Lexus RX L SUV will challenge Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90; rear body extended by 110 mm to accommodate third row
Lexus is aiming to become a major player in the luxury car market of India. One of its upcoming models could well be the RX L seven-seater SUV that has just made its debut at the ongoing 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. After several teasers, the three-row SUV has finally come to light.
The SUV will be available in two different variants in the US market under the RX 350L and RX 450h L badge. The new luxury SUV will lock horns with tough rivals like Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Infiniti JX as well. Lexus’ plan for this SUV is nothing new, as the brand unveiled a concept model christened as HPX at the 2003 New York International Auto Show.
Also read: Lexus NX300h SUV Revealed In India; Price To Be Around Rs. 60 Lakh
Currently, Lexus RX is the most popular product from the brand and the company has been receiving demands for a three row SUV for quite long time. This two RX L models will come catering to those demands and will certainly add zing to the luxury car manufacturer’s lineup. In India too, luxury cars are seeing growing demands from the buyers and with the possible launch of RX L, Lexus may garner more attention and sales number resultantly.
The inclusion of thirs row was due to the extended rear end as Lexus increased the body length by 110 mm. It used steeper tailgate so as to not have the headroom affected for the final row passengers. The 2018 RX L has seven seats with 40:20:40 split second row bench as standard.
As an option, six seat configuration is enabled with second row captain chairs. The standard equipment list comprises of triple zone climate control with separate heating and AC vents for third row occupants, electrically operated tailgate, power folding third row bench, etc.
The RX L variant takes power from the 350L based petrol engine making 290 horsepower. The 3.5-litre V6 unit is coupled with an eight-speed auto sending power to either two or all four wheels. On the other hand, the 3.5-litre V6 engine linked with two electric motors produces a combined output of 308 hp in the 450h L hybrid version.
The base variant features eight-inch touchscreen while a bigger 12.3-inch unit with 12 speaker audio can be opted from the Navigation package. For customers wanting more, a 15-speaker 835 W Mark Levinson Premium Surround System can be optioned out as well.
With prices starting at $47,670 (Rs. 30.76 lakh) in the US, the top-spec RX L can be bought for $49,070 (Rs. 31.66 lakh) when it goes on sale later in the year.
Lexus revealed its NX300h SUV for the Indian market just a few days ago and is expected to be priced at around Rs. 60 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). As it appears, Lexus is pumping in models in various levels of the luxury car segment and the NX will be positioned as the entry-level model.
Also read: Lexus Could Set Up Manufacturing Unit In India
The automaker is also mulling the plan of setting up a local assembly plant that will reduce tax amount by up to 70%. It will help the brand to sell its cars at competitive pricing, compared to the current CBU models that are very expensive. Lexus entered the domestic market earlier this year with three different models – RX 450h, ES 300h and LX 450d.
Lexus RX L SUV Images
