No Matter How Hard They Try, The Competition Can't Dent The Sales Of The Lexus RX. Why?

I believe that the success of the RX is the result of just the getting the balance right between pricing, quality, target market expectations, reputation, ride/handlign etc. Lexus knows this market segment likes to play it safe and it delivers a fine car that ticks all the right boxes in a way that the competition cannot match.

— BozzorTheGreat:

> I believe that the success of the RX is the result of just
> the getting the balance right between pricing, quality,
> target market expectations, reputation, ride/handlign etc.

There is more. Lexus RX is simply a very fuel efficient vehicle, way ahead of its competition.

Here are the EPA fuel efficiency ratings (how many barrels of foreign imported crude oil are needed to drive 15k miles in a given vehicle, called Energy Impact Score) with some COMPACT cars also added as reference points:

Compact cars:
Toyota Corolla 1.8 gas:...........11.4 barrels
VW Jetta TDI diesel:..............11.6 barrels

Midsize+ SUVs:
Lexus RX450h AWD HYBRID:..........11.8 barrels
Toyota Highlander HYBRID 7seat:...13.2 barrels (12% more)
Lexus RX350 AWD:..................17.1 barrels (45% more)
BMW X5 xDrive35 diesel:...........17.9 barrels (52% more)
Toyota Highlander AWD 7seat gas:..18.0 barrels (52% more)
Mercedes ML 320 BlueTEC diesel:...18.8 barrels (60% more)
BMW X5 xDrive 3.0i gas:...........19.0 barrels (61% more)
VW Touareg 3.0 TDI gas:...........19.7 barrels (67% more)
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI diesel:...........19.7 barrels (67% more)
Mercedes ML 350 gas:..............20.1 barrels (70% more)
Porsche Cayenne 3.6 gas:..........21.4 barrels (81% more)
Audi Q7 3.6 gas:..................21.4 barrels (81% more)
VW Touareg 3.6 gas:...............21.4 barrels (81% more)

All figures straight from EPA fuelefficiency.gov site

Conclusions:
- driving a hybrid Lexus RX450h is almost as fuel efficient and impacts American oil dependence as little as driving a small, frugal econo compact car; guilty about driving a SUV? Not in RX hybrid.
- Lexus RX450h is some 10 years ahead of its competition in terms of fuel efficiency
- ordinary gasoline RX350 beats majority of DIESEL SUVS that competitors offer in terms of fuel efficiency

Blend in reliability, comfort, quality and acceptable pricing and everything becomes clear.

PS. What stated above are well referenced facts, not opinion.

actually the x5 xdrive35 would be more efficient than lexus pure gasoline equivalent. it posts higher mpg than the rx350 awd. the only reason why it's ranked LOWER than the lexus is because it requires more barrels of foreign oil since america produces less low sulfur diesel oil and would more rely on imported diesel per liter consumed by the american populous. diesel is more WTW efficient than pure gasoline afterall.

people in europe would suffer from a lower foreign oil "impact" driving a x5 x35d as opposed to the rx350 awd since they refine more low sulfur diesel from crude.

and of course, a hydrid diesel drivetrain would have the ultimate highest WTW efficiency of any ICE-based technology.

— validus00:

> x5 xdrive35 posts higher mpg than the rx350 awd.

MPG is fuel economy, not fuel efficiency.


> the only reason why it's ranked LOWER than the lexus
> is because it requires more barrels of foreign oil since
> america produces less low sulfur diesel oil and would
> more rely on imported diesel per liter consumed by the american
> populous.

This is not true. If you look at EPA carbon footprint for these two cars:
- Lexus RX350 AWD: 9.2 tonnes CO2 annually (for 15k miles)
- BMW X5 xDrive35d: 9.6 tonnes CO2 annualy (for 15k miles)
these remain in almost the same ratio as the Energy Impact Score for those vehicles.

9.2/9.6 ~= 0,958
17.1/17.9 = 0,955

CO2 Carbon footprint is proportional to the number of hydrocarbon bindings burnt which in fact are carriers of chemical energy in fuel. Thus the carbon footprint is directly proportional to energy efficiency of a given vehicle.

Since the ratio of both numbers remains constant, the Energy Impact Score simply represents the energy efficiency of a car. Crude oil refining process is not taken into account.


> people in europe would suffer from a lower foreign
> oil "impact" driving a x5 x35d as opposed to the rx350 awd
> since they refine more low sulfur diesel from crude.

This statement is not true as well. Yes, they have switched their refineries to more diesel, but it still does not change the fact that producing a gallon of diesel in Europe still consumes more hydrocarbon bindings (from crude oil) that to produce a gallon of gasoline.

What's more, it takes more external energy for the process of producing diesel in Europe than in case of gasoline.

- diesel: 0,16 MJ of energy to deliver 1 MJ of energy as final fuel
- diesel: 0,14 MJ of energy to deliver 1 MJ of energy as final fuel

Source: page 60, fig. 4.2-1 of "Well to Wheel Analysis of future automotirve fuels and powertrains", Joint Research Centre of European Comission

This is because Europeans forced themselves to produce unnaturally high ratio of diesel fuel form crude oil which was a serious mistake. They struck their refineries out of optimal production gearing.


> and of course, a hydrid diesel drivetrain would have the ultimate
> highest WTW efficiency of any ICE-based technology.

By insignificant margin. Diesel engine have break specific fuel efficiency of 200 g of fuel per kWh. Atkinson cycle engines manage 215 grams, only 7,5% worse. Now if you consider the whole vehicle (more weight from the diesel engine, more backpressure from diesel exhaust cleaning system), this difference would be reduced to some 2%. At the same time, the price and complexity of the diesel hybrid drivetrain would be much more than gas hybrid. Current ordinary diesels (without hybridization) cost more than gas electric hybrids.

rx350 awd makes 254g co2/km
x5 xdrive35d makes 233g co2/km

based on carbon footprint alone, since you're saying, the x5 is more efficient then.

doesn't change the fact that diesel has higher wtw efficiency than petrol.

Btw about those posted EPA carbon footprint, they probably got too lazy to actually measure carbon emissions. Instead they just made a conversion of how much co2 per a barrel of estimated foreign crude oil consumed. That's why the ratios are identical (give and take rounding numbers). Should have looked up co2/km numbers instead maybe?

BMW = 3 series, lexus = RX. same reason how BMWs 3er is so well, but i dont think it will stay that way for the bimmer. audi is gainin serious ground

women buy cars too.

By the way, it looks GREAT in black.

001

I agree the RX looks good in black and it looks good in white.

I have a 2010 RX in white with the tan interior, fully loaded with heads up display, Levinson, folding mirrors and 19 inch tires.

except the rear. It just looks "dumpy"

I thought you hated lexus, EL. ??

to me if i was considering a Lexus this would be the only one that I would buy..... other models are just simple rip-offs

Lexus has taken this model pretty seriously from the start. Sometimes, it's quite obvious that Lexus give the RX higher priorities than the LS, ES, and IS combined (unless a redesign or facelift isn't in the near future, of course).

There are many things to hate about this car. The RX is actually a pretty good looking vehicle - the LF-Xh threw every online auto enthusiast off in that everyone constantly looked for aggressive appeal of the RX, which it doesn't have - one has to look at it from its "cute" point-of-view. So what do I hate about the RX? Well, the car isn't desperately pretty (think Alfa Romeo, according to Jezza). This sort of gives Lexus the right to remain rather conservative on certain models in their lineup in the future - not something a Lexus enthusiast would be happy about.

However, having almost forgotten to look at the RX pictures in the gallery above, I have completely changed my mind. The RX is like the pre-facelift E65 and E66 BMW 7 series - not attractive in press pictures but a lot more appealing in real life (and pictures with the car in the real world). I have almost forgotten about the annoying lack of chrome around the foglights in the non-hybrid model. I personally have seen any RXs in person recently, and I think they look great. The RX in recent pictures look great, especially in the pictures above.

And if we were to look at the taillights, we'd have to stop criticizing it and judge it from what Lexus designers intended it to look like - like diamonds and other jewels. It's the same as how the Nissan GTR began to look more appealing as soon as we stopped categorizing it as a gadgety Italian supercar copycat but rather a Japanese Godzilla.

I'm not gonna talk about how well it drives because it is understood that the ride is great for everyday drives to work whether in open freeways or in traffic jams.

So going back to the design of the car, I have to say... I'm really liking how Lexus attempted to simplify the exterior - the rear windshield wiper integrated into the rear spoiler, for example. The fact that the doors go all the way down to the bottom to avoid muddy pants (like those of the Ford Flex) makes the vehicle's side profile look very clean in a good way - not bland; I enjoy the decrease in panel gaps.

You guys might be pissed at how I've kinda digressed from the topic. aha So what do I see from the RX? It's cute, kinda pretty, and a little aggressive (the front bumper has this transition to the front fender flares). Those who need more utility can go for the GX, but like what most say, who really uses those rear seats? The RX is the perfect size (like how the CTS is both a 3-series and 5-series competitor). Hassle-free parking w/o feeling like you're driving a vulnerable miniature car, and there is a big cargo area! Moms can drive it, and so can dads going to work in a suit. The optional larger wheels are quite befitting. It rides just as smoothly as previous generations of the LS, which

think I went over the limit

In the last sentence, I meant to say that the RX rides just smoothly as the previous generations of the LS do, which is very good.

Yeah but, those damning stories aren't about brands he despise.

I think the corolla inspired styling is enough for me to conclude that Lexus has more fanboys than you could imagine!

1. I do not believe that the RX is in the same class as the Q5, X3, GLK etc. The RX is way too big to be considered in the compact crossover segment. The most worthy component of the RX is the Mercedes Benz M class. Both are five seaters of about the same size. That is the reason it sells, it is a cheap alternative to the M-class soccer mom pinnacle.
2. The RX is on a decline. Each iteration is less attractive than the next. Lexus had the opportunity to make the RX THE go to car. I believe that the concept was much more attractive and appealing than the production version.
3. If one considers this car in the same class as the compact crossovers. Then the Q5 is going to crush the RX in this segment.
4. Lexus needs a compact crossover that is REALLY a compact crossover and not just passing as that segment.
5. RX is on a downfall.

You're 100% right. The RX is bigger than those German SUV's.

In black RX is looking really nice. Almost as good as the best looking car in it's class IMO (Audi Q5). Nice picture Agent001.

Here in middle East also RX is getting very popular. It offers maximum things which customers in this category look for. For example XC60, Q5, GLk...etc worked too much to improve off road capabilities and therefore lost some smoothness and other on road features. Toyota know 90% customers of these cars will not require it so didn't spend much time on it.

It is a very today's car, today's young people like gadgets, so Toyota made the RX interior very gadget or multimedia inspired, look at the mouse, touch screen, great music system, lot of buttons on the steering wheel...etc. People like these little things and RX got lots of them.
Then the funky shape, smooth everything and Lexus reputation of reliability and quality..etc makes it very appealing.

JUGNU

The RX does not have a touch screen like the ES and LS.

Everything is done via the Remote Touch mouse.

The screen is too far away for it to be a touch screen.

The RX is a well-appointed quality luxury midsize SUV from a brand with a reputation for dependability and service, period, all typical Auto Spies bs aside.

There was nothing factually wrong with your quote. As much as you bitter die-hard haters try to convince the few hundred people that read past the bottom of the articles on this website that all Lexus products are falling apart all the time, they simply aren't. As much as you try to convince everyone that Lexus is incapable of selling automobiles, they simply aren't. As much as you try to convince yourself that you are capable of using rational logic, you simply aren't.

The problem is, your links aren't flashy enough. They're not catching anyone's attention because there are so many of them. I think you should post MORE. That'll get more traffic to your links.

The RX sells more because it is less exclusive.
It is the Camry of the "luxury" crossover world.

001 - My only issue with the Lexus is the newest iteration of it is ugly. Looks like the love child of a Pontiac Aztec and AMC Eagle.

It reminds of the Acura TL, ugly as as hell on the outside, but once your inside the vehicle it is great. The problem I see is every time you catch a glance at a reflection of the car you are in you are once again reminded of its ugliness.

-00J

I think the RX looks futuristic on the road next to most cars.

futuristic isn't necessarily good looking.

I'm sure GM thought the Pontiac Aztec was futuristic when they released it.

futuristic is polarizing.

futuristic looks ultra-modern, and can at the extreme, be sci-fi fantastic even. (aztek for example, with its darth vader look). but it can be ultra-modern without going TOO far. here the Prius is a good example. it LOOKS futuristic. it IS futuristic in its advanced technology.

then there are those ultra-traditionalists, who are totally turned off by anything FRESH and MODERN, to say nothing of ultra-modern. imo (just MY opinion), many of these retrograde thinkers have their little small views/pea-sized brains OVERLOADED just coping with modern things. anything ULTRA-modern scares them, so they react with FEAR and hatred.

why else is there so much RANCOR from the kneejerk lexus haters?

Here's a nice thing about the 2010 RX. When you get out your pants won't get dirty because the doors wrap all the way down and underneath the body.

I laugh every time I see your profile pic, EL. again, i thought you despise Lexus...

Another PAID ad.

I was the biggest BMW fan; I had an 04 X3 and happy enough with it to trade it with an 07 X3. The newer six speed auto transmission on the 07 X3 is just horrible. It was all along shamefully bad for 2 years and BMW kept on telling me it's the characteristic and wait until the next software update. I had 9 updates and BMW told me I have to accept the way it is now. Well, they put a GM transmission on their product and obviously cannot have any quality control over the transmission. Lexus on the other hand, has firm grip over the QC of their product. Their customer service is A1, unlike those clowns at BMW. Buying a new BMW is like playing Russian roulette.

The RX was photographed at South Coast Plaza in Santa Ana, Ca in Orange County. The mall is on Bristol St and Sunflower near the 405 reeway. I have been to that mall a millions times. It was built around 1966. It originally had a Sears, the mall and JC Pennys. Now the Mall is gigantic and if you want to buy a $100k+ Swiss watch you can find them there. Before the mall the area was a bean field.

I'm afraid that the mall has slowly transformed into what the Los Cerritos Mall has become. Most of the stores move their higher-end products to the cooperate's Beverly Hills branch, such as Bally. It's still a great and safe place to spend some cash though.

I think one of the family members of the South Coast Plaza had a car (Ferrari?) moved into his living room through a skylight, removed the batteries, and connected the headlights and taillights to a power source. The story was published in LA Times.

the 4Runner and GX no doubt ARE SOLIDLY BUILT vehicles. the former is one of the most popular suvs here in alaska, where there are many unpaved, rough roads. a former gf had a 4Runner with over a quarter million miles on it, with NO mechanical problems.

the RX, ES and Highlander have their place too however. many people rarely venture off paved roads, and the extra tuffness is wasted for their applications. a smoother ride and better fuel mileage is more than a worthwhile trade for the extra heavy-duty build. after all, these are STILL toyotas, which will run for 15-20 years with no problems.

One thing my 2010 RX has and Agent001's doesn't is the drivers seat lower cushion extender.

Q5 & GLK > RX & X3

LOL, GLK sucks, Mercedes needs to work on their V6 motors, it sounds like sh*t, RX is much quicker and makes a satisfying sound.

RX:GLK = Lexus:Volkswagen

RX:Q5 = Toyota:Trabant

But y is the front overhang like that? everything else about it is nice, but the front bumper they should have kept sportier like the Venza. Q5 is Fail, tiny and more girly looking than RX. The Black Bison front kit is a must for the RX - in person it looks amazing.

http://www.tuning-links.com/uploads/image/2009/September/Wald%20Lexus/wald_lexus_rx_black_bison_01.jpg

Enter MC Hammer "You can't touch this"

So what are the RX's global sales compared to the X3, GLk, and the Q5. I think we will then see the real picture of Lexus failure on a larger scale.

once again another benchmark that WILL NOT FAIL....FACT
if u don't believe, ask the BMW 3 series....FACT

price and women have 77% of the purchasing decision when it comes to the sale of a vehicle. thats it.
its the worst vehicle I have ever driven and I do not feel safe turning a corner in this fugly vehicle.

just looking back at the pictures, it is so ugly. The new I-Drive screen is so much nicer than this thing Lexus has going.
If you really look at that interior shot of the drivers side, it is so plain!
This is a females vehicle. No self-respectiing make will ever drive this vehicle. If you are a man who drives this, I can garauntee you are out of shape.

People relate BMW with performance, they relate MB with luxury and cost. The RX is not a hardcore performer, and not a top-notch luxury. It fits right in the middle where most people fall when looking for this type of small SUV. Not to mention you are not paying for every little option separately like leather and HIDs, etc. They all come in the Toyota typical packaging which makes the process that much easier.

Selling one of the RXs main competitors, the MDX, I will give my opinion as to why it sells as well as it does. It combines good luxury appointments, technology (not the best, but by far not the worst), decent enough looks, good price, a "reputation" for reliablity and IT CATERS TO WOMEN. Women are the main purchasers of the RX, hands down. It's not the sportiest of drives or the fastest, but only a VERY FEW women care about that. The women that I encounter when looking at SUVs say that the MDX isn't as nice a driver as the RX, and it isn't. To me, the MDX is the better driver, but not to women. Women purchase mid-size SUVs, men purchase the X5s or the Q7s or the big SUVs like the Tahoes or Escalades. And in my opinion (which is always wrong according to my wife), women make up the demographic that Lexus has dominated with the RX. I personally don't like the RX, but I do know a great vehicle when I see and drive it, and the RX is a great vehicle for what it is.

V-10 NSX

MDX is slow buddy, and tall 2nd gear if left in auto mode and floored while in 2nd but can easily down shift to 1st, wont down shift to 1st = shitty tranny. MDX is boat like

Great points adamsaf723.

I don't know I like the highlander's looks better and it's cheaper and almost as as many gadgets. But it doesn't have an L badge and women think expensive = good! Women are stupid and buy it because they don't know what they don't know and Lexus exploits them the same way BMW exploits people into thinking a BMW 3 series handles better then a Lotus Exige.

Lexus has figured it out:
Most people don't want to be bothered with driver involvement.
It's true and the foundation of their success.

RX is a very polished product. Hyundai's Veracruz is right on it's tail but the sales figures are dismal for the VC because most people take a look at the Santa Fe right next to it and decide for the money the SF is good enough.

For September 2009 sales: Veracruz: 574, Santa Fe: 7,010, RX: 5,631

RX sold over 8000 units in September.

8228 to be exact.

the rx is a total chick suv. thats y

imho, this summary by Downtoearth is Major Factor 1:

Compact cars:
Toyota Corolla 1.8 gas:...........11.4 barrels
VW Jetta TDI diesel:..............11.6 barrels

Midsize+ SUVs:
Lexus RX450h AWD HYBRID:..........11.8 barrels
Toyota Highlander HYBRID 7seat:...13.2 barrels (12% more)
Lexus RX350 AWD:..................17.1 barrels (45% more)
BMW X5 xDrive35 diesel:...........17.9 barrels (52% more)
Toyota Highlander AWD 7seat gas:..18.0 barrels (52% more)
Mercedes ML 320 BlueTEC diesel:...18.8 barrels (60% more)
BMW X5 xDrive 3.0i gas:...........19.0 barrels (61% more)
VW Touareg 3.0 TDI gas:...........19.7 barrels (67% more)
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI diesel:...........19.7 barrels (67% more)
Mercedes ML 350 gas:..............20.1 barrels (70% more)
Porsche Cayenne 3.6 gas:..........21.4 barrels (81% more)
Audi Q7 3.6 gas:..................21.4 barrels (81% more)
VW Touareg 3.6 gas:...............21.4 barrels (81% more)

it is truly INCREDIBLE that the first 4 listings are so close, yet the lexus and toyota hybrids are so much LARGER and HEAVIER than the corolla.

Major Factor 2:

the toyota v6 manages to burn so little more than the Four bangers in the first two compacts listed, yet generate over 250 hp.

this engine is SO efficient, as used in the RAV4 it costs only ONE mpg more to operate than standard Four.

Major Factor 3:

even the NON-hybrid, AWD RX and Highlander have better fuel efficiency than the diesels!