Lexus To Launch Small SUV Below RX

by Derek Kreindler

April 5th, 2013 11:38 AM

Lexus will launch a RAV4-based small crossover, intended to compete against the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Automotive News claims that the new crossover will be a hybrid and debut at the Geneva Auto Show, with a concept premiering at November’s Tokyo Auto Show.

The new crossover may not make it to North America. The compact premium SUV segment is very much a European-centric segment – for now. The success of the X1 may cause Lexus to change their minds about the new baby crossover

#Crossover #Hybrid #Lexus #LexusRX #LexusRx350 #SUV

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Genuineleather on Apr 05, 2013

This makes sense if Lexus wants to bump the RX up to full mid-size category. The GX entered the market in last place, and hasn't made a dent in ML/X5 sales. I can see Lexus more credibly selling its current customers a slightly-larger, more plush RX for $60k than the too high, too ugly, and too crude GX.

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- Kyree on Apr 06, 2013
  
  The first-gen GX was a very good idea, in part because of the good styling and in part because of the tastes of that market. But the second-gen came when truck-based SUVs of that size were past their prime, not to mention the fact that it's a caricature of the older model. Lexus hasn't even bothered to put the new spindle grille on it, and they don't really advertise it, which shows how little hope they have in it. It doesn't compete with the Acura MDX or the BMW X5 or the Audi Q7 or the Range Rover Sport or the Porsche Cayenne or any of those other semi-rugged vehicles. I suspect the only reason they still make it is because it's just a rebadged Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (a model that is sold in other markets). The other day, I actually looked up prices for them and couldn't believe how well they hold their resale value despite being so ugly and irrelevant. I don't think they should mess with the RX's mojo and push it up in size; I think they should scrap the current GX and build a new one that's on a rugged unibody platform that includes a comfortable third row. It would be way more practical than the current one, and if priced and styled right, it could end up with the same cachet as its European competitors...
  
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ExPatBrit on Apr 05, 2013

My daughter has an newish RX350 and my wife says it's too damn big. We have one of the original RX300s silversports , totally trouble free vehicle but empty-nesters like us don't need the size of the current version , a smaller RX250 (whatever) sounds great. I believe the RX range is the Lexus best seller,nothing wrong with sharing the platform with the Highlander.

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Davekaybsc on Apr 05, 2013

It's worth remembering that the RX300 and the ML320 were 180.3" and 180.6" long. The RX is now 187.8" and the M-class is now 189.1." The GLK comes in at 178.3" and the small Lexus... doesn't exist. They don't need an X1 and Q3 competitor, they need an X3 and Q5 competitor. As has already been said, the RX is too damn big. Even Volvo beat them to market with a new small entry by years. The only other guys still left out are Lincoln and Cadillac.

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- See 3 previous
- ExPatBrit on Apr 05, 2013
  
  It's 3 inches wider and 400lb heavier as well compared to the original.
  
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- Kyree on Apr 06, 2013
  
  Lincoln's got the MKC on the way. Apparently, it's Escape-based, but I don't see how that would make it much smaller than the Edge-based MKX. As for Cadillac, they might keep the current SRX, but supplement it with something smaller, nimbler and world-class, to be underpinned by the Alpha platform... Acura is also left out, now that the RDX has grown very close to the outgoing MDX. And as for Infiniti, by the fact that the slow-selling EX has not been included in their new nomenclature, they obviously plan to discontinue it. And the FX competes with nothing so much as itself, so Infiniti won't have anything in that arena either...
  
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- Corntrollio on Apr 06, 2013
  
  @Kyree "And as for Infiniti, by the fact that the slow-selling EX has not been included in their new nomenclature, they obviously plan to discontinue it." It was renamed the QX50 (60 is the JX, 70 is the FX, and 80 is the QX). Although this grand renaming seems silly to me, unlike the JX's new name, the EX's makes sense within the scheme-- the EX is more comparable to the G (Q50), and is like a lifted G wagon. The FX's makes sense too since it's comparable to the M (Q70) and is like a lifted M wagon.
  
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- Kyree on Apr 06, 2013
  
  @corntrollio "The FX's makes sense too since it's comparable to the M (Q70) and is like a lifted M wagon" I thought it made sense too; I'm not sure why everyone is complaining that the FX will have a larger number, when it's smaller than the JX. And thanks for the clarification about the EX.
  
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Bd2 on Apr 05, 2013

Since when are the X3 and GLK not compact CUVs? The X1 is more of a subcompact CUV. The new RAV-4 based Lexus CUV would be a compact CUV, but since it is FWD-based would be competing with the subcompact CUVs on price, just as the midsize RX competes against the X3 on price and not the midsize X5.

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- Kyree on Apr 06, 2013
  
  See, that's what I'd thought. I'd also consider the Q5, EX37 and the old RDX to be compact. And I don't know how the MINI Cooper Countryman/Paceman, Fiat 500X and Subaru CrossTrtek qualify as anything other than overpriced hatchbacks, to be honest with you...
  
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