Compare the2025 Volvo XC60VS 2025 Lexus NX

The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The NX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the XC60 and NX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultra/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The NX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Lexus doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the NX. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The NX’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The NX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The XC60 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The NX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the XC60. But it costs extra on the NX.

Both the XC60 and the NX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the NX’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX (3/30,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 15 percent more Volvo dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the XC60’s warranty.

The battery on the XC60 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC60’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The NX’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The XC60 has more powerful engines than the NX:

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Lexus NX:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

The XC60 has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX (18.8 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The NX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the XC60’s brake rotors are larger than those on the NX:

The XC60 stops much shorter than the NX:

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the NX (265/35R22 vs. 235/60R18).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the NX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The NX’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The XC60 B6 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on T8) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The NX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 6.9 inches longer than on the NX (112.8 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the NX.

The XC60 handles at .88 G’s, while the NX 350 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 Core executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the NX 450h+ AWD (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the NX’s (37.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 350 F Sport Handling AWD (8.5 vs. 7.7 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The XC60’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the NX (8.5 vs. 8.1 inches).

The design of the Volvo XC60 amounts to more than styling. The XC60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the NX (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC60 get better fuel mileage.

The XC60 has .5 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the XC60 easier. The XC60’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The XC60’s cargo area is larger than the NX’s in almost every dimension:

The XC60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (3500 vs. 0 pounds).

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the NX, the XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the XC60 and the NX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the XC60 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the XC60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the NX can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The NX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the XC60’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the NX’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The NX’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The XC60’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The XC60 Ultra offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the NX.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The NX has never been chosen.