2016 Lexus RX makes world debut in New York
Importance of Cambridge-built vehicle to Lexus brand can’t be overstated
NEW YORK — Lexus staged the world debut of the all-new 2016 RX luxury crossover vehicle on Wednesday as Toyota aims to maintain dominance with the bestselling vehicle in the brand’s lineup.
This is the fourth generation of the crossover that defined a new vehicle segment 17 years ago. It is produced at Toyota’s plant in Cambridge.
The vehicle’s importance to the Lexus brand cannot be overstated; the RX accounted for more than 107,000 of the brand’s 137,000 total light truck sales in 2014 and a third of the brand’s total sales of about 311,000.
That is not an aberration: A third of the 2.1million vehicles sold by the Lexus brand since its inception 26 years ago have been the RX.
“It’s wildly important,” said Michelle Krebs, analyst with Autotrader.
“It created the luxury mid-size segment and it has dominated it. Now it is finding itself in a situation where it has to find a younger audience.”
The RX 450h uses a 3.5-litre V6 and electric motor generator to also generate 300 horsepower.
“Even while ensuring a high level of luxury and space within the cabin, the RX’s silhouette remains sleek and dynamic, while the interior has been designed for easy operation with luxurious execution,” said Gen Ikeda, Lexus RX chief designer.
The front end of the 2016 RX has a new front end with a bolder spindle grille, bumper and triple L-shaped headlamps.
The aggressive look is enhanced by the blacked-out C-pillars to create the illusion of a floating roofline.
The L-shaped tail lights wrap around the back of the vehicle and there are integrated dual exhaust pipes.
There are new 20-inch aluminum wheels with larger tires that can be customized with inserts to match the colour of the car.
Inside the cabin, the RX has a colour heads-up display that projects information onto the windshield in front of the driver and there is a 12.3-inch monitor on the centre stack.
The leather-wrapped shift lever has been moved further from the instrument panel to create more space for the driver.
There is more rear leg room and the power-folding second row seats are heated. There are 11.6-inch dual screens on the back of the front headrests.
New is a retractable panorama moonroof.
The “Lexus Safety System+” bundles a number of collision avoidance systems to alert the driver to a potentially dangerous situation and automatically brake or steer to prevent a crash.
The accident prevention technology in the new RX will eventually make its way into other vehicles in the portfolio, said Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken.
The RX F Sport is a performance package available with both engine choices and some design elements to help set them apart including new 20-inch alloy wheels with graphite finish.
The F Sport has paddle shifters and an active stabilizer system for better performance on twisty roads.
“Baby Boomers built the Lexus brand,” Krebs said.
“Now they need to build a younger audience.”