/articles/2014/10/2015-lexus-nx-200t-car-seat-check

The Lexus NX 300h is the gas-electric hybrid version of the all-new compact luxury crossover, which also comes in gas-powered form as the NX 200t. Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays tested the NX 300h and counted “more hits than misses,” particularly with regard to driving fun and occupant comfort. For families, he also noted “anyone with serious cargo needs should look elsewhere.” In our Car Seat Check, the NX 300h had a respectable showing, earning high marks for ease of installation and well-positioned Latch anchors.

How many car seats fit in the second row? Two

More Car Seat Checks

What We Like

• The rear seatbacks recline and the head restraints are removable, and there are two sets of outboard anchors situated just inside the seatbight, where the back and bottom cushions meet; tether anchors are located midway down the seatback.
• Our booster seat fit well, and light seat bolstering kept the booster from riding over the buckle.
• When we installed our rear-facing convertible seat, we were able to get to the Latch anchors with ease despite the somewhat-stiff seat cushions, and without having to move the front passenger seat forward. The seat installed easily in the forward-facing position after we raised the head restraint to thread the tether underneath it.
• Our rear-facing infant seat also installed easily, thanks in part to its thinner, hooklike connectors.

What We Don’t

• The seat belt buckle is flush with the seat-bottom cushion, so kids may have trouble using it with the booster seat.
• We had to move the front passenger seat forward to install the infant seat, though the occupant still had enough leg- and knee room to sit comfortably.

Grading Scale

A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.

B: Plenty of room. One fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.

C: Marginal room. Two fit or connection issues. Difficult to access third row when available.

D: Insufficient room. Two or more fit or connection issues.

F: Does not fit or is unsafe.

About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks

Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a 5-foot-8 passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. To learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks, go here.

Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.

Cars.com photos by Evan Sears