That might be one of the reason why the project havent gotten the OK from the higher up yet. Lexus cannot use the RAV4's platform, they need to develop something like a extended version of the IS's platform. I think its a great idea, my wife almost bought a 2010 RX350, but she said it was too big to drive around and too minivan like. Lexus need to make a SUV for empty nesters and the parents with kids off to college type.

 

I actually like the premium smaller SUV category consisting of GLK, X3 (once it's redone), Q5. But sales historically have been weak in this category so I understand the footdragging at Lexus on one of these.

 

LF X was basically a GS wagon, I think.

 

The project never even got an okay as it never was seriously entertained. Lexus said themselves two years ago, the cute ute market is not a big market looking at sales. The RX outsells the ENTIRE cute ute market TOGETHER. Why would they want to enter it?

 

The problem is more than it seems.
1. Media bias. I didn't see the media congratulating Lexus and asking "what worked"? when the IS 300 had the lowest age of any luxury car buyer, 29. Instead the media said it wasn't a Lexus and needed to mature (though they loved how it drove). Let us all not forget the IS 300 was THE first Japanese RWD, I-6 3 series fighter. Sadly, everyone HAS forgotten.

2. Lexus "image" problem stems from no cool cars outside the IS-F. No poster cars. Some youth love Lexus but for the most part, its the usual Corvette, AMG, M, Porsche on walls.

3. The other image problem is no matter what the IS/GS does, they are simply outsold and not thought of when you think Lexus. You think "Lexus" you think ES/RX/LS. All 3 sell great, are near or tops in class but that doesn't matter to young people. They are simply not "entertaining".

4. Its not like Lexus average age is 89 years old. People are living longer.

An old Lexus VP said it best. Lexus knows it has to make sportier and more products to attract youth BUT they cannot abandon the loyal customers that got them to this point.

 

I've seen this notion suggested before, but I don't buy the idea that the RX is a so-called "feminine" vehicle......or just for mothers with kids. I'm a single male, and, if I myself was to spend 40K on a new car (35-40K would probably be my limit), an RX350 would be in my Top 5 considerations....along with several Subarus, of course.

However, you're not entirely wrong if you say that the RX does indeed appeal to a fair number of women. Where I live (Washington, D.C. suburbs), I probably see more women than men driving it.

 

The first RX had a 55% to 45% women to man ratio. Lexus wanted to address this and made the 2RX sportier driving, looking and more masculine looking.

The 2RX jumped to a 60% to 40% women to man ratio

So its not like Lexus hasn't tried but again they do NOT want to alienate core customers. Do you want Lexus to make the RX a FX, be somewhat "cool" on the internet b/c "oh its manly" and sell like H1N1?

Lexus is a business.

 

60-40 is still not a huge, overwhelming woman-to-man ratio. You will (probably) find more than that in the VW Beetle and EOS convertibles.


I, for one, certainly don't want to see an overly-sporty, FX-type RX. For the most part, the Rx is superb just the way it is.


As you say, Lexus is a buisness......and I don't think the RX would sell in the numbers it does now, if it had testosterone-styling and a stiff ride like the FX.

 

EXACTLY.

Image is a BIG problem. When young people think Lexus, they think boring cars with a floaty "boat" ride and with some older person behind the wheel.

I love how the media NEVER points out that Mercedes has a HIGHER average owner age than Lexus does. The average age of Lexus owners I believe is 56, but for Mercedes it is over 60 (around 63)!

Despite this rarely-mentioned FACT, Mercedes is seen as "cool" among young people, like you said with the AMG posters on their walls.

There is also the fact that the current 2IS has one of the lowest average owner/buyer ages in the industry.

Even BMW; their average owner age is just a few years younger than Lexus, yet BMW is seen as a much cooler brand than Lexus, once again thanks to the M cars.

The Lexus F cars will do for Lexus what AMG and M have done for Mercedes and BMW. It will attract younger buyers, and make the brand more cool amoung younger people, while at the same time keeping older loyal customers and not alienating them.

 

After reading the OP again, it dawned on me that all these numbers are different (and unbelievable) simply because they're talking about two different statistics. Median and average are two different things. The original post talks about both as if they were the same. They first talk about Lexus. Then, the average age of Lexus buyers. Then median age of Lexus buyers. To confuse things further, they talk about average AND median age buyers of different Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, and Buick models. No wonder these articles are so controversial.

High school lesson;

Median= 50% younger, 50% older. (example: median age of 49 means; half the buyers are younger than 49 and half are older than 49.)

Average= The total age of all buyers divided by the total number of buyers. (29, 51, 72) means the average buyer is 29+51+72=152/3= 51 Have we forgotten our basic mathematics or am I the only one that caught that in the OP?

 

Indeed, they are not the same. While the OP mentions both, each stat that is given is done deliberately, and correctly identified as either MEAN/MEDIAN, and each is done to make a point in response to the cited and quoted articles. The numbers given in the OP talk about:
1) Power MEAN age
2) CNWR MEAN MB age; 3) CNWR MEDIAN age
4) AutoPacific MEDIAN age

And then:
5) IS MEAN age, 6) ES MEAN age.

That's what's available based on quite a bit of searching. A lot of us, self included, are well aware of MEAN (mathematical average), MEDIAN (central number in an ordered list), and MODE (most frequently appearing number). However, the article whose quotes lead off this thread, states:

"Lexus made its name with baby boomers. They're aging, and the average age of Lexus owners is increasing with them. [...] The median age of a Lexus owner is 56, according to data from consultant AutoPacific. That's more than a decade younger than Buick, but years older than the median BMW, Infiniti or Audi buyer."

It talks about average age (MEAN) and then sites a stat (MEDIAN). Looking at the article, that is the only age stat it cites. Using the actual MEAN age stats, as provided in the OP via Power, the difference is approximately 5 years between brands--undermining the point of the article (a 'decade' difference than other BMW, others--not true). Moreover, the individual model MEAN ages are given to prove another point--"the IS sport sedan, but they haven't been able to penetrate younger buyers" is UNTRUE (lowest MEAN age in class). Also C&D's "the brand’s average buyer age is 61" is UNTRUE (the MEAN of 61 applies to ES only). In the latter's case, they completely misread the stat; the former, competely ignored the model MEAN number.

Overall, I feel that the MEAN age is more significant, but the article which mentions 'average age' does not provide that figure, only MEDIAN age info. MEDIAN age info can also be a useful tool, but by no means is it to be confused with the MEAN.

So in answer to your post, no, they are not one and the same, each piece of statistical data is identified as such. However these are the two measures of central tendency that are publicly available on the subject, and both have been used--but again they are not the same. And in summary, many of us haven't forgotten HS-level stats; and having plotted MEAN/MEDIAN relationships in college, the difference is crystal clear. But a number of so-called automotive journalists at Detroit and C&D cannot be trusted to accurately convey such data.

 

^^A lot to read, there. I understand the statistics in the OP have different meanings. It just appeared that no one else in this thread did. I was just pointing it out.

 

In the northeast, even the GS and the IS is driven most by senior citizens. I am not sure what Lexus can do to change that image.

 

Ouch.. Maybe I need to get rid of the black sofa in my garage Seniors want to be in a vehicle that is comfortable & not hard on the brittle bones..

 

Make them cheaper, haha. I am 23....I cannot afford a Lexus. But then I can't afford a Kia either. But I would gladly drive the GS450h at any age.

But seriously, the IS300 appealed to alot of people, especially me. I always thought it looked like a rally machine, even if it didnt drive like one....at all. Thats why it didnt surprise me to see my bro go from an Impreza to an IS300. Compared that to the second gen. IS, which looks more luxury car, more formal, less sporty. The element of sport is still there, but for me it doesnt naturally exude a gruff, athletic demeanor.