08:58 02-01-2026

IIHS awards the 2026 Lexus NX Top Safety Pick+ after safety refinements

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2026 Lexus NX its highest honor, Top Safety Pick+. Despite riding on an older platform, the compact luxury SUV still ranks among the safest in its class. Launched back in 2021, the current generation continues to match newer rivals in both passive and active safety—a reminder that careful engineering can outlast model-year hype.

IIHS reports that the NX cleared all key evaluations, including frontal and side impacts as well as the effectiveness of collision-prevention tech. At the same time, the institute pointed out nuances around rear-passenger protection. Compared with the previous model year, Lexus engineers revised the seatbelts and airbags to reduce injury risk in a frontal impact with partial overlap. It’s the kind of quiet refinement that often separates top performers from the pack.

For the U.S. market, the 2026 NX offers several powertrains. The NX 350 uses a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 275 hp and comes exclusively with all-wheel drive. The NX 350h hybrid delivers 240 hp and stands out for noticeably better efficiency, making it one of the most sensible picks in the segment. The lineup also retains the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid, capable of up to 60 km of electric-only driving.

Once again, the Lexus NX underscores that this is a model where reliability and safety take precedence over marketing theatrics.