2023 Lexus Year in Review: Bold New Expressions of Innovation

Lexus celebrated another banner year as it continues to elevate the human-centered driving experience. Performance, innovation, and luxury remained top priorities for 2023 as the brand set out to deliver on guests’ expectations.

Over the past year, Lexus stayed focused on its goals to help meet the diverse needs of Lexus customers and cater to any lifestyle with reveals of new vehicles that feature bold design, intuitive technology, and features to optimize the driving and in-cabin experience. The brand was also hard at work elevating premium lifestyle experiences, achieving motorsports success and spotlighting some of the amazing people behind the brand.

Let’s look back at some of the brand’s accomplishments in 2023:

Fulfilling an Electrified Destiny
Lexus intends to contribute to a carbon-neutral future by aiming to offer 100% battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in all models globally by 2035. The brand also believes that the future of electric vehicles will be versatile, anticipatory and centered on elevating the consumer’s driving and ownership experiences.

As a testament to that commitment, the brand launched the “Lexus Electrified” marketing campaign at the top of the year highlighting how people are the inspiration behind the versatility of Lexus’ electrified line of vehicles. The broadcast spot, “Like Attracts Like,” debuted in January, showcasing four electrified Lexus vehicles – the RZ 450e, RX 500h, NX 450h+ and the Electrified Sport Concept.

One of those vehicles ushering in the next chapter of electrified – the all-new, all-electric Lexus RZ 450e – went on sale in the spring. The RZ is the brand’s first globally available, purpose-built BEV that brings a dynamic driving experience and distinctive design focused on performance. And for those who purchase the RZ 450e, Lexus announced earlier this year a collaboration with ChargePoint to offer home chargers through Lexus dealers (knowing the home tends to become the primary charging location for BEVs), and a vast network of public charging EV stations to help drivers charge whenever and wherever they are.

Building on the all-new redesign of the iconic crossover vehicle last year, Lexus added the much-anticipated plug-in hybrid to the electrified RX lineup. The 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ is now available and offers standard luxury elements, intuitive technology and thoughtful in-cabin features.

This fall at the inaugural Japan Mobility Show 2023, Lexus introduced a range of concept models under the theme “Pushing the Boundaries of the Electrified Experience,” envisioning new possibilities for mobility through electric cars. The Lexus booth hosted the global debut of the next-generation BEV concept car LF-ZC along with the BEV flagship concept model, LF-ZL, which offers a glimpse into the brand’s future.

Rolling Out Standout Products
Over the past year, Lexus rolled out several standout products that offer an unparalleled guest experience — from first-time models to bespoke customization.

For starters, the all-new 2024 Lexus GX was revealed back in June. The vehicle was designed to inspire customers to pursue their urge to travel, take an unpaved path, immerse themselves in nature and revel in the joy of driving. As part of that journey, GX blazes the trail as the first vehicle to bring the global Lexus “Overtrail Project” to life. The Overtrail and Overtail+ models incorporate a bevy of features and specialized styling that Lexus guests have come to expect. Leading up until the 2024 GX goes on sale in early 2024, fans can get a behind-the-scenes peek of designers and engineers crafting the next-generation vehicle in the “From the Ground Up” video series.

To give guests even more to look forward to, Lexus also revealed the first-ever Lexus TX. This vehicle answers North American customers’ ongoing requests for a three-row SUV that offers substantial space and seating without compromising the innovative technology, refined performance and luxurious amenities they expect from Lexus. The TX offers a comfortable yet dynamic way of moving up to seven people — whether that’s to football practice or a cabin for a weekend getaway. Plus, the get-up-and-go that powers these trips is comprised of a mix of powertrain offerings, including two electrified options.

The 2024 TX is the first Lexus SUV to be assembled in the U.S., and the first Lexus for Toyota Indiana – a milestone that was recently celebrated at the Princeton, Indiana plant.

Beyond the all-new GX and first-ever TX, guests have more to look forward to as the rest of the 2024 model year Lexus vehicles continue to arrive at dealerships. As a fun way to feature the brand’s vehicles, fans of the brand can try their Lexus product knowledge via the Test Your Knowledge series, a new format that made its debut on the Lexus Newsroom earlier this year. Readers can currently find a quiz on the 2023 Lexus LX 600 and 2024 Lexus LC 500 with more quizzes on the horizon.

To get readers up to speed on the brand’s latest all-new vehicles, the Newsroom also features the “Five Things to Know About…” series. This year, the series featured the top five things to know about the Lexus TX and Lexus GX.

For more product releases and reveal news of 2023, check out the following stories:

Elevating Lifestyle Experiences
Lexus complements guests’ lifestyles at every turn. In fact, when it comes to elevating experiences, Lexus leads the pack. From art installations to groundbreaking concerts, the brand boasted several notable lifestyle collaborations and partnerships in 2023.

Lexus showcased “Shaped by Air”––an installation by acclaimed New York-based artist and architect Suchi Reddy, founder of Reddymade Architecture and Design.

The installation drew inspiration from the Lexus Electrified Sport concept vehicle and its quality of being “shaped by air.” It was first presented in the sculpture garden at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) during Miami Art & Design Week 2022, and it was reimagined for Milan Design Week as a multisensory experience through which visitors could travel. Reddy’s ethereal installation celebrated the collaborators’ shared commitment to human-centered, carbon-neutral and impeccably crafted design.

The public exhibition was on view through April 23 at Superstudio in Milan.

Music is another celebrated art form — and Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour was a prominent brand partnership.

Lexus hit the road with the Queen Bey’s tour alongside her BeyGOOD Foundation as the exclusive automotive partner of the U.S. leg of the tour. The brand supported the superstar’s nonprofit with a donation to help small minority-owned businesses.

The company joined BeyGOOD Foundation and its Black Parade Route to help small-business owners impacted by economic inequities through a variety of grant opportunities and/or sustainability support services. Lexus’ donation expanded the BeyGOOD commitment by providing an additional $10,000 each to two grant recipients in all tour cities.

And finally, sports partnerships have always been a priority for Lexus. In fact, the brand announced several new athlete sponsorships in the golf sector. To learn more, check out some of the following stories:

Podium Success
Driving can be a fun and exhilarating sport. Take it from the 2023 Lexus Racing Vasser Sullivan team, who won the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship at the Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in October. Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth won the GTD PRO Drivers title, and the Vasser Sullivan No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 scored the GTD PRO Team championship. It marked the first full-season IMSA GT titles for Lexus and Vasser Sullivan, as well as for Hawksworth and Barnicoat.

Earlier this year, Lexus asked the Vasser Sullivan drivers to share their own favorite off-track stretches of road. Their responses were enlightening and inspiring as some expressed enjoyment on roads near their hometown.

Celebrating the People Behind the Brand
Behind every human-centered experience that Lexus offers, there is a dedicated employee who makes the wheels turn. In 2023, the company continued to shine a light on the individuals who help make Lexus the beloved brand it is today. The commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion the brand demonstrates for its people was highlighted throughout the year.

In February, the Newsroom featured six Lexus and Toyota employees who shared what Black History Month means to them and the impact of diversity in leadership.

Here are a couple spotlights on their perspectives:

“It is important to see diverse leadership because it allows team members to have a deeper connection to an organization that understands them. In addition, diverse leadership can help create synergies with team members through their understanding of varied thoughts and experiences.” —Brandon Mosley, Manager, Dealer Advertising and Media, Lexus Marketing African American Coalition (AAC) Member

“What I enjoy most about Black History Month is that it provides us with an opportunity to reflect, remember the past, and celebrate and highlight the present. From there, we can forge into the future understanding the shoulders [of our ancestors] for which we stand on.” —Bruce Hines, Manager, Lexus Racing & Motorsports

In honor of Women’s History Month, Lexus and Toyota highlighted a few of the many trailblazers who are helping drive the industry forward while also making a positive impact at the company.

Sakiko Aono, a marketing manager at Lexus, explained how she’s been given the space to grow.

“After joining Toyota 17 years ago and serving on different teams in Toyota Marketing, Product Planning, Service Parts and Accessories, Lexus still gives me the opportunity to challenge myself with diverse perspectives and unique ideas,” Aono said. “Lexus, where I work now, is an environment where I can not only do my daily work, but also deepen my thinking one step further. I still feel a sense of freshness and can take on new challenges, and I am grateful to Lexus.”

Like Aono, some employees find that their journeys at the company aren’t always linear. Lexus gives employees the opportunity to tap into their passions, in turn discovering new opportunities.

As a leader in mobility, Lexus offers a wide range of career options for prospective employees, as well as those already working at the company. In the fall, the Newsroom highlighted three individuals whose professional paths took a different turn.

Here’s an example of what a couple of them said about their career journeys and how changing disciplines can be beneficial:

“I knew that Toyota and Lexus were places that nurtured growth and movement within the company, and it was one of the many reasons I wanted to work here. I don’t believe it’s common for companies to give these kinds of opportunities to try new fields, so it’s truly a unique experience.” —Jaime Cawyer, senior digital marketing strategist for Lexus.com

“Mobility of thinking not only creates new opportunities for employees, but it encourages new perspectives and ways of thinking when teams are collaborating, which leads to growth and expansion as a company. I believe the opportunity to work on different projects and the transferrable skills you can learn and apply from these projects makes the company stand out in a positive way.” —Marcus Anderson, business initiatives in HR at Lexus

The past year has been an exhilarating ride for Lexus. But the company is primed and revving up for even more innovative products, partnerships and initiatives that will take the beloved brand to even greater heights in 2024.

Originally published December 13, 2023