The Lexus RX sits comfortably amidst the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Acura RDX, and Range Rover Evoque. But below it, the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 are snatching up bits of a segment that's not well-populated--at least in theory. Lexis is working to change that, according to the vice president of Lexus Europe.
Speaking to AutoExpress, Andy Pfeiffenberger said the area of the brand's range below the RX will see some development "over the next few years."
While that's a pretty vague statement, it doesn't take much reading between the lines to see a sub-RX model as its focus. The question as to what it might look like is answered largely by the competition.
A handful of variants are likely, including four-cylinder (though not likely turbocharged), hybrid, and possibly even plug-in hybrid, given parent company Toyota's ongoing development in that field.
While the "next few years" is equally vague, we wouldn't expect to see a production sub-RX crossover on the show stand, much less the roads, before 2015, possibly as late as 2017.
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