New name, new face for upgraded Lexus crossover

No information has been released regarding pricing or on-sale date for the 2018 Lexus NX models.

First introduced in 2014, the Lexus NX SUV heads into the Shanghai Motor Show as a 2018 model, the mild facelift bringing the Lexus Safety System + active safety package as standard, along with the requisite visual updates for its midlife makeover.

Lexus says that the entire front fascia of the 2018 NX has been refreshed and while it's certainly different, only those with a trained eye would immediately notice the differences.

Aside from the alphabet soup, the NX gets a redrawn spindle grille with satin and smoked chrome trim, and a new front bumper with its foglights moved to the outer corners, that blend more smoothly into the lines of the bonnet and front doors, below new triple-projector headlights, similar to those on the LC coupé. Lexus has also given the entry-level NX a new name.

For the updated NX, the face of the auto receives a more streamlined look while the available LED headlights receive triple projectors similar to what we see in the LC flagship coupe. In back, new taillights and a new rear bumper complete the look with longer L-shaped light elements and chrome-tipped exhaust pipes. Inside, the F Sport gets unique interior colour combinations, while also receiving separate readouts for turbo boost and G-forces on its head-up display unit.

Interior revisions have been made to make the NX feel a bit more accommodating These include a 10.3-inch display, which is much larger than the 7-inch display of previous models, along with a simplified HVAC panel and a rear-seat HVAC controls. The remote touch interface pad is now larger for easier operation with a larger palm rest for better comfort. The USB ports have higher amperages for faster charging, and the infotainment A new, hands-free rear hatch can be opened or closed with a wave of a foot under the rear bumper cover. Things also carry over on the AWD-only NX 300h which pairs its naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with the 2-motor Lexus Hybrid Drive that makes 194 horses. Lexus has also employed the same Adaptive Variable Suspension system as the LC 500 in the 2018 NX, a feature that offers up to 650 instantaneous compression and damping adjustments.

The standard model, the NX 300, is largely the same as the outgoing NX 200t from a mechanical standpoint and has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Lexus said it has retuned the suspension for better turn-in and a smoother ride.

As Lexus makes its suite of safety systems standard on nearly every new model here in the US, the NX shown in China receives the same treatment.