2027 Lexus NX Drops Gas-Only Engine, Goes Fully Hybrid With 40-Mile EV Range

The 2027 Lexus NX drops its gas-only engine option entirely. Every version of the compact crossover now runs on a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the plug-in variant can travel more than 40 miles on electricity alone before the gas engine ever kicks in, according to Lexus.

The change marks the biggest overhaul of the NX platform this generation, and it comes with a longer list of standard safety tech, a redesigned cabin, and a scent-and-lighting system borrowed from the brand’s flagship models. Pricing has not been announced. Lexus says it will release grade-by-grade figures closer to the on-sale date, expected by the end of 2026. For reference, the outgoing 2026 NX 350h starts at $45,470 including destination, so buyers should expect the 2027 model to land in a similar range once Lexus confirms numbers.

No More Gas-Only Engine

Lexus built the outgoing NX around a turbocharged four-cylinder base engine, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions sold alongside it. That base gas engine disappears for 2027. Buyers now choose between the NX 350h, a standard hybrid, or the NX 450h+, a plug-in hybrid with a much larger battery.

Four trims carry over both powertrains: Premium, Premium+, F SPORT, and Luxury. The hybrid’s Premium and Premium+ trims offer a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while F SPORT and Luxury come only with all-wheel drive. Every plug-in hybrid trim comes standard with all-wheel drive, paired with Lexus’s E-Four electronic system that now keeps power flowing to the rear axle in ordinary straight-line driving, not just when the front wheels lose grip.

Under the skin, Lexus redesigned the hybrid system’s e-Axle, which bundles the transaxle, motor, and power control unit into a smaller, lighter unit. New silicon carbide semiconductors in the inverter cut electrical losses. Lexus says the changes lower the car’s center of gravity and free up room the engineers used to stiffen the body instead.

A Plug-In Battery Built for Daily Commuting

The NX 450h+ gets a new lithium-ion battery with 8 percent more output and 30 percent more capacity than the outgoing pack, and Lexus estimates it will deliver more than 40 miles of electric-only range on certain grades. Official EPA range numbers will come closer to launch, but if that estimate holds, most commuters could handle a round-trip work commute without burning a drop of gas.

The plug-in hybrid also picks up DC fast charging as standard equipment across every grade, along with a powered charge port door, features that were either unavailable or limited to higher trims on the outgoing car. Lexus moved the battery cells from a lengthwise to a crosswise layout inside the floor, which the automaker says both lowers the car’s center of gravity and increases lateral body rigidity.

Lexus also retuned how the hybrid system blends battery and engine power. The updated software leans on the battery harder when accelerating, which keeps the gas engine from revving as high and, according to Lexus, produces smoother, more linear acceleration than the previous generation.

Standard Safety Tech Gets a Bigger Umbrella

Every 2027 NX comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 4.0, the brand’s latest suite of driver assistance features. It includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control that works at any speed, and lane tracing assist that helps keep the car centered.

Two features are new to the system. Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist adds extra steering torque if the driver swerves suddenly to avoid an obstacle between 25 and 50 mph, helping prevent the car from sliding into another lane. Intersection Turn Assist watches for pedestrians, cyclists, and oncoming vehicles when the driver turns left or right at a monitored intersection, and can brake automatically if the driver doesn’t react to the warning.

Lexus also made a hidden dashcam standard on every NX. The Drive Recorder uses the car’s existing exterior cameras to save video clips triggered by hard braking, collisions, or manual activation, without requiring an aftermarket camera mounted on the windshield.

Sensory Concierge Brings Scent and Mood Lighting to a Compact SUV

Luxury and F SPORT grades can be optioned with Sensory Concierge, a cabin system that coordinates lighting, audio, climate, seat temperature, and scent around three preset modes. Lexus named them Inspire, Radiance, and Revitalize, each pairing a different combination of lighting color, airflow, and music style. Owners can also select one of three fragrances on their own, independent of the mode: a citrus scent called Shinmei, a white floral scent called Seiyo, and a musk scent called Hanya.

It’s a feature borrowed from higher-priced Lexus models, and its arrival on the compact NX signals how far downmarket the brand is willing to push cabin tech that used to be reserved for flagship sedans and SUVs.

The rest of the interior gets a more conventional refresh. A 14-inch touchscreen is now standard on every grade, paired with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster mounted at the same height for an unbroken horizontal line across the dash. The steering wheel shrinks slightly, down 0.4 inches to 14.2 inches across, and Lexus widened its telescoping range after using driver positioning data to rework the default seating position.

Sharper Looks, With F SPORT Wheels and Two New Colors

Outside, Lexus swapped the NX’s chrome mirror caps and window trim for black accents across the lineup and reshaped the grille to blend the headlights and turn signals into a single dual-line lighting signature. Two exterior colors join the palette: Shaded Ivy, an ash-green tone, and Incognito, a cooler shade reserved for F SPORT models.

F SPORT trims add their own visual package: 20-inch wheels, red brake calipers, gloss black trim on the roof rails and rear spoiler, and underbody spoilers front and rear. Inside, F SPORT models get an all-black dash and contrast stitching. Two new interior colors, Abalos and the F SPORT-exclusive Radiant Red, join the existing lineup.

The NX has anchored the Lexus lineup as a steady seller for more than a decade, dating back to its 2014 launch, competing against crossovers like the Acura RDX, BMW X3, and Genesis GV70. Losing the gas-only engine option narrows the lineup, but it also means every 2027 NX buyer gets at least some electric driving capability, a shift that mirrors what Toyota and Lexus have done across much of their lineup as they push hybrid technology into cars that used to be gas-only.

Lexus has not said whether all four trims will be available at launch or whether some grades will trickle in later in the model year. The automaker says more grade details and pricing will arrive closer to the on-sale date.