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Lexus has recently given the NX a redesign for the 2022 model year, and car critics have finally weighed in on how the redesigned NX stacks up. Overall, the 2022 Lexus NX is a much better luxury SUV than the older model years were, and it even earned a recommendation from car critics. Despite being a better car overall, the 2022 Lexus NX still comes with its share of issues, and here’s a look at five of them.  

1. Annoying to use and find electronic door releases

A 2022 Lexus NX parked in front of a pink backdrop with a tree silhouette.
2022 Lexus NX | Getty Images

According to Kelley Blue Book one of the big problems with the NX has to do with its electronic door releases. On the outside, there’s a button behind the door handle that opens the door, and there’s a slight and mildly annoying delay between pressing the button and when you can open the door. Often, if the NX decides its unsafe to open a door, you’ll have to wait an annoying three seconds.

The interior electronic door releases can also be hard to find at night. These issues are annoying, and owners will eventually get used to them. However, they can still be problematic for anyone who gets into the Lexus SUV for the first time.

2. Visibility problems due to small windows in the Lexus NX

Another big issue with the NX has to do with its visibility. In this regard, frontal visibility is fine, but rear and side visibility are not fine due to how the SUV was designed. This mostly has to do with the small windows that Lexus gave the NX. There are also thick roof pillars that create blind spots regarding rearview visibility. Luckilly, Lexus added blind spot monitoring to the NX that will alert you if there are any cars lurking behind you.

3. A difficult-to-use gear selector

The NX has a noon-intuitive gear selector. One of our big clues to this is the absurd number of YouTube videos, like the one above, that aim to teach drivers how to use it. In most cars and SUVs, it’s a simple PRND affair, but not in the NX. It’s not very intuitive to use, and it’s easy for drivers to mistakenly end up in neutral when they’re shifting gears from reverse to drive. On top of that, drivers who want to shift to park will need to press the “P” button, and this isn’t immediately made clear based on the gear selector’s diagram. 

4. Long stopping distance for the hybrid Lexus NX models

One of the Lexus SUV’s most significant issues is its brakes. That said, this is only true for the hybrid options of the luxury SUV. The gas-powered options outperform the hybrids in this regard, which is backed up by the test results. 

According to Car and Driver, a gas-powered NX needs 175 feet to come to a complete stop on dry roads at 70 mph. For comparison, a similar BMW X3 SUV needs just 158 feet. While 175 feet isn’t a terrible stopping distance, that extra 17 feet could make a huge difference in an emergency situation. The Lex does, however, offer a suite of driver’s aids that help the car stop sooner, like automated emergency braking.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.