Stretched Lexus RX Under Consideration as Seven Seater

Lexus is mulling over a few options in order to add a seven-seater crossover to its lineup.

One of those options is to stretch the current Lexus RX model to accommodate three rows, as the company has put a focus on expanding its three-row offerings as soon as possible. Currently, the Lexus GX 460 is a seven-seater SUV, but employs a body-on-frame build that has a trucklike ride. According to Lexus Division chief Jeff Bracken, third-row seating is the number-one issue the brand hears from its dealers, and Lexus feels like its missing a 35,000-units-a-year opportunity.

The Lexus RX shares its platform with the Toyota Highlander, which received a through redesign this year. The new Lexus RX however won’t arrive until late 2015 in order to let the new NX find its place in the marketplace. For over a decade, Lexus has been considering a seven-seater crossover model, but it has been put on the backburner until now. The company hopes to bring such a vehicle to market in 2016 or 2017 and isn’t bothered even “if it steps on RX.”