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2018 Lexus NX

Hybrid Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints3 crash · 2 injured reported 26

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 31 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Lexus NX is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the NX 300h AWD, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 26 complaints, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Lexus NX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lexus NX · Photo: Ethan Llamas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
NX 300h AWD	Hybrid	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl + 245V Ni-MH	33	30	31	$2,150
NX 300	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	28	25	$3,300
NX 300 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	28	24	$3,400
NX 300 AWD F Sport	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	27	24	$3,400

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39586, 39579, 39587, 39588.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
NX 300h AWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
NX 300	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
NX 300 AWD, NX 300 AWD F Sport	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-III ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Blind-spot monitoring, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 300 Luxury, 300H Luxury). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	182.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	65.0 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Track, front	62.2 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,869–4,045 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44 to 59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: NX300 4-door SUV AWD, NX300H 4-door SUV AWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

20TA02, 20LA01

1,525,742 vehicles 92% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, Risk If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V682000 reported Nov 4, 2020 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific NX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Lexus publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Lexus’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Lexus NX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

26complaints filed

3 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

6.1 per 10,000 built · Lexus reported 42,834 NX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 10

Service Brakes 5

Engine 4

Unspecified 3

Electrical System 2

Forward Collision Avoidance 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

After 45 minutes in stop-and-go traffic the brake pedal went to the floor four times, the Brake Override System (BOS) failed, throwing the shifter into Park failed, and we hit the car in front of us. No warning sounds typical for this car sounded and no lights appeared on the dash.

Service Brakes Mar 28, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11514299

My cars engine has stopped three times on the highway in a six month span - almost causing accidents. My car has been seen twice by Lexus dealerships and there has yet to be an exact cause of this malfunction and no effort made by Lexus to remedy the situation

Electrical System Dec 23, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11498672

My 2018 Lexus NX300 F Sport, stalled while driving, pulled over to safe location turned off vehicle, restarted and proceeded to drive a little. Warning came up on display " Engine power reduced, go to dealer". I was able to drive the car home since it was only 2 miles away.

Fuel/Propulsion System Apr 14, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11731194

While driving regularly on the highway my sunroof spontaneously shattered. There were no warning signs and no visible debris on the road that could have hit it. This is the SECOND instance of this happening with this vehicle (2018 Lexus NX 300) within three years.

Visibility/Wiper Feb 18, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11643287

Foam is breaking off of the shell. Reached out to Chicco and issue was not resolved nor replaced. This seems to be a reoccurring problem with this car seat. For it to have an 8 year lifespan, it hardly lasts 2 years before Chicco deems it unsafe and needs replaced on my dime. Highly frustrated about this product

Carry Handle Jul 24, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11752560

1. Steering wheel is malfunctioned. Car is available for inspection upon request. 2. Since steering wheel is hard to maneuver, It can put other at risk if unable handle the wheel strongly to do the proper turns. 3.

Steering Sep 11, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11543947

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Lexus itself: 36 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 47 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 84 per 100,000 built. Every NX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Lexus warranty extension 24LE03Although the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assembly are covered by Lexus’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 4 years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Lexus care about the guests’…

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Toyota warranty extension (10) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 268

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-02-02

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 266 service bulletins, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Structure, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility, Wheels.

L-SB-0057-22 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-02-02 · Electrical System
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0004-26 Service bulletin
2026-01-23 · Electrical System
Some 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation System, require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-12-15 · Structure — Body
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interio
L-TT-0326-23 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-08-19 · Electrical System
Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist those customers with user issues, user errors, and compatibility issues with other vehicle systems and external applications encountered while operating telematics features.
L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 Service bulletin
2025-06-13 · Electrical System
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
L-TT-0341-25 Service bulletin
2025-04-02 · Electrical System
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system and are only to be used when requested by FTS and/or FPE.
L-SB-0017-19 Rev1 Service bulletin
2025-02-07 · Structure — Body
Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.
24LE03 Warranty extension
2025-01-30 · Service Brakes
Although the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assembly are covered by Lexus’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 4 years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Lexus care about the guests’ ownership experience. Lexus is providing coverage for repairs in the subject vehicles related to certain internal malfunctions of the Brake Booster Pump Assembly and/or Brake Booster, depending on the

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0087 P0087 on Lexus →	Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.	Electrical System · Fuel pump →	1 bulletin · 1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.37%

failed emissions

1,605 initial inspections of 1,568 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 NX	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.37%	3.0%	1,602
Failed the safety inspection	1.2%	1.9%	1,605
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.25%	0.22%	1,605
Miles driven a year	8,559	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	71,110	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

NX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 6 40 mpg 2025 D 6 18 39 mpg 2024 C 6 48 39 mpg 2023 C 5 18 39 mpg 2022 F 7 31 39 mpg 2021 A 0 17 31 mpg 2020 A 0 28 31 mpg 2019 B 2 44 31 mpg 2018 this page A 1 26 31 mpg 2017 A 0 30 31 mpg 2016 A 1 27 32 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 NX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Lexus NX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Lexus NX. The most serious on file is 20V682000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Lexus NX?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Lexus NX 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Lexus NX?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Lexus NX, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Lexus NX?

Transport Canada measured it at 182.3 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.0 in tall, on a 104.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,869–4,045 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Lexus NX?

Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Lexus NX, most often about fuel/propulsion system, service brakes, engine. Of those, 3 involved a crash, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Lexus NX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Lexus NX runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Lexus NX?

The manufacturer has filed 268 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Lexus NX, most often covering equipment, electrical system, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-02-02. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Lexus NX do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Lexus NX failed the emissions check on 0.37% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	26	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	3 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	268	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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