2017 Lexus NX update expected to be mild

A teaser shot released ahead of Lexus’s official NX update reveal suggests that the Japanese carmaker has gone light on its facelift, with only a slight headlight modification visible in the single front-end view.

A complete view of the car and the full extent of the refresh will be rolled out at the Auto Shanghai Show on April 19, but for now, NX fans will have to make do with the image that appears to show the various existing panels lifting off to reveal the changes underneath.

The compact SUV’s Nike-flash indicators and headlight outline appear unchanged, with only the internal light modules rearranged into a triple LED arrangement, with surrounding brushed aluminium highlights.

A closer look into the shady regions of the image might also reveal a small change to the trademark spindle grille with a more slender frame, which is not uncommon for any mid-life facelift.

No other information about the updated model accompanies the image apart from confirmation that the NX will get both interior and exterior changes.

“Now, with an updated exterior design, and interior enhancements that add convenience and functionality, the NX is poised to meet the needs of global luxury consumers,” the car maker said in a short statement.

In Australia, Lexus’s foray into the smaller end of the SUV market has received mixed feelings since it launched in 2014. To the end of February this year, the NX found 468 driveways.