Lexus NX 450h+ crowned Best Large Plug-in Car for a second year in the Carbuyer Best Car Awards

It was rated the best in 2022 and a year later the NX 450h+ luxury SUV is still the pick of the UK’s large plug-in hybrid electric cars, winning the Carbuyer Best Car Awards category for a second time.

The honour reflects how Lexus’s long-established expertise in vehicle electrification technologies delivers more efficient performance than the NX’s class rivals. Where most competitor models default to their petrol combustion engine when the limit of battery charge is reached, the Lexus switches seamlessly to operating as a “non-plug-in” full hybrid. By using the engine and regenerative braking to charge the battery, strong fuel economy and low emissions are maintained.

The award judges commented: “The Lexus NX is a great car with or without a plug, but the 450h+ raises the game with a long electric range, plus a quiet, comfortable cabin and fantastic in-car tech. Another repeat winner, the Lexus NX is our best large plug-in hybrid for 2024.”

The second generation NX, launched in 2021, was the pioneer of Lexus Next Chapter design and engineering and was the brand’s first model to offer a plug-in hybrid electric system. In the UK, the NX has been the company’s best-selling model since 2015.

The NX 450h+ is the halo model of the range. Its powertrain features a four-cylinder, 2.5-litre hybrid Atkinson cycle engine, a 134kW front electric motor, a 40kW rear electric motor, a hybrid transaxle and a lithium-ion battery with 18.1kWh capacity.

The full plug-in system, including electric motors and battery, produces a maximum 305bhp/227kW, enabling acceleration from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds. At the same time, CO₂ emissions between 21 and 25g/km* and fuel economy between 256.8 and 313.8mpg* are among the best in the car’s class.

Thanks to its powerful battery and superior efficiency, NX 450h+ also provides a generous EV all-electric range, at 42 to 46 miles* in the combined WLTP cycle, rising to 55 to 61 miles in the urban cycle,

The NX 450h+ is equipped as standard with Lexus’s intelligent E-Four electric all-wheel drive system and has a 1.5-tonne towing capacity.

*Depending on grades and equipment.; WLTP combined cycle.

ENDS