The Lexus IS took first place in J.D. Power’s list of Best Compact Premium Cars in 2022, but it’s not the only small car in Lexus’ lineup. This compact luxury sedan leads the pack of Lexus’ four smallest compact cars, including the RC coupe, the UX crossover, and the NX SUV. If you’re looking for a small luxury car that doesn’t break the bank, look no further than the four compact options from Lexus’ 2022 lineup. While none of them may have the driving verve of BMW or Mercedes-Benz, they achieve plenty of premium feel with approachable price tags and tiny packages. Dive into the best Lexus compact cars with

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, the super app for

car insurance

savings. We’ll cover reviews, highlights, and weaknesses for the luxury brand’s four smallest models—as well as an easy way to save on your

Lexus insurance costs

, of course!

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2022 Lexus compact and subcompact car models

Lexus offered four compact cars for the 2022 model year, two of which could be had with hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

2022 Lexus IS ($39,125 MSRP)

Edmunds: 7.7/10 J.D. Power: 90/100, #1 Best Premium Compact Car 2022 Car and Driver: 7.5/10 The 2022 Lexus IS is the manufacturer’s most well-received compact car, with a 90/100 score from J.D. Power and first place on their list of Best Compact Premium Cars for 2022. If you’re in the market for a compact luxury sedan from Lexus, the 2022 IS is the way to go given its ratings from popular reviewers and relatively low MSRP. Edmunds gives it a respectable 7.7/10 rating for quality and reliability, and Car and Driver gives it an overall 7.5/10. Both the BMW 4-Series and 3-Series offer a livelier driving experience, but the Lexus IS has an advantage when it comes to standard features and cutting-edge style. Highlights of the Lexus IS include:

Standard 241-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with optional “F Sport” V6 and V8 upgrades

8.0-inch infotainment system with touch control and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility

Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control on all models

5-star safety rating from the NHTSA

Maximum fuel economy of 21 city/31 highway/25 combined mpg

Weaknesses include:

Tight rear passenger space

The four-cylinder and V6 engine options lack sufficient power

Weak handling compared to its competitors

2022 Lexus RC ($43,970 MSRP)

Edmunds: 7.1/10

J.D. Power: 83/100, #1 Best Premium Compact Car 2022

Car and Driver: 5.5/10

The Lexus RC tails right behind the IS, coming in second place on J.D. Power’s list of 2022’s Best Premium Compact Cars with a rating of 83/100. However, it doesn’t compete nearly as well when reviewed by other competitors. Edmunds gives the 2022 RC a 7.1/10 rating, while Car and Driver only give it a measly 5.5/10. The RC falls into a common pitfall shared with the IS—both look sportier than they perform. But being a compact luxury coupe, the RC has the sportier design of the two, meaning this Icarus has much farther to fall once its wax wings have melted. So what are the RC’s redeeming qualities? Here are some of its highlights:

A competitively luxurious interior for front-seat passengers featuring plush leather-wrapped seating

Standard forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control

Two available V6 engine upgrades, topping off at 311-hp on the RC350 ($46,900 MSRP)

F Sport upgrade adds adaptive suspension and sportier styling throughout ($48,440 to $52,980 MSRP)

Weaknesses include:

Visibility is inhibited by several blind spots in the vehicle’s design

Performance doesn’t live up to its sporty design

No Android Auto

MORE:

2022 Lexus RC350 insurance cost

2022 Lexus NX ($39,500 MSRP)/ NX Hybrid ($42,700 MSRP)

Edmunds: 7.8/10

J.D. Power: 76/100

Car and Driver: 8/10

The 2022 Lexus NX takes us squarely into luxury compact SUV territory. The NX only places sixth on J.D. Power’s list for the Best Compact Premium SUVs of 2022 (after a long list of ties for the third, fourth, and fifth places), but it scores much more consistently across the board with reviewers. J.D. Power gives it 76/100, Edmunds gives it 7.8/10, and Car and Driver gives it 8/10. SUVs have a certain leg up over the average sedan in the American market these days, and the NX fares even better by offering more space and practicality than many of its foreign competitors. The NX offers four powertrain options, including two plug-in hybrid variants, as well as Lexus’ F Sport adaptive suspension for sportier handling. Highlights of the Lexus NX include the following:

All-wheel drive comes standard on all but the entry-level NX250

Standard 9.8-inch infotainment setup with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 10-speaker audio system

Standard 22.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 46.9 cubic feet behind the first row

The NX350h hybrid achieves a maximum fuel economy of 41 city/37 highway/39 combined mpg, and the NX 450h+ PHEV offers 37 miles of all-electric driving range

Premium and Luxury packages add desirable features like a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, panoramic sunroof, ambient interior lighting with 64 color options, and heated rear seats

Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control on all models

Weaknesses include:

The most powerful powertrain is only available on the top-tier NX 450h+ PHEV for a substantial price increase ($57,300 MSRP)

Handling doesn’t hold up to its competitors

Cabin is a little loud with road noise

MORE:

2022 Lexus NX250 insurance cost

2022 Lexus UX ($34,600 MSRP) / UX Hybrid ($36,900 MSRP)

Edmunds: 7.1/10

J.D. Power: 80/100, #2 small premium SUV with Mercedes-Benz GLA

Car and Driver: 7.5/10

Last but not least, it’s the

smallest Lexus SUV

, the 2022 Lexus UX. The NX’s smaller sibling is more of a luxury hatchback in disguise but still manages to tie for second place on J.D. Power’s Best Small SUVs of 2022 with the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class. The UX is the smallest—and cheapest—of Lexus’ compact options and once again scores fairly well with the most reputable reviewers. Edmunds is the least forgiving with a ranking of 7.1/10, followed by Car and Driver’s 7.5/10. Once again, J.D. Power gives the most generous score of the three with an overall 80/100 for the Lexus UX. Neither the UX nor the UX hybrid is all that practical when compared to the NX or other competitors, but both are the most fun to drive of Lexus’ small car options. The standard UX200 runs on a 169-hp four-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive, and the UX 250h hybrid pairs this with an electric motor for 181-hp combined. Highlights of the Lexus UX include:

Standard forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control

Premium interior features like dual-zone A/C, power-adjustable NuLuxe synthetic leather seats, and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot come standard

The gas-powered UX200 is rated for 32 mpg combined, and the hybrid UX250h is rated for 43 city/41 highway/42 mpg combined

Weaknesses include:

Small cargo storage

Poorly designed infotainment controls

MORE:

2022 Lexus UX200 insurance cost

What is Lexus’ smallest car?

The Lexus UX is the luxury manufacturer’s smallest 2022 model with a wheelbase of 103.9 inches. The Lexus RC (107.5 inches) follows close behind as the smallest coupe from Lexus, and the Lexus IS (110.2 inches) is the smallest sedan from Lexus.

What is Lexus’s cheapest car?

It’s not just the smallest Lexus—the 2022 Lexus UX is also the cheapest car in the manufacturer’s lineup. With a starting MSRP of $34,600, the Lexus UX is also the cheapest luxury compact SUV on the U.S. market. MORE: Are Lexus expensive to maintain?

How to save on Lexus insurance

Just because you bought a smaller car doesn’t mean it’s going to come with smaller insurance premiums. On the contrary, compact cars like the one listed in this article can cost more to insure than their bigger siblings because they’re more susceptible to expensive damage in an accident.

That doesn’t mean you need to get stuck with expensive

Lexus IS insurance costs

. Just use

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