Toyota is considering building a small luxury SUV, a new report finds. While Lexus has denied interest in such a vehicle in the past, the trend toward luxury compact SUVs has Toyota’s luxury division reconsidering its decision.
The new SUV would slot below the RX 350, and compete with the BMW X3 , Infiniti EX35, Acura RDX and the upcoming Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK.
Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. president, says that a small SUV could appeal to customers “sick of the suburbs, but who don’t want to give up the utility of their SUV. A small luxury SUV might be the right product for that environment,” he told Automotive News.
The SUV would likely be based on the Toyota RAV4 . However, Lexus is still evaluating if they would be able to deliver the brands expected features at a price point of about $30,000.
