- An RX prototype reveals the SUV will include an updated front fascia.
- Found in the cabin will be a new infotainment screen similar to the TZ.
- It’s unlikely that any significant powertrain modifications will be made.
Four years on from the fifth-generation Lexus RX’s debut, the timing is about right for a mid-cycle refresh. The latest spy shots confirm Lexus is doing exactly that, though you would be forgiven for missing the changes on a first pass. They are very subtle.
A white prototype of the mid-size SUV was caught testing at the Nurburgring and on the roads around it. The telling detail is the camouflage, or rather where it isn’t. Only the front fascia wears any disguise. Everything behind it sits fully exposed.
Read: 2025 Lexus RX Gains New F Sport Design Trim And Black Line Special Edition
It’s clear that the camo applied across the front is obscuring an updated grille. It’s hard to know exactly what will differentiate the grille of this updated model from the outgoing RX, but the pattern might be slightly different. In addition, the lower portion of the bumper may be tweaked slightly, and the air intakes may also be refreshed.
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Curiously, the headlights of the current RX have been retained on this tester, although it’s possible they too will be tweaked by the time the refreshed model hits the market. Similarly, there’s a chance alterations will be made to the taillights and rear bumper, even though they’re not present on this example.
Cabin Changes
More significant changes will likely be made in the cabin. Whereas the current RX has a central infotainment screen stylishly integrated into the dashboard and connected to the instrument cluster, photos snapped through the windshield of this prototype show it will have a simpler, free-standing infotainment screen, similar to what’s found in the new ES and the larger TZ.
We expect to see other elements shared with the TZ. For example, there could be a scroll wheel for volume control directly below the screen, as well as touch-sensitive surfaces incorporated into the dash for temperature adjustment. A new steering wheel and digital instrument cluster can also be expected.
Don’t expect the mechanical side to change much. The current lineup almost certainly survives intact, which means the 2.4-liter four-cylinder stays, good for 275 hp and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) in standard form and as much as 366 hp and 340 lb-ft (461 Nm) in the RX 500h F Sport. The hybrid RX 350h and plug-in RX 450h+ should both continue as well, each built around a 2.5-liter engine.
A reveal looks likely within the next year, quite possibly badged as a 2028 model year in North America.
