Price
Winner: 2021 Lexus NX
The 2021 Lexus NX 300 starts at $37,510, which is reasonable for a luxury compact SUV. The mid-tier Sport trim carries a starting price of $39,610. The range-topping NX Luxury model starts at $43,960.
The 2021 Lexus RX 350 has an MSRP of $45,070. Like the NX, the RX is well-priced compared to classmates. The three-row RX L starts at $47,900, and the top-of-the-line RX F Sport has a starting price of $48,550.
Seat Comfort
Winner: 2021 Lexus RX
The NX seats five passengers in two rows. Both rows of seats have plush, supportive seats and adequate leg- and headroom for adults. However, if you’re planning to use the NX for long road trips, it’s best suited for four passengers. There’s enough room in the rear seats for two adults, though three children should fit fine back there for short trips.
The NX comes standard with NuLuxe synthetic leather upholstery and power-adjustable front seats. Notable upgrades include genuine leather upholstery, power-folding rear seats, and heated and ventilated front seats.
In its standard configuration, the RX has two rows and five seats. The three-row extended-wheelbase RX L seats up to seven passengers, though you can opt for second-row captain’s chairs, which reduce overall seating capacity to six.
The RX’s first two rows offer plenty of comfort and support, as well as ample room for taller people. However, the optional third row is cramped and only suitable for children.
Like the NX, this Lexus midsize crossover features synthetic leather upholstery and power-adjustable front seats. Leather seats, a power-folding second row, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row seats are available.
Cargo Space
Winner: 2021 Lexus RX
The Lexus NX has 17.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind its second-row seats. With the rear seats folded down, the space opens up to 54.6 cubic feet. These are decent numbers for a luxury compact SUV, but some rivals have greater capacity. A power liftgate and a hands-free power liftgate are available.
The Lexus RX has less cargo volume than many rivals, but a bit more than its smaller sibling. In the two-row RX, you’ll have 18.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 56.3 with the seats folded down. If you opt for the RX L, you get only 7.5 cubic feet behind the rearmost seats. Folding the third row increases the storage area to 23 cubic feet. With all the rear seats folded down, there’s 58.5 cubic feet of space. While a power liftgate comes standard, a hands-free option is available.
Interior Quality
Winner: 2021 Lexus RX
Both the NX and RX feature modern, upscale cabins with high-end materials and exemplary fit and finish. You’ll find mostly soft-touch surfaces throughout both Lexus SUVs, with attractive trim and metal accents.
With that said, the RX is a cut above the NX in terms of its overall luxuriousness, which isn’t a surprise due to its higher class. However, neither crossover is as opulent inside as German luxury rivals.
Interior Features
Winner: 2021 Lexus RX
The 2021 NX comes standard with Lexus’ Remote Touch infotainment system, which is available in the RX. It receives criticism for being distracting to operate while driving. This is because it relies on a laptop-like touchpad rather than a touch screen. However, it has crisp graphics and there are physical buttons and knobs for audio and climate controls.
The NX’s standard display is 8-inches, though a 10.3-inch widescreen display is optional. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a Wi-Fi hot spot come standard. Upgrades include navigation and 10- and 14-speaker premium audio systems.
The 2021 RX comes equipped with an intuitive and responsive 8-inch touch-screen infotainment system. Other standard features include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, voice recognition, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and a nine-speaker premium audio system. You can opt for a larger 12.3-inch touch screen, but it adds the distracting Remote Touch system mentioned above.
The RX offers several interior feature upgrades, such as navigation, two second-row USB ports, wireless device charging, a 12-speaker premium stereo, and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system.
Acceleration
Winner: Tie
The NX and RX each have just one engine option. Both come standard with front-wheel drive, though all-wheel drive is available.
The Lexus NX is equipped with a 235-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The combination provides eager acceleration, smooth shifts, and decent highway passing power.
The Lexus RX has a 295-horsepower V6 and an eight-speed automatic transmission that provides ample power for city and highway driving. Reviewers note that the transmission delivers relatively smooth shifts, though it can sometimes hunt for the right gear.
Due to these SUVs’ different sizes and weights, they’ll both scoot you to 60 mph in about seven seconds. For this reason, we declare this category a tie.
Fuel Economy
Winner: 2021 Lexus NX
According to the EPA, the 2021 Lexus NX returns an estimated 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. The F Sport model’s highway mpg drops by 1 mpg. All-wheel-drive models get the same city/highway ratings, though their combined rating drops marginally.
The most fuel-efficient 2021 Lexus RX 350 returns 20 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. Adding all-wheel drive or choosing the RX L model lowers both of these numbers by 1 mpg.
It’s important to note that while the RX takes regular gas, the NX requires premium fuel. Even though the NX wins this category for being more fuel-efficient, the EPA says it will cost you an average of $350 more per year to fuel the NX over the RX.
If fuel economy is a top priority, both the NX and RX come in fuel-efficient hybrid configurations.
Ride and Handling
Winner: Tie
Neither the NX nor the RX is going to win any agility competitions. However, they both have well-balanced ride and handling. No matter which luxury SUV you choose, you’ll enjoy a coddling ride, composed handling, and good overall stability.
The NX is easier to maneuver and park thanks to its smaller size. The RX arguably provides more confidence and comfort for family road-tripping. Choosing either SUV in its F Sport trim adds a stiffer suspension, but it doesn’t make either model as sporty as many rivals’ performance models. The NX also offers an adaptive air suspension. Similarly, you can opt for an RX with the F Sport Handling package, which adds a sport-tuned adaptive suspension, sport-tuned steering, and a Sport S+ driving mode.
Safety
Winner: 2021 Lexus NX
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2021 NX an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests. The NHTSA hasn’t given the 2021 RX an overall rating, but it earned five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the rollover test.
The IIHS hasn’t yet tested the 2021 NX, but the similar 2020 model was designated as a Top Safety Pick+. The organization named the 2020 RX a Top Safety Pick. Both Lexus SUVs come with a full suite of advanced driver-assist systems.
Despite the missing NHTSA crash test for the RX, as well as the 2021 models lacking up-to-date IIHS crash tests, the NX’s Top Safety Pick+ designation gets it the win here.
The Winner Is …
2021 Lexus RX
The 2021 Lexus NX is cheaper than the RX and equally reliable. It also earns better crash test ratings and delivers acceleration, ride, and handling that competes well with its larger sibling. Finally, the NX returns better fuel economy, but it will actually cost you more at the gas pump than the RX.
Aside from the above features, the NX trails the RX in many ways, though only slightly in some cases. The RX has a nicer cabin, more intuitive infotainment features, more passenger and cargo space, and more comfortable seats. In terms of safety and overall performance, this Lexus luxury midsize SUV nearly matches the NX.
In the end, the decision between the NX and RX comes down to your budget, priorities, and overall preferences.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Are you planning to buy or lease a Lexus NX or Lexus RX? If you’d like to do more research and compare these SUVs to the competition, visit our luxury compact and luxury midsize SUV rankings. You can also see the best current incentives on the vehicles of your choice by checking out our best new car financing deals and lease deals pages.
When you’re ready for your new luxury SUV, or any other vehicle for that matter, use our U.S. News Best Price Program to find the best prices at a dealership in your area. Shoppers who use the program to buy or lease a new vehicle save an average of over $3,000 off MSRP.
2021 Lexus RX vs 2021 Lexus NX: Worth the Upgrade?
- Price: 2021 Lexus NX
- Reliability: Tie
- Seat Comfort: 2021 Lexus RX
- Cargo Space: 2021 Lexus RX
- Interior Quality: 2021 Lexus RX
- Interior Features: 2021 Lexus RX
- Acceleration: Tie
- Fuel Economy: 2021 Lexus NX
- Ride and Handling: Tie
- Safety: 2021 Lexus NX
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Lexus RX vs. Lexus NX: Which Is Better?
The compact Lexus NX and midsize Lexus RX are similar in many ways. They’re both safe, reliable, and packed with features. In addition, they have premium cabins, comfortable seats, and well-balanced performance. However, there are some obvious distinctions between these two luxury crossovers, as well as a few minor details that set them apart.
The two-row 2021 Lexus NX was an all-new luxury compact SUV for 2015. In 2018, Lexus changed the crossover’s name from the NX 200t to the NX300. That same year, this SUV got a larger infotainment display and several standard safety features. Since then, the NX has gained standard smartphone app integration.
The luxury midsize 2021 Lexus RX is available in two- and three-row configurations. It was last redesigned for the 2016 model year, and the three-row RX L made its debut in 2018. Over the last several years, the RX has seen many updates, including an interior and exterior refresh for the 2020 model year. The refresh welcomed a standard touch-screen infotainment system and smartphone connectivity. For 2021, the RX gets more standard active safety aids, power-folding and auto-dimming outside mirrors, and available wireless device charging,
To help you make a confident buying decision, we’ve compared these luxury SUVs in 10 categories shoppers value most, including price, safety, predicted reliability, performance, technology, fuel economy, and more. Use the following information, along with your priorities, to decide which luxury crossover is the best fit for you.
We update our scores and rankings periodically as new data and expert research become available, so the scores and category winners in this article may differ from the information in our individual reviews and rankings.
Keep reading to learn which Lexus crossover SUV wins this head-to-head competition.