Predictions on the '16+ RX?
Pole Position
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,838
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From: GA
Doug, they are definitely shopping for a younger audience (I think in addition to the one they already have). At 71 now, I'm excited about the 4RX and in about a year will be putting it at the top of my probable list. I've not seen anything yet I didn't like and a lot I do like (that's new). It's time for a new look and I think by adding younger owners the RX will even more so lock in the #1 car Lexus sells. Now that's just my opinion but one of my retirements is from 20 years in the car business so there's a bit of experience involved. And I could be wrong but ...
Bitkihuna, you state "the RX has always played to a loyal and fairly unique audience." I agree. If we subscribe to this proposition, it would seem Lexus may have just gone shopping for a new audience for the RX. An interesting and bold decision. I hope it works well for them and who knows, perhaps I will someday come to like or at least accept the new gaping grill.
I really wish I knew what they were thinking. I don't mind the look/shape of the spindle grill design, it is really more the size that turns me off. They look too muck like copycats of the new Audi design, which has to be about the ugliest thing on this planet. I wonder if Lexus vehicles are having overheating problems because it sure looks like they want to scoop up more air as they move down the road.
I really wish I knew what they were thinking. I don't mind the look/shape of the spindle grill design, it is really more the size that turns me off. They look too muck like copycats of the new Audi design, which has to be about the ugliest thing on this planet. I wonder if Lexus vehicles are having overheating problems because it sure looks like they want to scoop up more air as they move down the road.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 811
Likes: 8
From: CA
Doug, they are definitely shopping for a younger audience (I think in addition to the one they already have). At 71 now, I'm excited about the 4RX and in about a year will be putting it at the top of my probable list. I've not seen anything yet I didn't like and a lot I do like (that's new). It's time for a new look and I think by adding younger owners the RX will even more so lock in the #1 car Lexus sells. Now that's just my opinion but one of my retirements is from 20 years in the car business so there's a bit of experience involved. And I could be wrong but ...
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: OH
I just traded in my 3RX for an NX. Joe traded in his 3RX for an NX, and there are many others. I was going to wait for the 4RX but after hearing the 4RX was going to be larger and more expensive I went with the NX. It's really because I was ready to downsize. So is my switch a trend or a small event, that is the question, who knows. I wonder if the 65K buyer will really want such a radical design. I think they are more inclined to have their Luxury in more subtle designs. I'm guessing your going to see a lowering of overall RX sales but not a lot. But the days of 100k/yr sales are a thing of the past.
We had 3 RXs, so just kind of tired of it at the moment, so this should spice things up a bit.
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 571
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From: California
Count me in as someone who just traded. Was hoping that 4 RX would hit the dealership sooner, but since it it not until later in a year, decided to pick up NX F-Sport and wait out for a few years. I'm sure I'll be back in th RX, but for now, I will enjoy the NX, which is an awesome machine.
We had 3 RXs, so just kind of tired of it at the moment, so this should spice things up a bit.
We had 3 RXs, so just kind of tired of it at the moment, so this should spice things up a bit.
Pole Position
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 280
Likes: 2
From: CO
It will sell significantly better than the current model.
The NX will certainly cannibalize lower end RX sales, this new RX will likely be more expensive. The 4RX though will attract upper end buyers that the current car doesn't attract. That $65k buyer, the 3RX is not nearly well appointed enough to compete with the X5s and Range Rover Sports of the world, but this RX is.
The NX will certainly cannibalize lower end RX sales, this new RX will likely be more expensive. The 4RX though will attract upper end buyers that the current car doesn't attract. That $65k buyer, the 3RX is not nearly well appointed enough to compete with the X5s and Range Rover Sports of the world, but this RX is.
The question is whether people will still buy it at that price. It is possible that we will see something like what Porsche did when the Macan came out. Before the Macan, the base price of the Cayenne was $49K. As soon as the Macan was released, a very light refresh of the Cayenne brought with it a base price of $58K. I understand the need to separate the two cars, but the Macan was too small for me, and the new price of Cayenne suddenly took it out of my price range with even basic options added in.
If Lexus goes this route, the 4RX needs to have significant gains in performance to make the increased price justifiable, especially given the competition from BMW and Audi. But performance has never been a priority of the RX, and like others have said, doing so may push traditional Lexus buyers elsewhere.
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: CA
I think the jury it's still out on this one. If you would have asked these questions about the 3RX, I would have said that it will sell very well, no worries at all.
But 4RX, boy, this is VERY different. It's definitely a hard steer towards Germanic design, both out and inside.
The exterior is definitely overdone and like any overdone exterior, it will not age well. My bet is that they will tone it down asap, maybe in as little as 1 yr. I'm not debating if it's good or bad design, but for sure it's striking, and I don't know if RX target market likes shocking.
The interior seems to me a huge improvement over 3RX. But it also seems already old, at least a generation behind Q7 and half a gen behind the X5.
Engine, dynamics, not of interest to the average RX owners, so no worries there.
The biggest thing will be the price. For sure it will go up. How much, we'll see, but I hope they won't fall into the Cady trap of matching the German price. Look what happened, the discounts are over $10k for CTS. For better or worse, most of the ppl given the choice between an X5/Q7 and an RX will choose one of za Germanz.
But 4RX, boy, this is VERY different. It's definitely a hard steer towards Germanic design, both out and inside.
The exterior is definitely overdone and like any overdone exterior, it will not age well. My bet is that they will tone it down asap, maybe in as little as 1 yr. I'm not debating if it's good or bad design, but for sure it's striking, and I don't know if RX target market likes shocking.
The interior seems to me a huge improvement over 3RX. But it also seems already old, at least a generation behind Q7 and half a gen behind the X5.
Engine, dynamics, not of interest to the average RX owners, so no worries there.
The biggest thing will be the price. For sure it will go up. How much, we'll see, but I hope they won't fall into the Cady trap of matching the German price. Look what happened, the discounts are over $10k for CTS. For better or worse, most of the ppl given the choice between an X5/Q7 and an RX will choose one of za Germanz.
Pole Position
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 280
Likes: 2
From: CO
I think it will sell well, at least initially. But like others have said, the looks may not age well. Some have cited that going from the 3GS to the 4GS was a "huge change" too. But the current GS doesn't look as garish as the 4RX.
Lexus runs the risk of another image crisis with the RX....similar to what happened with the 3RX F sport, which was criticized for having the poor ride quality of a "sports crossover" without any of the performance measures to make it all worth it. I would agree. at 270HP and measly torque, the suspension was too firm, and car was too heavy and slow, and handling wasn't nearly comparable to the X3/X5 and Q5. Many were left asking Lexus what the point of the RX F sport was because of this (and it routinely lost all the head to head comparisons with other manufacturers, including Mercedes, audi, BMW, Acura, and even (gasp) the infiniti Q60!!!).
I hope Lexus better defined what the RX is supposed to be. my prediction is that sales will decline considerably in the longer term. Coupled with the overdone styling, older, more traditional buyers will look elsewhere if the base RX isn't a luxurious people hauler, and fewer young males will buy the RX F sport unless it can compete with the germans on the performance front.
Lexus runs the risk of another image crisis with the RX....similar to what happened with the 3RX F sport, which was criticized for having the poor ride quality of a "sports crossover" without any of the performance measures to make it all worth it. I would agree. at 270HP and measly torque, the suspension was too firm, and car was too heavy and slow, and handling wasn't nearly comparable to the X3/X5 and Q5. Many were left asking Lexus what the point of the RX F sport was because of this (and it routinely lost all the head to head comparisons with other manufacturers, including Mercedes, audi, BMW, Acura, and even (gasp) the infiniti Q60!!!).
I hope Lexus better defined what the RX is supposed to be. my prediction is that sales will decline considerably in the longer term. Coupled with the overdone styling, older, more traditional buyers will look elsewhere if the base RX isn't a luxurious people hauler, and fewer young males will buy the RX F sport unless it can compete with the germans on the performance front.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,238
Likes: 274
I think it will sell well, at least initially. But like others have said, the looks may not age well. Some have cited that going from the 3GS to the 4GS was a "huge change" too. But the current GS doesn't look as garish as the 4RX.
Lexus runs the risk of another image crisis with the RX....similar to what happened with the 3RX F sport, which was criticized for having the poor ride quality of a "sports crossover" without any of the performance measures to make it all worth it. I would agree. at 270HP and measly torque, the suspension was too firm, and car was too heavy and slow, and handling wasn't nearly comparable to the X3/X5 and Q5. Many were left asking Lexus what the point of the RX F sport was because of this (and it routinely lost all the head to head comparisons with other manufacturers, including Mercedes, audi, BMW, Acura, and even (gasp) the infiniti Q60!!!).
I hope Lexus better defined what the RX is supposed to be. my prediction is that sales will decline considerably in the longer term. Coupled with the overdone styling, older, more traditional buyers will look elsewhere if the base RX isn't a luxurious people hauler, and fewer young males will buy the RX F sport unless it can compete with the germans on the performance front.
Lexus runs the risk of another image crisis with the RX....similar to what happened with the 3RX F sport, which was criticized for having the poor ride quality of a "sports crossover" without any of the performance measures to make it all worth it. I would agree. at 270HP and measly torque, the suspension was too firm, and car was too heavy and slow, and handling wasn't nearly comparable to the X3/X5 and Q5. Many were left asking Lexus what the point of the RX F sport was because of this (and it routinely lost all the head to head comparisons with other manufacturers, including Mercedes, audi, BMW, Acura, and even (gasp) the infiniti Q60!!!).
I hope Lexus better defined what the RX is supposed to be. my prediction is that sales will decline considerably in the longer term. Coupled with the overdone styling, older, more traditional buyers will look elsewhere if the base RX isn't a luxurious people hauler, and fewer young males will buy the RX F sport unless it can compete with the germans on the performance front.
So if 3RX is selling so well, I think 4RX will sell like crazy.
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