Two New Lexus Crossovers Coming
Lexus will continue its model offensive by introducing two new crossovers this year.
Three Row Lexus RX
The first one will be a longer version of the RX, capable of seating seven passengers. Leaked trademark filings spotted by British magazine Autocar indicate the lineup will be made up of the RX350L and the RX450hL. In other words, the stretched RX will be identical to the standard-wheelbase model under the hood.
The RX L will fill the void that separates the RX and the body-on-frame GX in the Lexus lineup. Its main rivals will be the Volvo XC90 and, to a lesser extent, the Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken has confirmed that the brand is readying a three-row version of the RX with plans to have it in the clutches of salivating dealers by late 2017 or early 2018.
Chances are, the new model will wear RX 350L badges in gas-powered guise and carry the RX 450hL moniker in hybrid form. As AN points out, these names were registered as trademarks earlier this month. That indicates we’ll see both standard V6 and optional hybrid-powered versions of the three-row RX. Not only will the extended RX keep the same nomenclature, it’ll also look pretty much the same as its five-seat siblings. According to Bracken, “We put so much energy into the styling you see now that we didn’t want to compromise even with the third row.”
A three-row crossover gives Lexus a formidable weapon in the luxury crossover world, where its RX is already the dominant nameplate. U.S. sales of the RX have passed the 100,000 mark in each of the past three years, and low gas prices have consumers eagerly ditching sedans for crossovers of all stripes.
Midsize crossovers with three rows of seats are also relatively rare among luxury brands — think Acura’s MDX, Infiniti’s QX60 or Volvo’s XC90. BMW, Mercedes and Audi are all absent from the niche. The three-row RX will be offered in both V-6 and hybrid powertrains, like the two-row version on sale now.
Pricing details aren’t yet available, but the current two-row RX starts at $42,850, including shipping.
UX Concept Comes to Life
Lexus’ second new crossover is expected to be a toned-down version of the UX Concept introduced last year during the Paris Auto Show. The UX will replace the aging CT hatchback as the company’s entry-level model. A direct replacement for the CT isn’t currently in the works because compact car sales are dropping all over the world.
Armed with only one rear-three-quarter image of the concept, we can conclude that the little Lexus keeps moving the brand’s design language forward. Big wheels and flared fenders provide an attractive stance, while the UX’s interesting taillights stretch across the width of the vehicle and rise into the rear fenders.
Lexus’s trademarks suggest that the production UX will offer three powertrains: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and a hybrid electric powertrain.
It’s all excitement here at Lexus of Highland Park! We can’t wait to see these new models on our floor.
