Lexus News: Lexus Still Planning A Three-Row Crossover

[William Maley]

There has been one request that Lexus dealers have been asking for the past few years.

"Third-row seating is the No. 1 issue we hear from dealers. We feel like we're missing a 35,000-units-a-year opportunity. We're working hard to rectify that," said Lexus Division chief Jeff Bracken to Automotive News. "We could bring it to market in 2016 or 2017. If we can get it, that's the priority. We won't be bothered if it steps on RX. We want it."

So how does Lexus plan on pulling this off? There appears to be two options on table. The first is making RX bigger. The current Toyota Highlander currently follows this idea with extending the body three inches to fit a third row. However, the third seat is very cramped and might not be what customers are looking for. The other is to build a new model by using either the Camry/Avalon/Highlander platform or the IS/GS platform.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[caddycruiser]

This is interesting, as being with Acura for a long while now, one of our key trump cards is the RDX and MDX. The RX is sized within a few hairs of our smaller RDX, but priced higher like the MDX. Most people compare all 3, then realize "oh, wait, the RX doesn't have a 3rd row". Not that everyone needs or uses it, but it's expected for the class.

If I can buy an RX for $50k or a loaded MDX that's larger with better fuel economy and all around better performance, it's natural to see which way people lean.

Right now Lexus you either do the RX, a classic people know no matter what, or the 7-passenger 4-Runner based GX that isn't as well known or anywhere near the volume. A larger crossover will do them well. The new smaller NX actually is a great looker real world, and should be a popular package.

They have the size somewhat with the Highlander, but even that is only fractionally larger than an RX, with a tiny 3rd row crammed in. It would need to be larger than that, a-la the MDX, to properly serve them.

[Drew Dowdell]

GM moved 60,000 Enclaves and nearly 90,000 Acadias in 2013 at roughly the same price points. I think Lexus is aiming a bit low in their sales potentials.

[G. David Felt]

Hopefully someone at Lexus will wake up to the ugliness of their Predator grill and bring some style to the name line and for the new 3 row model.