All-New 2023 Lexus RX Debuts with 500h F Sport Performance Goodness
06-01-22, 08:49 PM
#211
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Their sales in their upper end cars have all but totally collapsed, I don't see how they can be a "very strong consistent top tier brand" when they don't have a competitive large luxury crossover or midsized luxury crossover, small luxury crossover which is essentially the entire luxury car industry today. Those 3 vehicles define a brand today. Their flagship luxury sedan is completely outlclassed, their moderate luxury coupe is ancient, as is their small luxury sedan. They have no midsized luxury sedan at at all. They have large BOF SUVs but they are not designed for the US market (the new LX) and ancient (the GX).
Lexus is competitive up to about $55,000, then after that they just fall off a cliff except for the LC. Just like Acura.
Like it or not, Lexus is clearly an Acura, Infiniti, Volvo, Lincoln competitor today, not a Mercedes, BMW, Audi competitor. You just have to look at the product to see that. Nobody interested in an X5 or GLE is going to look at this RX. People looking at a Volvo XC60 or an Acura RDX or MDX? Absolutely.
Lexus is competitive up to about $55,000, then after that they just fall off a cliff except for the LC. Just like Acura.
Like it or not, Lexus is clearly an Acura, Infiniti, Volvo, Lincoln competitor today, not a Mercedes, BMW, Audi competitor. You just have to look at the product to see that. Nobody interested in an X5 or GLE is going to look at this RX. People looking at a Volvo XC60 or an Acura RDX or MDX? Absolutely.
Don’t think Lexus has aspirations to take Germans head on. They have created thier own niche and it seems to serving them very well much better than other non German brands have managed to do.
06-01-22, 08:53 PM
#212
Lexus Champion
06-01-22, 09:03 PM
#213
Lexus Fanatic
Don’t think Lexus has aspirations to take Germans head on. They have created thier own niche and it seems to serving them very well much better than other non German brands have managed to do.
06-01-22, 09:21 PM
#214
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It depends on what you are comparing them to. The RX and NX are not competitive when compared to an X3 or X5 or GLC or GLE no. They are competitive when compared to an RDX or MDX or XC90 or Lincoln Nautilus or Corsair, sure.
I think thats obvious, they have basically stopped competing with the Germans (i.e. given up). Thats the whole point. They absolutely did compete with the Germans, their whole reason for existing was to compete with the Germans.
I think thats obvious, they have basically stopped competing with the Germans (i.e. given up). Thats the whole point. They absolutely did compete with the Germans, their whole reason for existing was to compete with the Germans.
I guess they probably realized they are better of competing on their own strengths than try to emulate the Germans. Just look at their recent launches with some very interesting hybrids nobody is doing that in the industry today.
06-01-22, 09:22 PM
#215
Well its not really about competing with German brands. It’s not an Eurovision Song Contest. It’s really about making a product that is in demand and will have buyers. Lexus has been doing fine with the RX and NX around the world for as long as these models existed.
Most who buy an RX actually don’t cross shop into the German camp. Just like ones who buy X5 wouldn’t consider a RX.
Most who buy an RX actually don’t cross shop into the German camp. Just like ones who buy X5 wouldn’t consider a RX.
06-01-22, 09:34 PM
#216
Lexus Champion
I don't completely agree they are just different vehicles with different priorities. Why should competing with Germans be the only yardstick of being a true luxury player.
I guess they probably realized they are better of competing on their own strengths than try to emulate the Germans. Just look at their recent launches with some very interesting hybrids nobody is doing that in the industry today.
I guess they probably realized they are better of competing on their own strengths than try to emulate the Germans. Just look at their recent launches with some very interesting hybrids nobody is doing that in the industry today.
06-01-22, 11:05 PM
#217
Lexus Test Driver
06-02-22, 12:03 AM
#218
06-02-22, 06:20 AM
#221
Lexus Fanatic
I don't completely agree they are just different vehicles with different priorities. Why should competing with Germans be the only yardstick of being a true luxury player.
I guess they probably realized they are better of competing on their own strengths than try to emulate the Germans. Just look at their recent launches with some very interesting hybrids nobody is doing that in the industry today.
I guess they probably realized they are better of competing on their own strengths than try to emulate the Germans. Just look at their recent launches with some very interesting hybrids nobody is doing that in the industry today.
Interesting hybrids…whoopie. They can make all the interesting hybrids they want but if they aren’t making well made high end luxury cars, they aren’t really a luxury carmaker. They aren’t really trying to be that anymore and for us consumers who want them to be that, it’s a shame.
06-02-22, 06:21 AM
#222
Lexus Fanatic
06-02-22, 07:39 AM
#223
Lexus Champion
Lexus may not be what it once was I do agree with you there, but to lump them in with Acura and Lincoln? That's a little extreme. IMO Lexus is a half a step behind MB, BMW.
06-02-22, 07:53 AM
#225
I think you're confusing shape to graphics. The graphics look new, the shape is very similar, for example, the shape of the 3/4 window looks really similar.
I'm glad they moved to the new architecture, but the restyle seems pretty darn conservative to me.
I'm glad they moved to the new architecture, but the restyle seems pretty darn conservative to me.