2027 Lexus NX: Brand's Australian best-seller getting major interior makeover

The 2027 Lexus NX has been teased ahead of its reveal tomorrow (Tuesday, September 1), and the upgraded mid-size luxury SUV is set to get a dramatically overhauled interior inspired by newer models from the Japanese premium brand such as the latest ES and the new TZ.

Lexus has released two short teaser videos – one of the exterior and one of the interior. Little can be gleaned from the exterior clip, apart from what appear to be new headlight graphics, but previous spy photos have indicated the updated NX is likely to have only minor changes front and rear.

The big changes are inside, where the NX adopts a more symmetrical dashboard design à la the ES and TZ with what appears to be a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, potentially running the new Arene operating system. Below this sits a row of touch-capacitive buttons with haptic feedback, along with a physical, metallic volume knob.

We can also spy a pair of USB-C outlets further down, plus a wireless phone charging pad.

There's a new steering wheel design, with the Lexus wordmark spelled out across the hub as the brand continues to reduce usage of the 'L-mark' logo it's had since its 1989 launch.

The NX appears to be getting the same unusually shaped digital instrument cluster as the ES and TZ.

The interior teaser video also shows what appears to be a new, rich red colour for the leather upholstery with a new stitching pattern.

In Japan, Lexus has already confirmed it's axing the NX350, the lone petrol-only powertrain remaining in the medium SUV's lineup.

The move will see the NX lineup reduced to the NX350h hybrid and NX450h+ plug-in hybrid (PHEV). It's possible other markets like Australia will also move to a hybrid- and PHEV-only NX lineup.

The NX450h+ could move to the newer PHEV powertrain offered in the related Toyota RAV4, which has the same total system output of 227kW but features more powerful electric motors and a larger 22.7kWh battery.

Toyota claims the RAV4 PHEV uses 0.7L/100km on the combined cycle, compared to 1.3L/100km in the NX450h+.

The NX is a critical model for Lexus Australia, having been the brand’s best-seller here since 2015. The Toyota premium brand's global best-seller, however, remains the RX.

The current-generation NX was launched here in 2022, and it has been one of the most popular models in its segment since then.

So far this year, Lexus has delivered 3357 NXs in Australia, putting it ahead of rivals such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, though the Mercedes-Benz GLC is ahead with 3941 sales if you include both its SUV and 'Coupe' body styles.

A total of 70.8 per cent of NX sales in Australia were of NX350h hybrids, with 16.8 per cent being NX350s, and 12.4 per cent being NX450h+ PHEVs.

MORE: Explore the Lexus NX showroom