Lexus Rumored to Debut Compact City Car Next Month

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Rumor has it Lexus is going to enter the compact luxury car segment.

Despite reports last year that the Japanese automaker had no intentions to create a model smaller than the CT 200h, Australia website Motoring is reporting that Lexus will actually debut an all-new B-segment compact car that will serve as a direct rival to the Audi A1. If the compact model is approved for production it won’t be released globally until 2018 after Lexus pushes its second-generation CT to market.

SEE ALSO: Lexus Not Planning Compact Models Beyond CT

It is also being reported that Lexus will debut the next-generation RX crossover at the New York Auto Show in April, which was originally rumored to bow at the Detroit Auto Show. We would take the rumor of a compact Lexus with a grain of salt, especially considering Mark Templin, General Manager of Lexus, has gone on the record saying Lexus doesn’t need to build an A- or B-segment car noting that demand for small cars in the U.S. is really weak.

GALLERY: Lexus CT200h

[Source: Motoring]

Discuss this story at our Lexus CT 200H forum

Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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  • Smartacus Smartacus on Feb 13, 2015

    Will it share a platform with the upcoming MINI Minor? Mark Levinson sound system with 14 speakers in a B-segment would sound exquisite during a stop-and-go commute.

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