The Best Lexus NX Is Also The Most Expensive (2026 NX 450h+ Review)

Usually, the smart money Lexus is the base hybrid. It’s efficient, comfortable, and reasonably priced. The 2026 Lexus NX 450h+ F SPORT Handling is none of those things. It is complicated, it weighs 4,500 pounds, and it costs over $65,000. But after a week of driving, I’m starting to think the smart money is wrong.

For 2026, Lexus has finally paired the plug-in hybrid powertrain with the F SPORT Handling package in Canada, adding the Adaptive Variable Suspension and performance dampers to the heaviest SUV in the lineup. The result is a car that finally feels finished—but you have to pay Porsche money to get it.

In this review, we diagnose whether the adaptive dampers can manage the mass of the 18.1 kWh battery, if the CVT ruins the "F Sport" experience, and why this might be the only NX actually worth the premium.

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