Lexus GX News

Forget Chinese brands like MG, BYD and Chery! These non-Chinese carmakers are having a sales hot streak in Australia in 2025
By Tim Nicholson · 25 Apr 2025
There’s a lot of attention paid to the rise of Chinese auto brands in Australia and their ever-increasing market share.Brands like BYD, Chery, GWM, MG and newer marques like Deepal, Geely, JAC, Leapmotor and Zeekr have collectively taken a bite out of the sales of some long-standing brands.But it’s not all doom and gloom for the more established, non-Chinese makes. In fact, a number of them are performing quite well on the sales charts so far this year.However, it’s not mainstream legacy brands that are on the up. In fact, a lot of the top-10 brands are treading water.With the exception of Fiat Professional, whose sales are up by 120 per cent this year, all of the other brands experiencing strong growth in 2025 are exotic, premium or semi-premium offerings.One of the semi-premium brands doing well in 2025 is Cupra. Volkswagen Group’s Spanish performance specialist has seen its overall sales shoot up by 35 per cent so far in 2025 after a slower 2024.While a couple of its models - the ageing Ateca SUV and the Leon small hatchback - have gone backwards on the sales charts, the striking Formentor SUV has increased by 54.8 per cent in 2025. At 469 sales so far, it’s not a massive number but it represents a big uptick for a newish name.The Born EV is also up this year by 24.2 per cent, while the only just arrived Tavascan electric SUV is expected to further boost Cupra’s sales thanks to keen pricing and sharp design. Facelifted versions of the Leon and Formentor arriving this year should only help Cupra’s upward trajectory.Mini is another semi-premium brand having an excellent 2025. The BMW-owned marque’s sales are up by 69.4 per cent so far (1394 versus 823 units). And it’s largely thanks to one model.The new-gen Countryman SUV has proven to be a massive hit, recording 553 sales which equates to a 369 per cent increase on Q1 last year. As well as enjoying positive media reviews, buyers have clearly warmed to the new Countryman’s more family-friendly dimensions, new tech and the option of petrol and fully-electric powertrains.Of course the Cooper hatch remains the brand’s top seller, with petrol and electric versions combining for a total of 634 sales, up 29.7 per cent.It might not be a premium brand in its US home market, but in Australia, Chevrolet takes a more upscale position as it only sells high-end, full-size pick-ups and sports cars.That strategy is clearly working because Chevrolet sales are up by 12.8 per cent so far in 2025, on the back of interest in the Corvette sports car. Z06 sales are up 250 per cent and the Stingray has increased by 50 per cent. The Silverado 1500 truck is the biggest seller with 627 sold in 2025, up by 14.4 per cent.Two of Australia’s most popular premium brands are also having a good year - Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.What’s interesting about Lexus is that its growth is mostly down to the compact LBX SUV. The little crossover has recorded a massive 353 per cent increase on its Q1 2024 tally with 598 sales.The LBX is easily outselling its slightly larger UX sibling and is just ahead of the aforementioned Cupra Forementor (469 sales) and Mini Countryman (553), but trailing the Audi Q3 (676) in the premium small SUV segment.The Toyota Prado-based GX large SUV is Lexus’ other solid performer with 285 sales.Mercedes is having an exceptional start to the year with a 31 per cent boost thanks to big sales increases on a number of its model lines.Key models having a good year include the E-Class (+223 per cent) and S-Class (+300 per cent) sedans, GLA (+139.2 per cent), GLC (+82.5 per cent) and GLS (+72.6 per cent) SUVs and EVs like the EQB (+270 per cent).Despite double-digit sales drops for most of its Range Rover models - Range Rover, Evoque and Velar - Land Rover has seen strong interest in the Defender (+61.2 per cent) and the Discovery Sport (+57 per cent) for a Q1 boost of 13 per cent.As is often the case in harsh economic times, the top end of town is sailing through unaffected. That is evident in sales of exotic brands in Australia, which are largely in positive territory.Rolls-Royce may have small volumes, but sales are up by 111 per cent this year, while sports car brands like Aston Martin (+34.1 per cent), Ferrari (+7.4 per cent), Lamborghini (+78.3 per cent) and McLaren (+100 per cent) are all well in front of the year prior.
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Which off-road SUV should you buy between the 2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado Kakadu, Lexus GX550 Overtrail, Ford Everest Platinum and Isuzu MU-X LS-T? We compare how each 4WD stacks up on paper
By Samuel Irvine · 28 Dec 2024
With Australia's four-wheel drive segment more competitive than ever before, deciding which off-road SUV to buy has become an increasingly complicated task.
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Big off-road focus for Toyota Prado-based 2024 Lexus GX as large SUV brings new buyers as well as luxury up-graders to the brand
By Tom White · 13 Apr 2024
Lexus woos a whole new class of buyer with its incoming off-road and towing-focused GX Overland.
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The Prado punisher! 2024 Lexus GX detailed for Australia including launch timing, towing, off-road capability and monster twin-turbo V6
By Andrew Chesterton · 05 Mar 2024
The all-new Lexus GX will arrive in Australia in June, bringing with a new focus on rugged off-road capability and a thumping twin-turbo V6 engine.
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More power, more torque, more towing: Forget the Ford Everest, the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado's biggest threat is actually the epic Lexus GX | Opinion
By Andrew Chesterton · 11 Feb 2024
When news of the incoming 2024 Toyota LandCruiser Prado broke, all eyes turned to its usual rivals, like the Ford Everest or even the Tank 500. But it turns out its biggest rival lurks much closer to home. In the same family, in fact.
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Watch out, Audi! How Lexus staged a sales comeback in 2023 off the back of updated Lexus RX, NX and UX SUVs
By Stephen Ottley · 30 Dec 2023
The cold, hard facts of the 2022 sales data were not good for Lexus. The brand’s sales dropped off nearly 25 per cent (23.7 per cent, to be precise) as it struggled to combat the combined challenges of a renewing model range and supply shortages.
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2024 Lexus GX or Land Rover Defender? The luxury 4WD market is about to heat up, but which should you pick? | Opinion
By Marcus Craft · 06 Aug 2023
Australians can't get enough of the Toyota Prado, so the related Lexus GX should surely be a hit too, right?
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2024 Lexus GX will launch in Australia with only one engine option as the fancy cousin to the Toyota Prado
By Tung Nguyen · 12 Jul 2023
Lexus Australia has confirmed the Toyota Prado-related GX off-road SUV for local consumption from the first half of next year, but it will go against the luxury brand's hybrid philosophy – at least initially.
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Prada Prado! 2024 Lexus GX SUV revealed as upmarket Toyota LandCruiser Prado counterpart to take on Land Rover Defender and Volvo XC90
By Chris Thompson · 09 Jun 2023
The third Generation of the three-row Lexus GX has finally been revealed in North America, with the model expected to finally make its way to Australia after it goes on sale globally late this year.
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