Lexus recently revealed product plans that include an entry-level model. Most likely (and logically) it will be a hatch. Being a Lexus, it has to use rear-wheel drive, making it the second hatch with the correct wheels driving it (following BMW's 1-Series). And what a hot hatch that will be! Even better handling than the IS due to lesser weight, a lot roomier than the BMW competitor and maybe even better looking. I tried my hand with the L-finesse brush on this one and envisioned something that would fit smoothly in the current Lexus range; no (unpleasant) surprises. By the way, I have in the back of my head an image of a Lexus hatchback concept car from the beginning of the ‘90s. Do any of you remember that? I wasn't able to find any info on it around the web.
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
Awesome job as usual – I like that…I hope Lexus goes forward with a car like this.
Ooooh, that’s a cool concept. Tires seem too big (that’d be a harsh ride), but really nice beside that. I would consider such a car, even though I currently do not like Lexus at all (too bland).
By the way, saw my first LS-F yesterday, and the stacked-up pipes look awful.
Nice work, Andrei, although I would be surprised if Lexus were to introduce this in the US, unless the A3 and C30 are runaway hits.
My guess is that the entry level Lexus will continue to be a 3 year old CPO ES330.
By the way, I do remember Lexus showing a concept car that 2 years later morphed into the original RX. One of the buff mage (C/D?) took it for a spin.
Let the arguments about “brand expansion” begin!
Seriously, this looks VERY (and I mean, copyright infringing) similar to the Citroen C4*.
Personally, I think it looks great (I like the C4, too) and would have no hesitation in buying one. It won’t encroach the Toyota Corolla because if that were the case, the why is there virtually no cannibalism between the VW Golf and Audi A3?
A nice classy hatchback for a singleton, like me, and Lexus reliability.
Put me down for one!
* = http://www.lmc-farnham.co.uk/news/citroen/uploaded_images/11143196433-743760.jpg
i’d love to see it with the 2.5L V6 and a 6 speed manual.
even though it mightn’t fit the lexus brand, a 3-door hatch without a billion electonic gizmos would rule.
price it right (say start at $25K), and i’d be totally down with it. otherwise, i’ll just pick up a WRX when my GTI is toast.
I already own and love my RWD Lexus hatchback, a green IS 300 Sportcross. They were made model years 2002-05, and I read somewhere that they sold under 1K a year.
Here are some pics and a review:
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/LexusIS300/Photos.htm
Yep,
gregw is correct. They made them, and couldn’t sell them.
I believe the trick with a hatch is that it needs to be hot, and better looking than the sedan. Or, it needs to be really practical (not a luxury brand).
The A3 sells at a premium. It is a really good looking little car.
Andrei,
There is no “right” or “wrong” drive. It depends on the application. For the average driver, front-wheel drive is just fine. It has advantages of economy, space utilization, and superior traction in inclement weather. And some front-wheelers can be fun to drive. The motoring press goes gaga over the Mini, GTI, etc. and I don’t hear them talking about how they should have RWD. This is the same motoring press that nearly ragged the hatchback out of existence, a design too, that makes sense for a large segment of the motoring public.
Looks as bland as the Infiniti EX if you ask me.
I had a soft spot for the IS300 sportcross. If only they offered them w/ the 5MT. I would not rest until I found one for my next vehicle. As it is, I picked up a 05 Mazda6 Wagon 5MT last week and am very pleased. It was the only 5MT wagon within 200 miles of here! I have to believe a 5MT IS300 Sportcross would be that much more rare!
I’m not sure the IS hatch is as good looking as the sedan, but when I drove it cross country I had a lot of people compliment me, and ask me what it was. Here in California they are not as much a rarity as in the middle of the USA.
It is a little bigger than an A3 but much smaller than the 3 and 5 series wagons.
I don’t know why they didn’t sell better. MSRP was about 35K, and it has the same 210HP I-6 as the standard IS.
Here are more photos:
http://images.google.com/images?q=lexus%20sportcross
I always thought the sportcross was cool. But this one is better. Looks less like a conventional wagon, more like a very sporty, somewhat wagon like thing. That roof line, and the line of the windows at the D-pillar make a great solution for the a wagon you truely wont have to call a wagon. One question: is there any rubber wrapped around those wheels?
But then, I always liked the look of an Impala wagon, no wood, with mag wheels. The contradiction and the possibilities always seemed endless, and endlessly intriguing. I’ve got more on ’60’s wagons at: http://autoclay.blogspot.com/2008/04/early-60s-compact-wagons-modernists.html
Looks good to me and I can see it selling well in the UK.
Very nice. I’m not enthralled with the front end, but the rest of it is the most attractive hatchback I’ve seen.