Will Lexus make a small suv BMW X3 competitor? Or maybe a hopped up sport wagon like the Sportcross but more, uh, butch?

There seems to be a couple other luxury small suv competitors out there: the upcoming Acura RDX, the updated Freelander, and the coming Mercedes X-Class. It seems Lexus is willing to cede this niche to the others.

 

Lexus was the first to introduce an entry level small luxury SUV. It's called the RX 330. The midsize SUV is the GX 470 and the fullsize SUV is the LX 470. If Lexus decides to build another SUV using the RAV4 platform and the new 3.5L V6 logically it could be called the IX 350 or EX 350. It would be interesting to see if Lexus does decide to build one. If they market it correctly I think it would be a huge success. Lexus does and will dominate the luxury SUV market.

BMW SUV's
X3
X5

Mercedes SUV's
M-Class
G-Class

Lexus SUV's
IX 350 or EX350 (maybe)
RX 350
GX 470
LX 470

 

Yes and no. Lexus did introduce an RX-330 sized SUV before BMW but there were other small car-based SUV's before that from other manufacturers.....notably the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Forester.

The most obvious platform for Lexus to use, should it choose to do an X3-fighter, would be that of the new RAV4. Unlike the previous RAV4, it was designed for a V6...almost mandatory in any Lexus product.

 

Sadly for BMW, the RX330 is already that "fighter". BMW is the one that showed up late. The X3 is junk, however, in comparison even at a similar cost.

We don't want Lexus making something smaller than the RX to cheapen the brand.
Toyota has plenty of SUV's to satisfy that market.

xsfo, I don't understand what your looking for.

RX = small
GX = medium
LX = large

No other luxury nameplate has a complete SUV line like LEXUS.
(not counting Range Rover)

 

I think what everyone is missing the fact that the RX330 has GROWN since the the first generation. And now, it does not technically fit in the SMALL suv segment. Whether or not Lexus considers it small is NOT the point. So while the X3 might have been a response to the RX300 (I doubt it, different target market), the RX has moved on the bigger things. That leaves a niche unfilled. Not everyone wants a bigger vehicle.

A small suv, from what I've seen, is something that's about 180" in length or smaller.
The original RX300 was 180"
The BMW X3 is 180"
The Acura RDX is speculated to be around 181.5"
The MB X-Class is speculated to be around 178" (around 4500mm long it's been said)
The current Freelander is 175"
The future Freelander is probably going to be about 180"

The current RX330 is 186.1"

You may think that 6 inches or so isn't that much, but keep in mind that's only 2 inches shorter than the GX470. So the RX is closer in length to a medium sized suv than a small suv.

Finally, the current RX does not compete with the X3, RDX, or X-Class. They are smaller, more entry level and supposedly more sporty than the RX.

 

Personally, I don't want another SUV model from Lexus, particularly a down market one. They should concentrate their effort & resources on more sedan & coupe variations, & more performance oriented models.

 

I hope this never happens.

 

I hope Lexus does not go downmarket to this level until it has expanded the upper market considerably. The X3 fighter would cut into the RX's sales, plus the X3 is kinda ugly.

And, look at Mercedes and BMW and their below entry-level misfires. It cheapens the brand. Lexus is highly regarded but to move even higher, it better not pull an Acura (CSX anyone?) or further rebadges. It should go upmarket. I'm sure that if Lexus did a X3 fighter it would be better in virtually every dimension than the competition, but right now doesn't seem the best time.

 

There is a potential market for an X3 fighter, though...especially the current-generation X3. Not only is the X3, like most recent BMW's, unreliable, but it has also been criticized for an excessively stiff ride.....even by organizations like CAR and DRIVER and ROAD and TRACK that like firm rides and sportiness.

Amethy, though, brings up the valid question if the research and development money would not be better off in sedans and coupes rather than in a new, smaller SUV. Perhaps. In fact, that would be an interesting subject for a new thread.

 

I could have sworn I read somewhere that the x3 was going to be cut out of production within the next year or so b/c of slow sales anyways

 

Lexus' best selling model is already an SUV. The last thing they need is a fourth model.
They'll start looking to much like an SUV brand.

I agree they need to build another coupe and a very upmarket sedan first.

$100,000 sedan would finally tell the world where Lexus stands in the premium market.

 

I've seen maybe 2 X3's since it was released, and I live in a MAJOR BMW town, with one of IL's biggest BMW dealers right across the street from me. I don't think there's much market for it. You can load up an X3 to be a nice vehicle, and then there isn't much price difference between the X3 and the X5.

 

I agree totally

First, Lexus needs to get into the high performance game here.
2nd, no need to downgrade. My gripe about the ugly X3 is the unpainted front and back bumper Yes, it was brought up that they were unpainted for offroad purposes so it won't get scratch (just like the honda element's bumper), but why would anyone pay a hefty tag for a car

 

Now THAT I want to see...the 'Super-LS'...or will it be a special edition version of the LS 600hL?