Lexus recordsSales milestoneRX Luxury SUV
Lexus records 50,000 sales milestone for RX Luxury SUV in Australia
Lexus has recorded another significant milestone in Australia, delivering its 50,000th RX luxury SUV during April.
It is the first time an individual Lexus model has surpassed the 50,000 mark in cumulative sales in Australia, demonstrating the long-running popularity of the RX SUV with local customers.
Fittingly, the 50,000th RX delivered was the RX 450h+ Plug‑in Hybrid. With electric for short trips and hybrid for longer ones, it reflects an approach to electrification designed for the scale and diversity of the Australian landscape.
First introduced locally in April 2003, the RX immediately became a cornerstone of the Lexus range, helping lift total Lexus deliveries by almost 40 per cent over the next nine months.
The RX also quickly established a formidable presence in the luxury SUV market, where it was the second top-selling model overall in the SUV Luxury segment in its first full year on sale in 2004.
Lexus Australia Chief Executive Jack Hobbs said the RX is a special model for Lexus in Australia, helping forge the brand locally with its refined luxury and thoughtful design.
"Since it first arrived in Australia 23 years ago, the RX luxury SUV has resonated with Australian customers and set the benchmark for refinement, build quality and safety," Mr Hobbs said.
"The arrival of the first hybrid version soon thereafter helped spark what would become a Lexus legacy for innovation in pioneering battery-assisted powertrain technology, with a commitment to reduce CO2 tailpipe emissions versus comparable petrol-only vehicles."
The RX remains one of the most popular large SUVs with Australian customers to this day, delivering on the Lexus signature values of refined luxury, Takumi craftsmanship, bold design and innovative technology.
The RX is widely credited with pioneering a new category of four-wheel drive vehicles when it was launched in Japan and the United States in 1998. It was designed to combine the refinement of a luxury car with the high driving position of an off-road vehicle and versatility of four-wheel drive technology.
It was also at the forefront of electrification for Lexus in Australia, with the RX 400h (the world’s first hybrid luxury SUV) arriving just a few months after the introduction of GS 450h hybrid luxury sedan in 2006.
Historically, around one in four Lexus sales in Australia have been from the RX model line and by 2009 the luxury car brand has sold its 15,000th RX luxury SUV, achieving the milestone after just six years on sale.
Now in its fifth generation, the RX continues to attract new customers while retaining its loyal following. This reflects that enduring appeal and relevance in a highly competitive segment.
The RX story in Australia began in 2003 with the introduction of the RX 330.
The RX 400h was the first luxury hybrid SUV to be offered in Australia when it was introduced in 2006.
The fourth-generation RX provided customers with the luxury of choice with petrol V6, turbocharged four-cylinder and V6 hybrid powertrain options.
The RX 500h F Sport Performance was the first Lexus to offer a turbocharged hybrid powertrain.
History and highlights of the Lexus RX:
1990
Lexus launches in Australia with the LS 400 sedan.
1998
The Lexus RX makes its global debut, combining the refinement of a luxury car with the high driving position and versatility of an off-road vehicle. It is widely credited with creating a new category of car-based luxury sport vehicles following its launch in Japan and the USA.
2002
Lexus confirms it will launch the RX luxury four-wheel drive model in Australia in 2003.
2003
The Lexus RX 330 luxury sport vehicle becomes available in Australia, just three months after the global release of the second generation of the RX model line.
It is an immediate success for the luxury car brand, becoming one of Australia’s most popular luxury SUVs and setting the benchmark for refinement, build quality and safety.
Lexus RX 330 is named Australia’s Best Luxury Four Wheel Drive for 2003 by the nation’s seven motoring clubs as part of their annual Australia’s Best Car Awards.
2004
Lexus previews the world’s first petrol-electric hybrid luxury SUV at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
2005
The RX 400h, the world’s first high-performance luxury hybrid vehicle, is recognised with two accolades in the prestigious International Engine of the Year Awards, just six weeks after its global release.
RX 330 is awarded Australia’s Best Luxury Four Wheel Drive for the third year in a row.
2006
Lexus re-powers its highly successful RX model line with a new all-alloy 3.5-litre dual-VVT-i quad cam V6 engine producing 203kW of power. The new RX 350 is rated the most powerful six-cylinder four-wheel drive vehicle in its class in Australia.
The RX 350 is joined in Australia by the RX 400h with its hybrid powertrain that combines three electric motors with a 3.3-litre quad-cam V6 engine, providing V8 levels of performance while using the fuel of a much smaller engine.
2009
Lexus sells its 15,000th RX luxury SUV in Australia, achieving the milestone after just six years on sale.
All-new, third-generation Lexus RX is launched in Australia, headlined by the world’s most powerful and efficient luxury hybrid SUV – the RX 450h. It is powered by the world’s only Atkinson-cycle V6 engine in a hybrid, producing a combined power output of 220kW, while consuming just 6.4 litres of fuel per 100km on the ADR 81/02 combined cycle.
2010
Lexus adds its innovative Advanced Pre-Collision Safety System with pre-collision seatbelt and pre-collision brake assist functions to the RX SUV range.1
2012
The RX range receives a major update, expanding the RX line-up with seven models across three engine variants following the introduction of a new four-cylinder RX 270 model and F Sport versions of the RX 350 and RX 450h. The revised RX range also features a new look, adopting the new Lexus corporate identity and signature spindle grille.
2015
All-new fourth-generation RX arrives in Australia with bold new exterior styling, redesigned luxury cabin, focused on-road performance and new safety technologies, including the new Lexus Safety System+ package.1
Lexus Australia offers the widest choice of any Lexus market in the world with the local line-up featuring RX 200t, RX 350 and RX 450h models in varying grade levels. The RX 200T is powered by a new turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant.
2016
The RX SUV achieves the highest possible five-star safety rating from the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) following extensive crash tests.
Lexus expands its RX SUV range to nine models with the addition of Sports Luxury and F Sport versions of the RX 200t.
2018
Lexus introduces a new three-row ‘L’ version of its RX luxury SUV, expanding seating capacity to seven occupants. Available as a 350L and 450hL model, in Luxury and Sports Luxury grades, the Lexus designers extended the body by 110mm, raised the roof peak by 10mm and adopted a steeper power-operated tailgate to create more space and improve flexibility and convenience for customers.
2019
Facelifted RX arrives in local showrooms offering key connectivity and safety technology upgrades, along with enhanced driving dynamics. The updated RX also saw the RX 200t transition to the new model name of RX 300, to align with global branding hierarchy.
2021
Two specially prepared Lexus RX 450h SUVs, fitted with Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) and cellular network technologies, take part in the ground-breaking Australian Integrated Multimodal EcoSystem, a real-world testing environment for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications technology.
2023
Electrified powertrains headline the all-new fifth-generation Lexus RX, with the RX 350h the new entry point to the line-up and the range-topping RX 500h F Sport Performance the new hybrid hero.
The RX 500h F Sport Performance is not only the most powerful hybrid SUV yet offered by Lexus in Australia, but it is also the first-ever Lexus turbocharged performance hybrid.
2025
Lexus introduces plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology on the RX large SUV range, with RX 450h+ Sports Luxury AWD providing a further electrified option for customers seeking to reduce the CO2 tailpipe emissions.
2026
Lexus delivers its 50,000th RX luxury SUV in Australia – marking the first time an individual Lexus model has reached the sales milestone – demonstrating the ongoing popularity of the RX SUV with customers.
Road to 50,000 Milestone - Lexus RX Sales
| 2003 | 1,671 | |
| 2004 | 2,441 | |
| 2005 | 2,563 | |
| 2006 | 2,703 | |
| 2007 | 3,127 | |
| 2008 | 2,304 | |
| 2009 | 2,607 | |
| 2010 | 2,534 | |
| 2011 | 1,758 | |
| 2012 | 2,169 | |
| 2013 | 2,188 | |
| 2014 | 1,866 | |
| 2015 | 1,673 | |
| 2016 | 1,912 | |
| 2017 | 1,858 | |
| 2018 | 2,051 | |
| 2019 | 1,883 | |
| 2020 | 1,879 | |
| 2021 | 1,908 | |
| 2022 | 1,352 | |
| 2023 | 2,743 | |
| 2024 | 2,075 | |
| 2025 | 2,126 | |
| 2026 | 728 | YTD April |
