Lexus Prepares To Make Big Changes: Sedan V8, Coupe, And Electric SUVs To Be Injected Dead

JAKARTA The luxury car brand from Toyota, Lexus, is rumored to be discontinuing the production of dozens of its iconic models. This move, reported by Carscoops, Thursday, July 30, marks significant changes in their product lineup, ending the era for several names that have long been circulating on the market. The models that will say goodbye include various variants of the IS sedan, the RC coupe, and the UX electric SUV, with official production in Japan scheduled to end in November 2025.

This decision is reflected in the announcement on the official Japanese Lexus website. The message states, "Thank you for considering our vehicle. Production of IS 500 / IS 350 / IS 300h (AWD) / IS 300 / RC 350 / RC 300h, and RC 300 will end in November 2025. Sales will expire after orders reach production numbers for November."

Similar messages also appear on the RC F Final Edition page. The final edition of the V8-powered coupe launched in January 2025 was only produced by 200 units in Japan, and all of them have been sold out. This is a sweet cover for the legendary RC F, marking the end of an era of high performance.

With this move, only the backward-wheeled IS 300h will still be produced for the Japanese market. All other IS and RC variants, including V8-powered IS 500, will be gradually removed from production lines. This decision, although surprising for some, is already thought to be given the age of both models that have reached more than a decade. The IS and RC last received large refreshes in 2020 and 2018.

Kabar juga menyebutkan bahwa generasi baru IS sedang dalam tahap pengembangan dan diperkirakan akan hadir pada tahun 2026. Meskipun awalnya ada rencana untuk berliar sepenuhnya ke kendaraan listrik, IS baru ini diharapkan akan menawarkan pilihan powertrain listrik dan hybrid, mengikuti jejak sedan Lexus ES yang lebih besar.

The situation for the RC coup is a bit more complex, as it is likely that there will be no immediate replacement. In contrast, Lexus is reportedly working on a new sports coup that has the potential to replace the RC and LC. The LC model itself is also expected to end its production period around 2026, marked by the recent launch of the LC 500 Pinnacle Edition. This suggests that Lexus is reshuffling the total segment of their coup.

Finally, production of their smallest electric SUV, UX 300e, which was first introduced in 2019, will also be discontinued in November 2025. Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun even reported that the UX 300h hybrid is expected to follow, with production ending during the 2025 fiscal year, which ends on March 30, 2026.

While no substitute has been officially announced yet, UX remains a popular global model, and with its close ties to Toyota C-HR and Corolla Cross, most likely the next-generation version is under development.