Last updated: 2026-10-10

2020 Lexus NX Reliability Report
The 2020 Lexus NX rates excellent for reliability with no recalls. The main risks are sudden sunroof glass breakage and fuel-system power loss.
Recalls
0
Complaints
26
Complaint Rate
4.7per 10,000 sold
Est. Repair Cost
$551
Annual Fuel Cost
$2,750–$2,900
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
Rates excellent with no recalls and fewer complaints than 2019, though shattering sunroof glass and fuel-system power loss show up in owner reports.
Top Issues to Watch
- VISIBILITY/WIPER (4)
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (3)
- POWER TRAIN (2)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2020 is 2 years after the facelift refresh.
- Year 6 in the First generation (AZ10; 2014) (2015–2021).
- Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
- 1st generation NX (US).
What this means for buyers
Post-refresh years tend to be among the most refined — updates have been applied and early kinks worked out.
2015: First generation (AZ10; 2014) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2018: Mid-Cycle Refresh
Updated features and styling tweaks.
2020: This Model Year
2020 is 2 years after the facelift refresh.
Should You Buy the 2020 Lexus NX?
Few owners have complained about this model year, and it stands well above average among 2020 SUVs. Within the NX line it ranks among the stronger of nine scored years. Federal recall records list no recalls, and the federal crash-test rating is 5 of 5 stars. The 2019 rates worse and has 2 recalls. The 2021 rates about the same, also with no recalls.
Problems are rare but can be serious. Sunroof glass has shattered with a bang at highway speed, once on a car with 3200 miles. Some cars lost power at freeway speed or went into limp mode, and repairs pointed to the fuel pump or injectors, as early as 33K miles. One parked car burned overnight with no cause found. Brake lights stayed off when adaptive cruise control stopped a car in traffic.
Ask for fuel system repair records and find out whether any glass has been replaced. Test adaptive cruise control in stop-and-go traffic and watch that the brake lights come on. The 2021 is a fair alternative.
Compared to the 2021 Lexus NX, which scored the same. See also the 2019 Lexus NX for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +Strong reliability score
- +No recalls issued
- +Below-average complaint rate for SUV
- +5-star NHTSA crash rating
- +Well-established generation
Cons
- −VISIBILITY/WIPER: Glass shatters without warning, most often the sunroof (4 complaints)
- −2 fire incidents reported in owner complaints
Compare 2020 Lexus NX With
Common Problem Categories
Other
HIGH RISK- VISIBILITY/WIPER (4)
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (3)
Recall Overview
0
recalls on record
No recalls are on record for the 2020 Lexus NX — uncommon, and a strong signal of manufacturing quality.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
4.7
per 10,000 soldSegment avg: 20.2
Safety Incidents
1
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 5/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
Buying a used 2020 Lexus NX? Check its history first
Visibility/wiper problems lead owner complaints about the 2020 Lexus NX, and 0 recalls were issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2020 Lexus NX NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 16.0%
Safety Technologies
Lexus NXRepair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$551
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
Lexus NX Resale Value
The Lexus NX is estimated to retain about 65.8% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.
This benchmark covers the Lexus NX model overall and is not specific to the 2020 model year.
- Value Retained
- 65.8%
- Depreciation
- 34.2%
- Listings Analyzed
- 113
after 5 years
over the same period
U.S. used-car listings
Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.
Explore Lexus NX depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com2020 Lexus NX Example Repair Prices
National average price ranges for common repairs. These are not model-year-specific failure predictions.
| Repair | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Air Bag Clockspring Replacement | $1,037 – $1,094 |
| Air Conditioning Refrigerant Recover | $61 – $90 |
| Check Engine Light Diagnosis & Testing | $153 – $224 |
| Air Conditioning System Leak Inspection | $153 – $224 |
| Transmission Position Sensor Replacement | $322 – $386 |
| Headlight Bulb Replacement | $289 – $317 |
| Body Control System Diagnosis & Testing | $61 – $90 |
| Fuel Evaporative Canister Replacement | $707 – $771 |
| Horn Replacement | $395 – $509 |
| Intercooler Replacement | $1,069 – $1,368 |
Estimates based on national average repair costs. Actual costs may vary by location and shop.
MPG & Annual Running Costs
Gas
24–25 MPG
Running cost: $3,300–$3,450/yr
Fuel + repair
22 city / 27–28 hwy MPG
Hybrid
31 MPG
Running cost: $2,500/yr
Fuel + repair
33 city / 30 hwy MPG
Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2020 EPA label cycle.
Gas trims
| Trim | Drive | Trans. | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NX 300 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 | 28 | 25 | $2,750 |
| NX 300 AWD 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 | 28 | 24 | $2,900 |
| NX 300 AWD F Sport 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 22 | 27 | 24 | $2,900 |
Hybrid trims
| Trim | Drive | Trans. | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NX 300h AWD 2.5L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S6) | 33 | 30 | 31 | $1,950 |
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2020 Lexus NX.
Ask for service records showing cylinder head, fuel injector, ignition coil, or fuel pump work, and ask why it was done.
Scan for stored misfire codes and check engine history before buying.
Accelerate hard up a highway on-ramp and watch for hesitation, shaking, or a Reduced Speed message.
Idle with the AC running and feel for rough idle, vibration, or wandering RPM.
Check the carpet under the center console and driver footwell for dampness, stains, or a musty smell.
Have a helper watch the brake lights while adaptive cruise brings the car to a full stop.
Look over the sunroof glass and headliner for signs of replacement, and ask whether the glass was ever replaced.
Drive above 60 mph and watch whether the driver side mirror shakes.
2020 Lexus NX Common Problems by Component
26 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
4 complaintsGlass shatters without warning, most often the sunroof. Reports describe a loud bang like a gunshot at highway speed with no debris or traffic nearby, then glass scattered across the cabin and into the back seat. One sunroof failed on a car with 3200 miles. A rear window also shattered while the car pulled into a garage. No injuries are reported, but the sudden noise and flying glass startle drivers at speed. A separate complaint describes the driver side mirror shaking above 60 mph.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
3 complaintsPower drops suddenly. The car goes into limp mode, shakes, or loses power at freeway speed, which makes stopping safely difficult with fast traffic around it. Repairs point to the fuel system. A dealer confirmed a faulty fuel pump in one case, and fuel injectors failed in others, sometimes on different cylinders a few weeks apart. Injector failures appear as early as 33K miles and as late as 80k. At least one owner says Lexus would not take responsibility for the repair.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
3 complaintsSunroof glass shatters while driving, sounding like a gunshot and filling the cabin with glass. Water leaks are the other pattern. Water enters through the center console and driver side, both while driving and while parked with the climate system running. A dealer blamed a blocked drain tube, and the flooding led to mold and a recommendation for mold remediation that warranty did not cover. One complaint names the DCM computer without describing a failure.
POWER TRAIN (2 complaints)
POWER TRAIN
2 complaintsEngine power drops sharply while merging onto busy highways. The car slows even with the pedal pressed, and shops find misfire codes. Other symptoms include rough idle, vibration under acceleration, fluctuating RPM, stalling, a check engine light, and a message telling the driver to pull over for engine or transmission trouble. A dealer replaced a faulty cylinder head in one case, but the same symptoms came back within months. Losing power at highway speed brings a real collision risk.
ENGINE (2 complaints)
ENGINE
2 complaintsSafety-relatedFire is the most serious report here. A parked car that had not been driven for several days caught fire near the front of the hood overnight. Only the frame was left, and the insurer could not determine the cause. Stalling is the other pattern. The engine quits while driving, a "Reduced Speed" message appears, and the check engine light comes on. The car restarts, but the dealer called for a cylinder head replacement at about 72,283 miles.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2 complaints)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2 complaintsBrake lights stay off when adaptive cruise control brings the car to a complete stop in traffic. Drivers behind get no warning, which raises the risk of a rear-end crash. Acceleration also fails. In one report the car would not speed up at 65 mph when the pedal was pressed, and it was towed to the dealer twice before the dealer blamed the ignition coils, at about 38,880 miles.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (1 complaints)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 complaintWhile driving at interstate highway speed at approximately 70 mph in heavy rush hour traffic, the vehicle suddenly made a popping sound and immediately lost all engine power. The accelerator became unresponsive, and the vehicle rapidly decelerated without warning. I was forced to coast across lanes to the shoulder to avoid a collision. The engine shut down completely and the vehicle would not restart. This created a serious risk of injury or death due to loss of power in high-speed traffic. The vehicle had to be towed and is currently undrivable. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had a long history of repeated engine misfires. Spark plugs were replaced twice, and a fuel line repair was performed. Despite these repairs, the misfires continued. The sudden engine shutdown occurred without warning.
TIRES (1 complaints)
TIRES
1 complaintBridgestone 235/55 R18. I was driving in the far left Lane on the interstate going 65mph. The tire pressure warning came on. The vehicle seemed too shaky to continue on. I attempted to merge right to get off on the next exit and the vehicle began to shake violently. Before I could exit safely the tire shredded with several loud pops in the 3rd lane of traffic before I was able to merge to the exit. I had to stop on the side of the interstate. I was strong enough to keep control of the vehicle by gripping the steering wheel. The safety of myself and my children were in grave danger traveling on a busy interstate. No cops were called since there was no wreck. This 2020 Lexus NX 300 was a rental from AVIS RENTAL CAR at DFW Airport. This vehicle will be returned to Avis 1/12/23
SEAT BELTS (1 complaints)
SEAT BELTS
1 complaintwhen someone seats behind the driver, on the left rear seat, many times the seat belt comes loose and the lamp turns on, the audio makes a sound and verbally says to please put on your seat belt. It sometimes takes two to three tries for someone to successfully put on the seat belt. other times the first time works. I bought this car on December of last year, so I'm not sure it it was inspected before that.
STEERING (1 complaints)
STEERING
1 complaintSafety-relatedThe contact owns a 2020 Lexus NX. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel was difficult to operate. There was no warning light illuminated. On another occasion, the steering wheel veered to the left and right. In addition, there was a sudden unintended acceleration. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle did not reduce in speed. The contact crashed into a side tree, columns, and a divider in order to stop the vehicle. All of the air bags did deploy as intended. There was smoke that caused the contact and his wife to have difficulty breathing. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle system automatically contacted emergency. The police and fire and paramedics arrived on the scene. There was a police report filed. The contact and his wife were unconscious. The police cut the seat belt to pull the contact out safely; however, the wife released herself. The wife injured her left knee; while the contact was injured with bruises and smoke inhalation. The paramedics transported the contact and wife to the hospital. They both received medical treatments and x-ray, then were admitted to the hospital for an overnight stay. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,00.
Best & Worst Lexus NX Years
Best Lexus NX Years to Buy
Based on reliability index score2021
2020
(Current Model)
2018
Lexus NX Years to Avoid
No Lexus NX years are statistical outliers in our data.
Scores stay between 75 and 88 across 9 scored model years.
Lexus NX Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 79/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 82/100 | Excellent |
| 2021 | 82/100 | Excellent |
| 2022 | 75/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2026 | 88/100 | Excellent |
Lexus NX Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2020 Lexus NX reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Lexus NX?
Does the 2020 Lexus NX have sunroof problems?
Does the 2020 Lexus NX have any recalls?
Is the 2020 Lexus NX better than the 2019 or 2021?
Don’t buy a 2020 Lexus NX without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2020 Lexus NX
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2020 Lexus NX does best on recall impact (100/100) and worst on complaint severity (74/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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