Japanese carmakers may have been the ones to kick start the SUV and crossover craze in the mainstream segments, but it’s the Germans that applied the recipe in the premium categories, leaving the former to simply follow in their footsteps.
Lexus currently offers three SUVs, the popular RX (pictured above), now in its third generation with both hybrid and regular engine offerings, and the larger GX and LX that are related to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Land Cruiser 200 Series respectively.
By comparison, BMW has four models (X1, X3, X5 and X6), and is already preparing a fifth SUV with the X4 Concept revealed on Thursday, while Audi wants to double its portfolio with sportier versions of all three of its SUVs (Q3, Q5 and Q7) and there are similar plans from Mercedes-Benz as well (new GLA etc.).
Not to be left behind, Lexus has confirmed plans for the debut of a new premium-compact SUV to compete against the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA.
A company source told Autonews Europe that Lexus will preview a pre-production concept of the hybrid model based on parent company Toyota’s RAV4 compact SUV at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show in November, followed by the production version at next year’s Geneva Salon in March.
It is believed that the hybrid version of the SUV will utilize the same four-cylinder 2.5-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor found in the Lexus IS 300h and other Toyota and Lexus models.
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