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or antiquated BOF chassis - but their target buyers don't seem to care or even know the difference.
The body on frame SUVs from Toyota and Lexus have some of the highest satisfaction ratings among owners who buy the brand. This is based on Toyotas research an not the Consumer Reports biased reports. I doubt Toyota is going to abandon body on frame.
From a strict, literal interpretation of the meaning of the word "coupe" (2-door) I would agree with you. But, in practicality, the Mercedes CLS, VW CC, and similar designs effectively function as 4-door coupes. And, to a lesser extent, did the now-discontinued Mazda RX-8 and its two small half-rear doors.
The body on frame SUVs from Toyota and Lexus have some of the highest satisfaction ratings among owners who buy the brand. This is based on Toyotas research and the not the Consumer Reports biased reports. I doubt Toyota is going to abandon body on frame.
The basic problem with the Land Cruiser and LX is that, while they are indeed excellent vehicles (I certainly agree with you there), they are simply too expensive. Relatively few buyers can afford them, and, at least here in the D.C. area where I live, most of the ones that can afford them seem to be going with the less-reliable Range Rover instead. Land Rover dealers in my area currently can't keep up with demand.
From a strict, literal interpretation of the meaning of the word "coupe" (2-door) I would agree with you. But, in practicality, the Mercedes CLS, VW CC, and similar designs effectively function as 4-door coupes. And, to a lesser extent, did the now-discontinued Mazda RX-8 and its two small half-rear doors.
These so called 4 door coupes are very niche vehicles. They have merit for what they are, but I wish they weren't called coupes, because someone who is shopping for a coupe is hardly going to consider them. That being said, once again the line between different types of vehicles is very fine these days. Take for instance a BMW 3 series and look how many vehicles they have that are based on it - sedan (3 series) , coupe (4 series), 4 door coupe (4 door 4 series) , GT (3 series with hump back), suv (x3), suv 4 door coupe (x4), and the wagon version in Europe. All these vehicles share very similar driving dynamics and lease rates aren't very far apart.
The basic problem with the Land Cruiser and LX is that, while they are indeed excellent vehicles (I certainly agree with you there), they are simply too expensive. Relatively few buyers can afford them, and, at least here in the D.C. area where I live, most of the ones that can afford them seem to be going with the less-reliable Range Rover instead. Land Rover dealers in my area currently can't keep up with demand.
They are simply too antiquated to be competitive with RR or any other premium modern SUVs. Most people lease these days, so reliability is a moot point. They may be great for someone who lives in the boonies and needs offroad and towing capabilities, but they are utterly lousy for urban drivers.
Lexus isn't moving away from sedans at all. They have not discontinued one. They have added the NX, RC, and LC. I'd say they are filling out their line-up to match market trends. Smaller crossovers are hot, so they need those to stay high. The rest, especially the ES and IS, will continue to move fine.
Lexus isn't moving away from sedans at all. They have not discontinued one.
Well, they discontinued the HX sedan, but that was several years ago.
There are some rumors that the GS may not be around much longer, but I have not yet seen anything I would consider credible enough to post. That's something that I should have asked the Lexus reps there at the D.C. auto show, but I had a million things on my mind there, and just forgot.
To the point.
The average height has increased a little from 5'9" to 5'10", while weight has increased considerably.
Overpopulation reduces land size blocks.
Family sizes are smaller, yet Gen Y children are staying home with their parents longer, thus the increase in internal square feet area as the internal sizes of homes are bigger than ever.
Smaller land size combined with larger homes means "vertical" living via two storey buildings, and even high rise buildings in the inner city.
Ditto motor vehicles.
Here, the slightly taller, but considerably heavier [obese] human body frame preferences a larger motor vehicle.
However limitations in road space no longer prefers the big long wide sedans of the 1970's, but rather the shorter, narrower, yet much taller SUV's of today.
Crossovers are sedan-based, while SUV's are truck ladder-type chassis based, but commoners keep using the term SUV in place of the correct term crossovers - so we just accept that...
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I would say there are a few cross overs that qualify as a good solid SUV. The Mercedes SUVs such as the ML and GL class are solid SUVs and are closer to a body frame type SUV than they are to a sedan based crossover, would you agree? . Crossovers like the RX, NX, Highlander and others such as a Q5 or Q7 are just tall station wagons. A RAV4 as capable as a Toyota 4Runner? No chance.
There are some rumors that the GS may not be around much longer, but I have not yet seen anything I would consider credible enough to post. That's something that I should have asked the Lexus reps there at the D.C. auto show, but I had a million things on my mind there, and just forgot.
They absolutely would not have told you anything of substance even if you did ask them.
They are simply too antiquated to be competitive with RR or any other premium modern SUVs. Most people lease these days, so reliability is a moot point. They may be great for someone who lives in the boonies and needs offroad and towing capabilities, but they are utterly lousy for urban drivers.
Not true at all. The Land Cruiser and the Lx vs RR have their own niche market and buyers. The LC and LX serve the Toyota customer very very well. Same with 4Runner and GX. Range Rover on the other hand serves their target market extremely well. As for the use of the vehicles, Toyota body on frame SUVs are excellent for a variety of uses, either in the city, on the highway, towing a boat, hauling 5-7 people, heading to the ski hill or country home. You can't go wrong with Toyota body on frame SUVs. As for the cross overs, the Toyota cross overs are good for the city slickers, light snow, occasion travel with 5 adults etc etc.
Not true at all. The Land Cruiser and the Lx vs RR have their own niche market and buyers. The LC and LX serve the Toyota customer very very well. Same with 4Runner and GX. Range Rover on the other hand serves their target market extremely well. As for the use of the vehicles, Toyota body on frame SUVs are excellent for a variety of uses, either in the city, on the highway, towing a boat, hauling 5-7 people, heading to the ski hill or country home. You can't go wrong with Toyota body on frame SUVs. As for the cross overs, the Toyota cross overs are good for the city slickers, light snow, occasion travel with 5 adults etc etc.
LC, LX and GX serve a very small niche of customers. They have absolutely no answer for properly premium crossovers from RR, MB, BMW, Porsche and Audi.
Lexus isn't moving away from sedans at all. They have not discontinued one. They have added the NX, RC, and LC. I'd say they are filling out their line-up to match market trends. Smaller crossovers are hot, so they need those to stay high. The rest, especially the ES and IS, will continue to move fine.
Perhaps its not Lexus moving away from sedans, but consumers are moving away from sedans.
LC, LX and GX serve a very small niche of customers. They have absolutely no answer for properly premium crossovers from RR, MB, BMW, Porsche and Audi.
Not true at all. LC, LX, and GX all sells about 2500 a month. That is not a niche. Add in Toyota 4RUNNER and the Sequoia and you are looking at about 15k plus in Toyota body on frame sales per month. What you are not understanding is that the SUVs from Porsche and Audi sell to "their" brand while the Lexus and Toyota SUVs sell to "their" brand. None of the Lexus SUVs compete with Porsche, and why would they want that? That is not the Lexus SUVs brand. As for MB, Audi, again those brands sell to "their" customers. A Toyota body on frame SUV is not for everyone, but at the same time a RR SUV is not for everyone either.
02-04-17, 10:42 AM
