Automotive

Lexus smooths the edges of its NX SUV

Lexus smooths the edges of its NX SUV
Lexus has smoothed out the headlamps on the NX
Lexus has smoothed out the headlamps on the NX 
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The new nose on the NX is better resolved than before
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The new nose on the NX is better resolved than before 
Lexus has refined its Spindle Grille for 2017
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Lexus has refined its Spindle Grille for 2017
The lights on the Lexus NX are wider
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The lights on the Lexus NX are wider
Lexus has made the L in its taillights more noticeable on the NX
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Lexus has made the L in its taillights more noticeable on the NX
The shape of the Lexus NX has been smoothed out in Shanghai
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The shape of the Lexus NX has been smoothed out in Shanghai
Lexus will be offering a range of new wheel designs for the NX
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Lexus will be offering a range of new wheel designs for the NX 
The NX Hybrid runs with an unchanged powertrain
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The NX Hybrid runs with an unchanged powertrain 
The Lexus NX will be on sale before the year is out
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The Lexus NX will be on sale before the year is out
Lexus has smoothed out the headlamps on the NX
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Lexus has smoothed out the headlamps on the NX 
Angles aren't our thing, but some people will love the way the NX looks
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Angles aren't our thing, but some people will love the way the NX looks 
The skid plate on the front of the NX is purely cosmetic
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The skid plate on the front of the NX is purely cosmetic 
The NX will be available with a range of compact four-cylinder engines
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The NX will be available with a range of compact four-cylinder engines 
The new Lexus NX, on show in Shanghai
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The new Lexus NX, on show in Shanghai
What do you think of the Spindle Grille that Lexus has rolled out across the range?
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What do you think of the Spindle Grille that Lexus has rolled out across the range? 
The satin chrome touches on the nose of the NX are new
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The satin chrome touches on the nose of the NX are new
The diffuser on the Lexus NX helps create an illusion of width
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The diffuser on the Lexus NX helps create an illusion of width 
Behind the wheel of the Lexus NX
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Behind the wheel of the Lexus NX 
The Lexus NX has an attractive interior, but the appeal also lies in its quality
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The Lexus NX has an attractive interior, but the appeal also lies in its quality 
The cabin of the Lexus NX has been overhauled for 2017
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The cabin of the Lexus NX has been overhauled for 2017
Lexus NX at Auto Shanghai 2017
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Lexus NX at Auto Shanghai 2017
Lexus NX at Auto Shanghai 2017
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Lexus NX at Auto Shanghai 2017
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Lexus was once known as a brand for retirees and avid golfers, but a new styling direction has quashed that image. One of the edgiest designs in the razor-edged range, the mid-sized NX SUV, has been treated to a refresh in Shanghai. The changes are subtle, but add a touch of polish to one of the weirdest looking cars in production.

Okay, so the refresh hasn't changed the most polarising part of every new Lexus: that nose, which was launched on the IS back in 2013. The Spindle Grille is now instantly recognisable, and the nose on the NX has been massaged to better integrate with the front fenders and bumper. New chrome detailing also brightens things up, and Lexus has also tweaked the twin-element headlight design, dropping the old look for a neater, flatter setup.

The changes are a bit more subtle down back, where a set of wider taillights and a lower rear bumper are essentially the only tweaks of note. Lexus has also revised the black cladding on the rear end to better highlight the L-shaped detailing in those new taillights.

Its styling direction might have taken a curious turn, but nothing has changed when it comes to Lexus interiors. Forget about tarted-up Toyotas, the interior design team does a great job of turning out attractive, functional, reliable cabins to match the best from Audi. The cabin of the NX is no different.

Behind the wheel of the Lexus NX
Behind the wheel of the Lexus NX 

Gone is the seven-inch infotainment screen from the old car, and in its place is a 10.3-inch widescreen unit. The fiddly old climate controls have also been given the boot, and the clock has been redesigned to automatically adjust to different timezones – useful during daylight savings transitions, or if you're driving across Europe.

Thankfully, the mouse-style infotainment controller from the old car has been replaced with a newer trackpad, although we're not sure why Lexus won't just bite the bullet and run with a rotary controller like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Mazda, Infiniti and... you get the idea. In a nod to the changing shape of phones, the design team has made the wireless charging tray in the cabin bigger, and the USB ports in the glovebox have been made more powerful.

Power will come from a range of compact four-cylinder engines, headlined by a hybrid option. Lexus hasn't made any changes to the any of the powertrains on offer, but it has reworked the car's suspension with sportier springs, stabilizer bars and bushings for sharper turn in. There are also new dampers, but the biggest change is the addition of Adaptive Variable Suspension to the options list.

Borrowed from the upcoming LC500, the system is able to instantly adjust rebound and compression based on the road surface. It has 650 possible combinations, as opposed to just 30 on the system fitted to the outgoing NX.

The updated NX is on show in Shanghai at the moment. It'll be on sale before the year is out, with prices expected to stay similar to the current car, which starts at US$36,000.

Source: Lexus

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2 comments
2 comments
Gizzy Magpie
Gawd, that's one ugly vehicle.
WarrenHarding
It's funny that they'd use Audi as an example of a great interior. I've heard nothing but bad things about the build quality of Audi interiors.