Lexus' Best-Selling SUV Is Getting More Than A Simple Facelift
The Lexus RX has been convincing premium buyers that going hybrid is no bad thing for ages now, and the current fifth-generation model, launched in 2022, has earned the crown of the best-selling Lexus in the U.S. Four years after this ALA10/ALH10 model arrived, Lexus is preparing to update the midsize crossover SUV for the 2028 model year, and though these spy shots, captured near the Nürburgring, may appear to show minimal changes, the updates will be more than skin-deep, with significant changes to the interior that will bring the RX's cabin in line with that of the ES sedan and TZ three-row.
2027 Lexus RX Spied with Subtly Updated Front End
In all honesty, telling the 2028 Lexus RX apart from the current model won't be easy. This prototype's only camouflage is on the front bumper, and with no apparent changes to the headlights and no major updates to the fascia, the facelift won't grab attention. As far as we can tell, the only element of the front end that has been revised is the border of the central spindle grille, which appears to be clearly delineated; the 2026 RX's grille nodes bleed into the bumper, while this 2028 RX seems to have a solid surround for the grille. Elsewhere, the lower side intakes appear to be of the same shape, the wing mirrors are the same, and the taillights and rear bumper look the same. As Lexus' best-seller, it makes sense not to fix what isn't broken, and we expect little to change in the powertrain department, but that mindset will change in the cabin, where a more futuristic look and feel will come to the RZ next year.
2027 Lexus RZ Interior Is the Only Major Update
According to our spies (who haven't yet snapped interior imagery), the new RZ will "undergo considerable changes" in the cabin, with its infotainment interface losing the touchpoints buyers have become accustomed to. While the existing RX has ditched the frustrating trackpad of old in favor of a touchscreen (9.8 inches as standard, 14 inches available), Lexus is updating the user experience again, bringing the cabin in line with newer releases like the TZ three-row EV, which debuted this month. That means the rotary knobs on the touchscreen will likely disappear, with climate control functions moving to haptic pads on the area of the dash just below the display. Fortunately, there's still a physical scroller for controlling volume in the recess beneath the screen of the TZ (which shares its underpinnings with the Toyota Highlander EV), and this will be the case for the new RX too. We'll have to wait a while to see exactly what Lexus has planned, as the mid-cycle refresh is only expected to debut sometime next year, potentially arriving as a 2028 model.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 4:45 PM.