SUV sales have declined over the past few years due to high gas prices, especially in the past few months with the economic downturn likely to blame. I asked Jody Victor to tell us about a new SUV that may change our way of thinking about them.
Jody Victor: As many SUVs are sitting, lonely, and for sale at dealers as in empty lots and neighborhoods; however this isn’t stopping Lexus/Toyota from releasing a new version of its GX mid-size SUV sometime in the second half of the year—the GX has been around since 2003, but is to be replaced with an all new model.
The new model will include new sheet metal and an improved interior, but the mid-size luxury SUV will retain the body-on-frame build. The updated model will include a big underhood revamp—where as the current rig uses a 4.7L V8 rated at 263 HP, the new GX will run the 310 HP 4.6L V8 from the 2010 Toyota Tundra.
GX sales, as many other SUVs of its class, have been on the decline since 2004. That year Lexus sold about 35,000 units of the GX, exceeding Toyota’s expectations of 20k. In the past month sales of the GX have been heading down toward the tune of 66%, but Lexus is hopeful the GX’s overhauls will increase demand.
Thanks, Jody! We'll be looking for this new version soon!