Lexus cuts three models from Australian line-up

One popular luxury car brand has been forced to cut three models from its local model range, including one of its most popular cars.

Lexus is dumping the IS sedan, RC sports coupe and CT hatchback from its line-up.

The last customer deliveries are expected in November this year.

Lexus Australia chief, Scott Thompson, says a change to rules around a pole side-impact test is behind the decision.

Lexus Australia is waving goodbye to the popular IS sedan this year.

“The decision is around a new Australian design rule, which has come into effect in Australia before any global markets, and for us to keep selling those cars it would have required a design change,” says Mr Thompson.

The IS was only updated in 2020 and has been an important part of the brand’s line-up since 1999. It’s currently the company’s fourth-best selling model and a key competitor to luxury stalwarts such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The Lexus RC F was one of the last naturally-aspirated V8-powered cars left on sale in Australia.

The company says conventional passenger cars are still part of its long term plan in Australia. The ES mid-size sedan and expensive LS large sedan and LC coupe are the only remaining non SUVs in the range.

“Lexus is 100 per cent committed to passenger cars,” says Thompson.

“The taste and expectations around passenger cars are changing. We believe in the medium segment right now and between the ES sedan and NX SUV offerings that they will cater for the wide sections of the marketplace.”

Thompson says the launch of four new vehicles in four months from November this year will fill the gap left by the models exiting the Australian market.

2021 Lexus UX 300e is coming to Australia in November.

The first model to land in Australia will be the UX300e compact SUV, the brand’s first fully electric vehicle.

That will be followed by an all-new version of its most popular model, the NX SUV, later in November.

Lexus wants to bring the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid to the Australian market but is awaiting approval from head office.

So far Lexus has confirmed the arrival of petrol-powered and conventional hybrid NX versions.

The all new Lexus NX (overseas models shown) will arrive late in 2021.

The company says the NX350h hybrid will be its top selling model and will boost its hybrid sales. Hybrids currently make up roughly 40 per cent of sales.

Tech upgrades are headlined by a giant 14-inch central display, haptic feedback buttons on the steering wheel, push-button door handles, an information-heavy head-up display and Siri-like voice-command technology that responds to “Hey Lexus” commands to control the airconditioning and other vehicle functions.

Big tech upgrades headline the arrival of the all-new Lexus NX (overseas models shown).

Lexus has also worked on making the controls for climate, driver aids and infotainment as easy to use as possible.

Two more models will join the line-up by the end of February 2022, but Lexus has yet to reveal any details. An all-new LX four-wheel drive, based on the recently revealed Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, is a strong possibility for one of the new models.

Originally published as Lexus cuts three models from Australian line-up