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NEWS
New RX to grow
Next year's redesigned Lexus RX could come with seven seatsLexus is considering a seven-seat version of its fourth-generation RX, which will be revealed next year and released in Australia in 2016.
The news comes from Kei-Ichi Nishiyama, the assistant chief engineer of the Lexus NX, an all-new mid-size SUV that slots in – only slightly – below the current RX.
"Three rows is under study for RX," Nishiyama-san told motoring.com.au.
"There is lots of demand [for seven seats] in the US market."
The existing RX was revealed in 2008 and went on sale here in early 2009. Unlike its most direct German SUV rivals (Audi Q7, BMW X5, etc) it remains only a five-seater.
Further highlighting this shortcoming is the fact the smaller and cheaper new NX also offers five seats, almost identical rear legroom and even more cargo space.
The addition of a third row of seats would help differentiate the RX, especially in SUV-hungry markets like Australia. It would also provide the Japanese luxury brand with its first seven-seat crossover wagon in Australia, where only the separate-chassis Toyota LandCruiser-based LX 570 offers more than five seats.
In the US, the three-row Toyota Prado is sold as the Lexus GX, which has played a significant role in the Toyota-owned luxury brand's market success in North America.
Nishiyama said that, like every model since 1998, the new RX will continue to be based on the same mid-size global Toyota group platform as the Kluger and Camry.
Lexus Australia CEO Sean Hanley said timing – or indeed seven seats – for the next RX had not been announced, but he would welcome a seven-seat version.
"A seven-seat SUV would be desirable in our market and it's something we've lobbied hard for, but it's not confirmed," he explained.
"There's no seven-seat plan at this stage but it's certainly something we'd consider and would lobby for. It sits in the sweet spot and would be very successful."
Hanley said markets including Australia have a bigger say than ever in the development of new Lexus models thanks to Lexus International, which was formed by Toyota president Akio Toyoda in 2012 to influence the design, specification, dynamics and performance of vehicles for global markets.
"Through Lexus International, all our markets now have a huge voice and that's a fundamental change in the business – allowing distributors to have a say in what's good for their market."
But Hanley admits Lexus is a long way from offering as many models as competitors like Audi, which has committed to producing a full range of premium SUVs from the all-new pint-size Q1 in 2016 to the existing Q7, and potentially beyond.
"We're not in a position yet where our model line-up covers all the segments. We're a long way from where we want to be but our goal is sustainable growth through well designed products," he politicked.
When Lexus first announced plans to produce its first compact car – based on the Toyota Prius and codenamed C-Premium – it said lack of engineering resources would put on the backburner plans for a sub-RX SUV based on the RAV4.
Now that it has released both the CT and NX – five years later in the midst of a global compact SUV boom – it could be ready to introduce another all-new model.
Lexus has ruled out a smaller model positioned below the NX, but recently trademarked the TX name, which suggests the addition of another SUV.
An all-new compact SUV based on the Yaris would provide it with a direct rival for the luxury models in the fastest-growing SUV segment.
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Written byMarton Pettendy
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