2025 Lexus NX/NX PHEV
Best Safety Value: $45,895 (250 + Options)
Base Price: $41,765 | Expert Rating: 4.5
Combined Fuel Economy: 28 mpg (gas)/84 MPGe, 37 miles of electric-only range (PHEV)
Even the entry-level NX 250 provides all the safety features and advanced technologies available for the Lexus NX. That’s regardless of the trim level. NHTSA still hasn’t issued a safety rating for the NX. However, IIHS awarded the Lexus NX, NX 350h, and NX 450h+ the TSP+ rating (the PHEV is a TSP). The 250 is the only NX with standard front-wheel drive (FWD). All-wheel drive is a $1,600 option. The rest have AWD as standard. Among our sought-after safety features, the 250 provides auto on/off LED headlights, eight airbags, and heated outboard mirrors with integrated turn signals. An auto-dimming rearview mirror and rain-sensing wipers are standard, as well.
Leading off the advanced safety technologies are adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning with steering assist, traffic sign recognition, safe exit assist, and front/rear park assist with automatic braking. We’d pick up the surround-view camera ($800) and digital rear camera mirror ($200) from the options list. Both require additional packages that bring the total price to $45,895. If the 2024 Lexus NX is still on sale in your area, which is the model year IIHS tested, the NX 250 with the packages that include a digital rearview mirror and panoramic view monitor costs $47,030. We have every reason to believe that the 2025 NX will also earn a TSP+ rating.
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2024 Lexus RX
Best Safety Value: $49,950 (RX 350)
Base Price: $49,950 | Expert Rating: 4.7
Combined Fuel Economy: 25 mpg
America’s most popular luxury model for more than a decade, the Lexus RX, is a blend of elegance, comfort, and safety. The IIHS thinks highly enough of the RX to name it a 2024 TSP. Lexus also offers it with a hybrid powertrain. Providing many of our recommended safety features, the entry-level RX 350 is available with FWD or AWD. The standard features include auto on/off bi-LED headlights, high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, and heated outboard mirrors with integrated turn signals. The driver-side outboard mirror is also auto-dimming.
Other standard features are safe exit assist, adaptive cruise control with curve speed management, and junction-turning assist. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning with steering assist, lane-keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition are also included. Stepping up a notch to the Premium gains you front/rear park assist. Our recommendation is to stick with the RX 350.
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2024 Lexus RZ
Best Safety Value: $56,805 (300e Premium + Technology Package)
Base Price: $55,150 | Expert Rating: 4.1
Combined Fuel Economy: 125 MPGe
A luxury compact, fully electric SUV, the Lexus RZ is a 2024 IIHS TSP. In its entry-level 300e Premium front-wheel-drive guise, it’s capable of traveling up to a maximum of 266 miles on a full charge. Lexus also offers the RZ as the AWD 450e. Every RZ provides LED headlights, high-beam assist, and rain-sensing wipers. Among the advanced safety technologies are a surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, junction-turning assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, and traffic sign recognition. Emergency Driving Stop is a system that monitors the driver and can bring the vehicle to a complete stop if it detects that the driver is incapacitated.
The Technology Package adds a head-up display and Advanced Park, which can parallel or perpendicularly park the car. At $1,655, it seems like a bargain. So, we recommend the 300e Premium with the Technology Package.
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2025 Lexus UX
Best Safety Value: $37,490 (300h)
Base Price: $37,490 | Expert Rating: 4.4
Combined Fuel Economy: 43 mpg
As the brand’s entry-level SUV, the UX is available only as a hybrid. Therefore, following the Lexus model designation protocol, the names of all of the trim levels contain an “h.” For example, the entry-level trim is the UX 300h. The Lexus UX provides a standard array of our highly sought-after safety features. Among them are auto on/off LED headlights, high-beam assist, heated outboard mirrors, and 10 airbags. The safety tech includes lane-centering assist, lane departure assist with steering assist, all-speed adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition.
Opting for the Premium trim adds a windshield wiper de-icer, rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and front/rear park assist (Intuitive Parking Assist). We’d stay with the base 300h. And, maybe add the available all-wheel drive if we lived in a colder climate. While the 2024 model is the one the IIHS tested, with a starting price of $36,690, we anticipate the 2025 UX will also earn the same Top Safety Pick award.
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