Although no exact numbers are mentioned, The Auto Channel is reporting that Lexus RX 400h sales have increased in the UK by 28% over last July, which is especially impressive given the current SUV climate in the country:
That [28%] growth stands in stark contrast to the fortunes of rival luxury brands, which suffered an average decline of 30 per cent in SUV sales.
And for some famous names, new registrations have tumbled by as much as 50 per cent.
Lexus attributes the strong showing to the hybrid engine, which sneaks the RX 400h into a lower tax band.
Commenting on the results, Belinda Poole, Lexus GB Director, said: “The RX 400h is the first and remains the only hybrid SUV on the market.
“In what is a tough market overall, this gives our Lexus Centres a great advantage in being able to offer the type of car customers want, but without the penalties in running costs they would incur with models from rival brands.”
I would have thought that the hybrid RX was simply cannabilizing sales from its conventional petrol-engine twin, but the RX 400h was dominating in 2007, making up 86% of all RX model sales in Europe.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the upcoming RX redesign affects the momentum, but it’s clear the hybrid crossover is already the brand’s #1 model in Europe.
[Source The Auto Channel]