hour battery that allows up to 56 kilometers of electric-only driving.

Its combined system output is 307 horsepower from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors.

The SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.6 seconds and weighs more than 2 tons.

Switching to Sport mode sharpens throttle response, while Eco mode makes the vehicle feel more relaxed in city traffic.

Published Sep 11, 2026 3:33 pm KST

Lexus Korea's NX 450h+ SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung

For a brand long associated with quiet, effortless cruising, Lexus has built a surprisingly spirited side into its NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid SUV.

A roughly 100-kilometer round trip from Seoul to Ganghwa Island in Incheon offered a chance to experience both personalities of the mid-size SUV — its calm, efficiency-focused character in city traffic and its sharper side once the road opened up.

The NX 450h+ is Lexus’ first plug-in hybrid model based on the second-generation NX platform. It combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 185 horsepower with two electric motors for a combined system output of 307 horsepower.

On paper, those numbers suggest a fairly aggressive SUV. Behind the wheel, however, the first impression is not speed but smoothness.

Its 18.1-kilowatt-hour battery allows the NX 450h+ to travel up to 56 kilometers on electric power alone. In city traffic, switching to Eco mode made the SUV feel almost deliberately relaxed. The throttle response was gentle, while the quiet electric drivetrain took some of the strain out of frequent stop-and-go driving.

The character changed noticeably on open roads. Switching to Sport mode sharpened the throttle response and made the SUV feel considerably more alert. Pressing the accelerator deeper in electric vehicle mode brings the gasoline engine into action, but the transition is remarkably seamless — a reflection of Lexus’ long experience with hybrid powertrains.

Acceleration is brisk, with the SUV reaching 100 kilometers per hour from a standstill in 6.6 seconds. Considering its curb weight of more than 2 tons, the figure is impressive. The E-Four electronic all-wheel-drive system also sends electric power to the rear wheels, providing a reassuring sense of stability when accelerating.

On winding sections, repeated acceleration and braking did little to unsettle the body. The NX felt planted and composed through corners.

The interior of Lexus Korea's NX 450h+ SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung

Yet this is not a vehicle that abandons Lexus’ trademark refinement. It remains quieter than many rivals, although it does not attempt to isolate occupants from the road as completely as the brand’s flagship LS sedan.

Instead, the NX 450h+ strikes a different balance. At low speeds, it is calm and accommodating. When pushing the accelerator harder, however, the vehicle displays a different identity with a deeper engine note and a surprisingly athletic response that makes the SUV feel much younger than its refined exterior suggests.

雷克萨斯NX 450h+插电式混合动力SUV在从首尔到仁川江华岛的试驾中展现出截然不同的性格：既拥有城市驾驶的沉稳舒适，又能在开阔道路上展现出更加强劲的动力性能。它是雷克萨斯首款基于第二代NX平台打造的插电式混合动力车型。这款SUV搭载一台2.5升四缸汽油发动机和两台电动机，综合输出功率达307马力，纯电续航里程可达56公里。其百公里加速时间为6.6秒，并配备了E-Four电子全轮驱动系统。

NX 450h+ 配备 18.1 千瓦时电池，纯电动续航里程可达 56 公里。

该系统的综合输出功率为 307 马力，由一台 2.5 升四缸汽油发动机和两台电动机组成。

这款SUV从0加速到100公里/小时需要6.6秒，重量超过2吨。

切换到运动模式可以提高油门响应速度，而节能模式则可以让车辆在城市交通中感觉更加轻松。

发布于2026年9月11日下午3:33（韩国标准时间）

雷克萨斯韩国NX 450h+ SUV / 韩国时报 李敏亨摄

雷克萨斯一直以来都以安静、轻松的巡航体验而闻名，但如今，它在 NX 450h+ 插电式混合动力 SUV 中却展现出了令人惊讶的活力。

从首尔到仁川江华岛的往返行程大约 100 公里，让我们有机会体验这款中型 SUV 的两种性格——在城市交通中它冷静、注重效率的特点，以及一旦道路开阔后它更加犀利的一面。

NX 450h+ 是雷克萨斯首款基于第二代 NX 平台打造的插电式混合动力车型。它结合了一台 2.5 升四缸汽油发动机（输出功率 185 马力）和两台电动机，系统综合输出功率为 307 马力。

从纸面数据来看，这似乎是一款相当激进的SUV。然而，实际驾驶中，给人的第一印象并非速度，而是平顺性。

其18.1千瓦时的电池组使NX 450h+纯电续航里程可达56公里。在城市交通中，切换到Eco模式后，这辆SUV的驾驶感受几乎是刻意营造的轻松状态。油门响应柔和，而安静的电动动力系统也减轻了频繁走走停停驾驶带来的疲劳。

在开阔的道路上，车辆的特性发生了显著变化。切换到运动模式后，油门响应更加灵敏，SUV 的操控也更加敏捷。在纯电动模式下，深踩油门即可启动汽油发动机，但切换过程极其平顺——这体现了雷克萨斯在混合动力系统领域积累的丰富经验。

这款SUV加速迅猛，从静止加速到100公里/小时仅需6.6秒。考虑到其超过2吨的整备质量，这个成绩令人印象深刻。E-Four电子全轮驱动系统还能将电力输送至后轮，在加速时提供令人安心的稳定性。

在蜿蜒的路段上，反复的加速和制动并没有使车身产生明显的晃动。NX 在弯道中表现得稳健而沉稳。

雷克萨斯韩国NX 450h+ SUV内饰 / 韩国时报 李敏亨摄

然而，这并非一款放弃雷克萨斯标志性精致风格的车型。它比许多竞争对手更加安静，尽管它不像该品牌的旗舰轿车LS那样力求将车内乘客与路面完全隔绝。

NX 450h+ 则展现出截然不同的平衡感。低速行驶时，它沉稳舒适。然而，当你深踩油门时，车辆便展现出截然不同的个性：更低沉的引擎声浪和出人意料的运动响应，让这辆 SUV 感觉比其精致的外观所暗示的要年轻得多。