Read it on reddit: The Perception of Lexus Sales in Europe

If you drive into a grocery store parking lot here in the United States, you’re bound to see several cars with the Lexus badge on them, especially if that expanse of pavement is in an upscale part of town. Last year, you probably noticed more Lexus vehicles around you than before. That’s because in 2015, Lexus’ North American sales shot up by 12 percent to 368,000 units.

From all appearances, Lexus seems to be a success on this continent. What about across the Atlantic in Europe, though?

There’s one redditor named herper147 over in the UK who doesn’t see a whole lot of Lexus in their neck of the woods. herper147 said:

For years I stupidly thought that Lexus was an American company, simply because I never saw them very much here in the UK or in Germany where I lived for a while, we rarely see the majority of American manufacturers over here. Also after visiting the U.S I saw more in 4 weeks than I did in 4-5 years in the UK.
After looking them up and realising they are Japanese and owned by Toyota I couldn’t understand why there are not more of them here in Europe? I have driven an LS200 (think that’s right) and it really wasn’t a bad car and definitely aged well, I could see myself owning an LS250 or something similar.
Can anyone explain why Lexus is not that popular in Europe?

Or am I just wrong and they are?

Other redditors proceeded to chime in with their takes on the situation. For instance, one asserted that the German brands offer a wide range of models in multiple segments. Whereas BMW offers 1-7 series and multiple convertibles as well as a multitude of high-performance models, Lexus bottoms out at the CT, doesn’t sell a droptop to Europeans, and only makes two F models.

Another reddit contributor brought up the fact that Lexus dealerships “across the pond” don’t carry diesel models or wagons. Europeans do love their oil-burners. However, if you look at the Lexus of Europe page, you’ll notice it offers hybrid versions of many of its vehicles. In Western Europe, Lexus has a 45-percent piece of the premium hybrid sales pie.

Could Lexus sell more cars and crossovers in Europe? Sure. Do its German competitors pose serious threats to that necessary increase in sales because of their brand recognition, local production, and history of success? Certainly. That didn’t stop Lexus from making gains in Europe in 2015, though. According to the brand, “Sales in Europe increased 20 percent to approximately 64,000 vehicles, the most for a major market in percentage terms; including a 31 percent gain in Western Europe.”

It’s a matter of time until we find out if the upcoming LC will help give Lexus even higher numbers than those.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

via [reddit] and [Lexus USA Pressroom]

photo credit [Lexus of Europe]

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Derek also contributes to other outlets. He started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to get even more automotive content out to fellow enthusiasts.

He can be reached at autoeditors@internetbrands.com.

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