For the most positive change in the refresh of the 2009 Acural RL, the flagging flagship of Honda’s luxury division that’s making its production debut at the 2008 Chicago show, you’ll need to look beyond its odd chrome snout and under the blow-formed aluminum hood. New for 2009 is the 3.7-liter, 300-horsepower VTEC V-6 that also powers the MDX with 275 lb-ft of torque on tap.
Toyota is contemplating a compact Lexus SUV that could go head-to-head pricewise against the Acura RDX and Infiniti EX35, according to an Automotive News report. Currently, Lexus lacks a small crossover SUV that competes in a similar pricepoint with premium Japanese competition.
The Lexus RX 350, Lexus’ smallest SUV, currently rivals the BMW X3 with its base price of $38,165. Acura and Infiniti’s offerings come in cheaper by thousands of dollars, but Toyota executives worry that Lexus-standard luxury features and build quality cannot be maintained at a lower price point. Reportedly, another concern for Toyota the dilution of the Lexus brand and overlap with Toyota models — both of which could result in a possible loss of prestige for the luxury automaker.
