Tokyo debut for smaller Lexus SUV

Lexus says a smaller ‘NX’ crossover could be unveiled at this year’s Tokyo motor show

The mid-size luxury SUV segment -- in which the likes of Audi’s Q3/Q5 and BMW’s X1/X3 compete -- is one of burgeoning proportions both here and overseas. If the rumours are true, it’s also the segment that Lexus will join next.

The luxury Japanese manufacturer is expected to unveil its mid-size ‘NX’ crossover at the 43rd Tokyo international motor show in November. The model will sit below Lexus’ RX, which goes toe-to-toe with the likes of BMW’s X5 and Mercedes-Benz’s M-Class.

According to speculation, the newcomer will share its underpinnings with the fourth-generation (XA40) Toyota RAV4, albeit with a choice of turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and IS 300h-sourced petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains. Indeed, sources suggest the NX may share its architecture with the CT 200h hatch, which itself is a derivative of the Corolla platform on which the RAV4 is based.

Either way, spy photos of the higher-riding model cloaked in CT 200h cladding prove that Lexus is indeed working on a new model. The smaller SUV was spotted during on-road tests in Germany earlier this month. Adding further credence to the claims is that fact that Lexus last year trademarked both the NX 200t and NX 300h nameplates, lending further credibility to the engine selection listed above.

Speaking at the launch of the all-new Lexus IS this week, Lexus Australia spokesman Tyson Bowen said there are whispers at an executive level that a smaller SUV could indeed be unveiled at Tokyo motor show, but cautioned that the nameplates registered may or may not be seen on the final product.

“We [Lexus] are always registering vehicle names, and it [that process] comes out of Japan [Toyota Jidosha],” Bowen explained. “Just three weeks ago we handed three names back. They were names that were on the trademarks register and they never came to fruition. We are always covering our bases for what may be.

“In terms of the [NX] prototype that has been spotted, it’s clearly a CT body style,” he admitted. “But, we’ve had no official word from Japan as to what it is.

“Everybody has said that a compact SUV is something that we would clearly welcome. As to whether that’s NX or not, I don’t know. There were a few quotes from some executives hinting at the timing [of the NX] and it [Tokyo motor show] would make sense, if that’s what they’re planning.”

The ‘X’ portion of the naming convention relates to the vehicle’s crossover or SUV body style. The Lexus RX is an abbreviation of Recreational Crossover and LX Luxury Crossover. It’s open to speculation what the ‘N’ might stand for in the NX nameplate, much like the future of the model itself.

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