Overview
The luxury compact SUV class attracts many drivers for its practicality and luxury. Within this class, the 2022 Lexus NX and the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime are among the most popular and well-equipped options.
Both options are popular, but each has certain features that make them stand out. If you’re deciding on the best luxury SUV, there are several factors – from starting price to fuel economy – you must consider.
Table of Contents
2022 Lexus NX: Starting Price and Trim Levels
The first thing most prospective buyers will consider when shopping for their next SUV is the starting sticker price of each vehicle. The 2022 Lexus NX is available in the standard, base version or in three additional trim levels.
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2022 Lexus NX 250: $39,755
The first Lexus NX trim level, starting at $39,755, is the Lexus NX 250. The NX 250 offers a 203-horsepower in-line 4 engine and the class-leading Lexus safety system+. All-wheel drive is available for $1,600 more.
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2022 Lexus NX 350 AWD: $43,515
Starting at $43,515, the next trim level is the Lexus NX 350 AWD. The most significant upgrade is the engine with a 275-horsepower turbo in-line 4 engine. With this improvement, it takes only 6.6 seconds to go from 0-60.
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2022 Lexus NX 350 F Sport Handling AWD: $48,615
The final NX trim level, the NX 350 F Sport, starts at $48,615. The 350 F Sport trim package provides several upgrades, including adaptive variable suspension, seats with enhanced bolsters, and 20-inch wheels with a gloss black finish.
2022 Lexus NX: Powertrain and Performance
Another consideration for many drivers is each vehicle’s level of performance, which primarily focuses on the drivetrain. The base model NX 250 offers a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine capable of producing 203 horsepower. It can be configured in front or all-wheel drive formats. With the standard drivetrain, the NX 250 can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds.
The upgraded Lexus NX 350 and NX 350 F Sport boast a solid 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 275 horsepower, a vast improvement over the base model. This upgraded engine can accelerate the vehicle from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds.
2022 Lexus NX: Safety
Another vital consideration when comparing the RAV4 Prime and the NX is their active safety features. The 2022 Lexus NX was awarded Top Safety Pick+ honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2022, their most prestigious award.
The following active safety and driver assistance features come standard on all 2022 Lexus NX trim levels.
- Rearview camera
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Front cross-traffic alert
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Forward collision warning with active pedestrian detection
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-keeping assist with lane departure warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Road sign recognition technology
- Automatic high-beams
- Safe exit assistance
For an upcharge, drivers can access even more active safety and driver assistance features. These include a driver heads-up display, adaptive pivoting headlights, hands-free parking assistance, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree parking camera system, and an integrated rearview mirror camera display. Drivers can upgrade their vehicles to include some or all of these advanced features.
2022 Lexus NX: Features
Often, the separating factor between two similar vehicles is each vehicle’s list of standard and available features. The 2022 Lexus NX offers the following features standard on all trim levels:
- 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen infotainment center
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wireless Android Auto
- Integrated navigation with point of interest information (with subscription)
- Bluetooth
- Two USB charge ports
- HD Radio
- Wi-Fi hotspot
- 10-speaker stereo system
- “Hey Lexus” virtual assistant
- 7-inch digital gauge cluster
- Keyless entry
- Push-button start
- Automatic climate controls
- Heated and ventilated front seats
While not included in the standard packages, drivers can pay an upgrade fee to access several premium features. These features are primarily tech-driven, such as the available digital key, a 17-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay premium sound system, a larger 14-inch touchscreen infotainment center, thematic ambient lighting with 14 themes and 64 color options, or wireless device charging.
2022 Lexus NX: Fuel Economy
Another consideration for drivers is each vehicle’s fuel economy rating. The base-model, front-wheel-drive Lexus NX 250 offers 26 miles per gallon in the city and 33 miles per gallon on the highway.
Overall, this is better than most luxury SUVs; however, the vehicle’s efficiency drops slightly in the all-wheel drive version, which provides 25 miles per gallon in the city and 32 miles per gallon on the highway. The NX 350 and its upgraded engine offers 22 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway.
2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime: Starting Price and Trim Levels
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime’s base package starts at $40,300, and drivers can access one upgraded trim level, the RAV4 Prime XSE.
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2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE: $40,300
The base model of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime starts at $40,300 and includes standard features such as Toyota Safety SenseTM, electronic on-demand all-wheel drive, and electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.
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2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE: $43,625
Starting at $43,625, the Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE is the only trim level for the 2022 model year. The XSE offers all the great features of the SE but with upgraded wheel rims, a two-tone exterior color scheme, and rear cross-traffic alert.
2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime: Powertrain and Performance
The base-model Toyota RAV4 Prime SE features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder plug-in hybrid engine and two electric motors, which provides a combined 302 horsepower. It also offers an electronic on-demand all-wheel drive and an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT).
The plug-in hybrid engine is capable of 42 miles of electric-only operation and can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds. The upgraded RAV4 Prime XSE offers the same engine and performance specifications as the base model but adds steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime: Safety
Like the 2022 Lexus NX, the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime received Top Safety Pick+ honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. However, unlike the NX, the RAV4 Prime offers a longer list of standard features, with fewer high-end add-ons locked behind upgrade fees or higher trim levels. The Toyota RAV4 Prime’s standard safety features include:
- Pre-collision avoidance system
- Pedestrian detection technology
- Lane departure warning with steering assist
- Lane tracing assist
- Automatic high-beams
- Dynamic radar cruise control
- Road sign assistance
- Enhanced vehicle stability control
- Traction control
- Brake assistance
- Smart stop technology
- Backup camera with projected path
- Curb view and perimeter scan cameras
- Blind-spot monitor
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Vehicle proximity notification system
- Trailer-sway control
- Hill start assistance
While the RAV4 Prime offers a longer list of standard safety features than the NX, drivers can access a few valuable safety features for an additional fee. These features, including dynamic gridlines on the vehicle’s backup camera display, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and an overhead 360-degree backup camera, provide drivers with an additional layer of safety.
2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime: Features
As strong as the 2022 Lexus NX’s features list is, the RAV4 Prime’s features suite is even longer. All RAV4’s features are available on one of the two trim levels. The base package includes the following standard features:
- 8-way power adjustable front driver seat with lumbar support
- 4-way power adjustable front passenger seat
- Heated front seating
- Soft-touch dashboard and trim
- Smart Key system
- Push-button start
- Remote keyless entry with lock, unlock, and panic functions
- Power liftgate
- Remote illuminated entry
- Height-adjustable rear cargo area backboard
- Digital multi-information display
- Dual-zone climate control with pollen and dust filters
- Leather-trimmed telescopic steering wheel
- One-touch three-blink lane change signal
- Flat-fold rear seats
- Two 12V power outlets
- One USB media port and four USB charge ports
- 8-inch touchscreen infotainment center
- Apple CarPlay
- Android Auto
- Amazon Alexa
- Sirius XM with complimentary three-month Platinum Plan package
- SafetyConnect with one-year free trial
- Wi-Fi Hotspot with 2GB free in the first three months
- Over 100 cubic feet of cargo space
The upgraded RAV4 Prime XSE trim package adds several additional attractive features, including:
- SofTex-trimmed seats with red accents
- Heated and ventilated seating
- Driver’s seat two-position memory function
- Blue ambient illumination and ambient lighting
- Red-accented interior
- Soft-touch dashboard, door, armrests, center console, and anti-slip door grip
- Qi-compatible wireless phone charging with charge indicator light
- 10-inch color heads-up display with speedometer and navigation
- Overhead console with map lights, sunglass storage, Safety Connect button, and sunroof controls
- Digital rearview mirror with universal HomeLink transceiver
- One 120V power outlet in rear
- 9-inch touchscreen infotainment center
- Six-speaker audio system
- Service Connect with complimentary 10-year trial
- Remote Connect with complimentary one-year trial
2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime: Fuel Economy
While the Lexus NX offers solid gas mileage for a luxury SUV, it pales in comparison to the ultra-fuel-efficient RAV4 Prime. The RAV4 Prime SE boasts a fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. The XSE trim package offers identical fuel economy ratings to the SE package.
Find Your Next SUV at SUViews
Once you narrow down your choices, deciding on the vehicle that best fits your needs can be challenging. To help you decide, SUViews’ insider reviews detail the pros and cons of every popular SUV model. With the help of our reviews and blog posts that cover everything from the best small SUV to improving your gas mileage, you can be confident in your next vehicle purchase.
