Last updated: 2026-10-10

2020 Lexus NX
RELIABILITY SCORE: 82/100 (EXCELLENT)

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

Complaint Severity74/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact100/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity82/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Buy

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)

Post-Refresh

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)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

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 sold

Segment avg: 20.2

LowAvgHigh
Low

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.

VIN History Report

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.

No VIN? Just hit “Check VIN” to look one up.

  • Accidents
  • Open Recalls
  • Title History
  • Odometer Rollback

2020 Lexus NX NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 16.0%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Driver)Additional Air Bags (Seat Pan Air Bags)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)
View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Lexus NXRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5

Based 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%

after 5 years

Depreciation
34.2%

over the same period

Listings Analyzed
113

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.com

2020 Lexus NX Example Repair Prices

National average price ranges for common repairs. These are not model-year-specific failure predictions.

Common repair costs and price estimates
RepairEstimated 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
TrimDriveTrans.CityHwyCombFuel Cost
NX 300 2.0L 4-cylFront-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S6)222825$2,750
NX 300 AWD 2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S6)222824$2,900
NX 300 AWD F Sport 2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S6)222724$2,900
Hybrid trims
TrimDriveTrans.CityHwyCombFuel Cost
NX 300h AWD 2.5L 4-cylAll-Wheel DriveAutomatic (AV-S6)333031$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.

4
3
3
3
VISIBILITY/WIPER (4)FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (3)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (3)POWER TRAIN (2)ENGINE (2)VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2)ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (1)TIRES (1)Other (3)

VISIBILITY/WIPER

4 complaints

Glass 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.

4 complaints total

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

3 complaints

Power 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.

3 complaints total

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

3 complaints

Sunroof 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.

3 complaints total
POWER TRAIN (2 complaints)

POWER TRAIN

2 complaints

Engine 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.

2 complaints total
ENGINE (2 complaints)

ENGINE

2 complaintsSafety-related

Fire 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.

2 complaints total1 fire
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2 complaints)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

Brake 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.

2 complaints total
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (1 complaints)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint
2025-12-16

While 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 complaint
2023-01-11

Bridgestone 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 complaint
2024-03-05

when 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-related
2021-09-06Crash reported2 injuries

The 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

Top Pick
82
Excellent

2021

0Recalls
30Complaints
82
Excellent

2020

(Current Model)

0Recalls
26Complaints
79
Good

2018

1Recalls
36Complaints

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.

Lexus NX reliability scores by year
YearScoreRating
201879/100Good
201977/100Good
202082/100Excellent
202182/100Excellent
202275/100Good
202377/100Good
202477/100Good
202577/100Good
202688/100Excellent

Lexus NX Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
YearScorevs Prior YearRatingRecallsComplaints
202688/100+11Excellent00
202577/1000Good713
202477/1000Good14129
202377/100+2Good1027
202275/100-7Good1319
202182/1000Excellent030
2020(selected)82/100+5Excellent026
201977/100-2Good241
201879/100—Good136

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2020 Lexus NX reliable?
Yes. Its reliability standing is excellent and well above average among 2020 SUVs. It has 26 owner complaints, a low number for the number sold, and federal recall records show none. It is among the stronger years of the nine scored for the NX.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Lexus NX?
Shattering glass, mostly the sunroof, leads the complaints. Next come sudden power loss tied to the fuel pump or injectors, then engine problems such as stalling and one fire report. Two owners also describe speed control faults, including brake lights staying off during adaptive cruise stops.
Does the 2020 Lexus NX have sunroof problems?
Some owners report it. Glass broke with a loud bang at highway speed, with no debris or traffic nearby, and scattered across the cabin. One sunroof failed at 3200 miles. A rear window also shattered in a garage. No injuries were reported in these cases.
Does the 2020 Lexus NX have any recalls?
No. Federal recall records list zero recalls for this model year. The 2019 NX has 2 recalls, and the 2021 also has none. Even so, ask a dealer to run the VIN, since a recall could be issued later.
Is the 2020 Lexus NX better than the 2019 or 2021?
It beats the 2019, which rates worse, with 41 complaints and 2 recalls. The 2021 rates about the same as the 2020, with 30 complaints and no recalls. Choose between 2020 and 2021 by condition and service history.

Don’t buy a 2020 Lexus NX without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

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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