How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2021 Lexus NX 300h?
The verdict: Lexus’ NX compact SUV slots between the RX and the UX in the luxury brand’s lineup and comes in gas-only NX 300 and hybrid-powered NX 300h forms. For this Car Seat Check, we tested the NX 300h and found the Latch anchors easy to find and use, but we had some trouble with one of the top tether anchors — which is required when installing forward-facing car seats.
Does it fit three car seats? No
Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2021 Lexus NX 300h.
Related: Search Car Seat Checks
A Grade
- Latch: The two sets of lower anchors are exposed for easy access and connection. There are two outboard top tether anchors on the seatbacks and a middle anchor in the ceiling. The outboard anchors are clearly marked and accessible, but the ceiling-mounted middle anchor will obstruct the driver’s rear view when in use.
B Grade
- Booster: We raised the head restraint to help the booster sit flat against the seatback. The buckles are flush with the seat-bottom cushion, so they could be tough for little fingers to grasp. Also, the middle position’s seat belt comes down from the ceiling — rather than being mounted to the seatback, as many middle belts are — and connects to a point in the middle of the outboard seat before connecting to the buckle, so this wouldn’t be a good spot for a booster.
- Forward-facing convertible: This seat was easy to install and, after removal of the head restraint, our convertible seat fit well. It lost a grade because the top tether anchor is in the ceiling when the seat is in the middle position, blocking the driver’s view.
C Grade
- Infant: This seat was easy to install, but we had to move the front seat forward to create enough clearance, such that a 5-foot-6-inch-tall front passenger’s knees were touching the dashboard.
- Rear-facing convertible: This seat was also easy to install. But, again, the front passenger needed more legroom to be comfortable with the seat installed behind.
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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: One room, fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing the third row when available.
C: Marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. Difficult to access the third row when available.
D: Insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
F: Does not fit or is unsafe.
About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks
Editors Jennifer Geiger and Jennifer Newman are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Chicco KeyFit 30 infant-safety seat, a Graco Contender 65 convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter 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. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.
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’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
