Lexus has shown the next NX, and there is no dramatic reset here. It still looks like an NX, its wheelbase hasn’t changed and even the overall size is pretty close to the outgoing SUV. Most of the work has gone into the bits buyers don’t immediately see.

The big one for Europe is the NX 450h+.

Lexus is targeting more than 100 km of WLTP electric range for the plug-in hybrid. That’s a useful number rather than a token EV range added to make the spec sheet look better. A driver covering 40 or 50 km a day and charging at home could realistically do much of the weekly commute without using the petrol engine.

Performance hasn’t been sacrificed to get there. Preliminary figures put total output for the NX 450h+ at between 215 and 240 kW, depending on specification. Lexus quotes roughly six seconds for the run from 0 to 100 km/h.

There is still a regular hybrid, too. The NX 350h is listed at 140-180 kW, while a 145-kW NX 300h will also be offered in some markets.

Interestingly, Lexus hasn’t joined the race to make every new SUV noticeably bigger.

The new NX measures 4,690 mm in length, an increase of only 30 mm, and the 2,690-mm wheelbase stays exactly as before. For anyone already finding today’s premium SUVs large enough, that’s probably good news.

Changes underneath include revisions to the body and platform aimed at improving ride and handling. Inside, Lexus has cleaned up the dashboard and introduced something called Sensory Concierge. It links customizable ambient lighting with fragrance settings, which sounds slightly gimmicky on paper but fits Lexus’ usual emphasis on cabin atmosphere.

None of this turns the NX into a completely different SUV. That’s probably deliberate.

Lexus says roughly 1.9 million examples have been sold in more than 90 countries and regions since the original NX arrived in 2014. There isn’t much reason to throw away a formula working at that scale.

Instead, the interesting question is whether the longer electric range makes the 450h+ a better alternative to a full EV.

For someone able to charge overnight, 100-plus kilometers potentially covers normal weekday driving while leaving the petrol engine available for long trips. That’s a fairly different proposition from older plug-in hybrids that managed only a short commute before firing up the engine.

The new Lexus NX is due to reach global markets from late 2026.