2015 Lexus NX 200t sales remain above BMW X3 and Lincoln MKC

When Lexus introduced the new Lexus NX 200t, the auto press as a whole got it wrong. Most outlets who should have known better thought it was a competitor to the BMW X1 or the Porsche Macan. In fact, it was the BMW X3 shopper that Lexus wanted to steal, and the NX has done that and more.

The Lexus NX 200t sales and a few NX 300h hybrids totaled 3,633 units in March of this year. BMW sold just 1,541 X3s. That is about a third of the typical month for that vehicle prior to the NX launch. Last March, before the new NX 200t was launched, BMW enjoyed sales of 4,430 units of the popular (at the time) X3.

Year to date, the 2015 NX line by Lexus have sold 9,111 units total. BMW, by comparison, has sold 6,006 X3s, down 42% on the year. Lexus is not the only new premium compact crossover on the scene. The Lincoln MKC is also new and sold 2,070 units in March. Launched at about the same time as the MKC late last year, the Lexus NX has now outsold the Lincoln by almost 2 to 1. BMW’s reduced sales may have been worse except the compact crossover market is growing rapidly, and the premium segment, in particular, is picking up its pace.

The BMW X3 has some pretty big strong points, including one of the best rides in its segment. It does have a price problem when equally equipped and cross-shopped by buyers. The X3 is due for a full redesign soon, and we would not count it out quite yet.

We also considered that the Lexus NX may be stealing sales from the 2015 RX 350. That model is in its last year of its design cycle, and the new RX 350 for 2016 has already been announced and shown at auto shows. There is no sign of parasitic sales by the NX though. The RX is up 5% year to date over last year. As a combined pair, the NX and RX lines now dominate the Lexus line in terms of unit sales accounting for fully 41% of the company’s total sales volume.