Lexus contemplating X3 rival for urban buyers

[Janizary]

Lexus contemplating X3 rival for urban buyers - Autoblog

Originally Posted by autoblog.com

According to Automotive News, Toyota might be looking to develop a compact SUV to compete with the Acura RDX, BMW X3, the recently introduced Infiniti EX35 and the soon-to-be unveiled Audi Q5. The market for luxury cute 'utes is growing as people either downsize their larger SUVs and, in some cases, abandon the suburbs for more urban environs where a traditional SUV is too big to cope.

However, two problems face Lexus. First, the possibility of overlap with some of Toyota's offerings could cannibalize sales on both fronts (Lexus would likely utilize the AWD RAV4's platform), and the current RX350 isn't what we'd call a porker. Secondly, in order to hit the $30,000 price point, some of the luxury amenities buyers expect couldn't be offered. While a vehicle in the $30,000+ realm lines up nicely with some of the offerings from Acura (around $33k for the RDX) and Infiniti ($35k for the EX35), the BMW X3 is still around $38,000 and the Audi Q5 should be priced about the same.

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Janizary's note:

I took my wife for a look at the X3 and X5 a bit back. She drove both said she preferred the RX350 to either. (Remember, my wife, not me ) She doesn't care about the V8 in the X5, she just likes what 'is comforable inside', is 'easy to operate', 'drives nice', and 'has lots of gadgets'. Her sister-in-law also has an X5 which she is in quite a bit, so she has seen some of the issues the SIL has had over time (also with two kids).

The X3 lacking rear climate control was a bother to me, personally. Its in the 3-series, but not the X3? It gets hot in Vegas and rear seat climate control is a life saver for the kids in the summer when you come out of the mall with the kidlings in tow.

I 'sort of' like the Infiniti EX35. Though I would have liked it more with the 'step up' G35 motor, rather than the last-gen G35 motor in it. My wife finds that the EX to be "to small and crowded inside...it has less space than a CR-V". Since we married my wife went from 'as long as its reliable and has AC' to "demanding driver". I am a bad influence.

[webby]

the rx is like 38k.... so I don't quite get it. It'd be smaller?

[Janizary]

Smaller, RAV4 sized perhaps.

[webby]

yet the rav4 got bigger in the last remodel, and the 350 isn't exactly what I'd call a boat.

I don't know

[Janizary]

I agree. The RX is really not that big at all.