2020 Buick LaCrosse leaked

The facelifted Buick LaCrosse has surfaced online through a listing on China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, giving us a first look at the updated sedan ahead of a potential debut at the Los Angeles motor show this week.

Compared to the model currently on sale in the US and China, first revealed in 2015, the LaCrosse sports a sharper and edgier aesthetic drawing heavy inspiration from the smaller Regal – Buick's version of the Opel Insignia and Holden Commodore.

Up front there are slimmer headlights and a new grille, flanked by chrome surrounds extending underneath the headlight clusters like a Mazda 6.

New L-shaped chrome bits sit within a new front bumper, and it looks like the current model's available fog-lights are gone.

Out back, there's a new chrome strip spanning the width of the vehicle, connected to slimmer tail-light clusters. The rear bumper has also been revised with new trapezoidal-shaped tailpipe finishers. They sit within a diffuser-style insert and are no longer joined by a chrome strip.

This particular LaCrosse appears to be a top-spec Avenir variant, which would explain the lashings of chrome and big alloy wheels. Expect lesser variants to be less blingy.

No photos of the interior have been published, though it's believed changes inside will be more minor. However, the new LaCrosse should get a technology update, incorporating the company's latest infotainment system and driver-assistance technologies.

Under the refreshed skin, the LaCrosse is expected to carryover its current set of powertrains, including a mild-hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 3.6-litre V6 – the latter shared with the Australian-market Commodore.

Further details regarding the updated Buick LaCrosse are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks, potentially at the Los Angeles motor show later this week.

While the LaCrosse isn't currently offered in Australia and only built in left-hand drive, it could be a candidate to replace the current European-sourced Commodore given Opel was recently acquired by France's PSA Group (parent to Citroen and Peugeot) meaning the next-generation model won't be sourced from GM's former European division.

The LaCrosse is based on a stretched version of the Commodore/Insignia platform – a front- and all-wheel drive architecture – which also serves as the basis of the Chevrolet Malibu .

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for all the latest, and let us know what you think of the new design in the comments.

MORE: Buick LaCrosse coverage
MORE: Everything Buick