Lexus recordsSales milestoneRX Luxury SUV

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.