Compared: 2024 Volvo XC40 vs. 2024 Lexus NX

These two electrified crossovers bring a wide variety of price points, features, and powertrain options.

Brennan Sullivan | 

May 14, 2024 | 3 min read

Volvo | Lexus

Electrification is a buzzword in the auto industry, but gasoline still rules the marketplace. The 2024 Volvo XC40 offers a gas-fueled hybrid and a fully electric counterpart, the XC40 Recharge. The 2024 Lexus NX, from Toyota's luxury brand, comes as a gas-fueled NX 250 and NX 350, along with a hybrid gasoline-electric and a plug-in hybrid variant.

If you're in the market for a versatile crossover vehicle, it's worth comparing the XC40 hybrids and the gas-fueled NX versions to see which one might suit you best.

Volvo

Standard All-Wheel Drive Sets the XC40 Apart

The regular Volvo XC40, with a hybrid powertrain making 247 horsepower, comes in three trims: the $42,000 Core, the $47,000 Plus, and the $51,000 Ultimate. All-wheel drive (AWD) comes standard on all three.

Lexus

The NX's pricing aligns with Volvo's, starting at just under $41,000 for the base, 203-hp NX 250 with front-wheel drive (FWD). AWD is a $1,600 option. The NX 350 AWD comes standard with AWD for about $44,000, and the NX 350 F Sport Handling AWD starts at about $50,000, wearing an F Sport-tuned adaptive variable suspension, F Sport seats, and 20-inch wheels.

The NX 350 variants use a 275-hp turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine that pumps out 317 pound-feet of torque.

Volvo

The XC40 Is Well Equipped and Plenty Capable

While neither crossover SUV is short of creature comforts, buyers might find the Volvo a bit more posh from the get-go, with standard heated seats and seat position memory. It can also tow more than the NX, with a rated maximum of 3,500 pounds, as compared with the Lexus' 2,000-pound limit.

Additionally, Volvo has equipped the XC40 with a power rear liftgate as standard, which is only available as a $400 option or part of a package on the NX. Beyond base features, the XC40 Plus and Ultimate models come with panoramic moonroofs and leather upholstery.

Lexus

The NX 250 comes with NuLuxe synthetic upholstery, and a moonroof is available for $1,000 in some configurations. Perforated quilted leather upholstery and a moonroof come as part of the optional $6,140 Luxury Package available on NX 350 variants.

All versions of the NX come standard with a 10-speaker sound system, more than the Volvo's standard array of eight. The NX's available 14.0-inch center dash screen is much larger than the XC40's, which is limited to 9.0 inches across all trims.

Volvo

Even Without Hybrid Tech, the NX Offers Better Fuel Economy

The EPA reports the fuel economy for the 2024 Volvo XC40 at 24/30/26 mpg city/highway/combined. That's not bad for a small SUV, but it's no match for the base NX.

Lexus

The NX 250 with FWD comes in at 26/33/28 mpg, while the NX 250 AWD nearly matches that with 25/32/28 mpg. The turbocharged NX 350 AWD and NX 350 AWD F Sport models get 21/28/24 mpg.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Brennan Sullivan

Brennan Sullivan is a writer and lifelong car fanatic. With an appreciation for all makes and models, Brennan is particularly passionate about the rich history of the automotive industry. In his spare time, he's the caretaker of a 1962 Sunbeam Alpine, and a Golden Retriever named Willow.