Lexus is a luxury brand that offers smooth, understated sophistication without the boisterous fanfare of its competitors. It doesn’t have that typical “look at me” facade, but that doesn’t stop you from looking. Great care goes into each design element and while it may seem like a conservative, muted brand, just wait until you open that door.
The red interior has become a popular design feature, and for good reason. The red leather hints at a playfulness unexpected from this brand. These are some of the models that pull it off best.
Great Expectations For 2023 and Beyond
2023 is the year Lexus goes to town with its red interiors. The Lexus IS offers the iconic Rioja Red NuLuxe interior, while the Lexus LX features a Circuit Red semi-aniline leather option. The red interior is arguably that feature that tips Lexus into an edgier category, and you’re almost tempted to say it’s not just a pretty face.
While other trim options, such as Nubuck leather in brown, tan, or white, are still popular, there’s something mysterious and fun about the red. 2023 is an exciting year for Lexus, thanks to its unwavering commitment to ultimate luxury and comfort, such as the reclining rear seat options of the LX.
But the red isn’t entirely new. It has roots as far back as the Lexus brand inception, keeping Lexus fans enthralled for decades.
The Elusive 1990 Lexus LS400
Lexus broke the status quo with the 1990 Lexus LS400, as European and American brands dominated the luxury car market. This model caused quite a stir with its impressive stats, such as the 250 horsepower and 4-liter V-8 engine. Furthermore, the Lexus had all the features of a luxury model but had better reliability and was significantly cheaper, even with its starting MSRP of around $38,000.
Wildly successful, it offered the standard gray interior as the go-to, with burgundy red as an optional trim. However, that burgundy red interior of the LS400 set the benchmark and gave Lexus that pop of interest that set it aside as not just another luxury car brand.
The Trendsetting 2014 Lexus IS 250 Sport
Rioja Red is the color that defines the Lexus interior. It’s a striking contrast to typical black and frequently pairs up with black to create a trim that’s racy, exciting, and makes you want to take the long drive home. The 2014 Lexus IS 250 Sport aims to rival German luxury cars and almost succeeds.
Comfort is the aim of this model as it features a longer wheelbase, offering more interior room. It also listened to its customer base and increased the trunk size. This model sees a big boost on the electronics front as it provides a touch-screen interface. It also includes safety features such as lane departure assist and blind spot monitoring.
The Popular 2015 Lexus RX350 F-Sport
The RX350 range had been around for almost a decade before Lexus decided to kit it out with a striking cabernet red interior. For a luxury SUV, this trim offered a strangely cozy interior, albeit the luxurious finishes.
The popularity of this model has much to do with the price point, luxurious touches, the long list of features, and of course, Lexus reliability. The 3.5-liter V-6 engine is acceptable, even as a sports model. But that’s not what this SUV is about.
Drivers can have front-wheel or all-wheel drive, which opens up the possibility of slightly off-road adventures. This car can handle all the weather conditions that the east coast through to the west coast can offer, making it a great long-distance option even as an SUV.
The Unassuming 2018 Lexus LC 500
The 2018 Lexus LC 500 was a real challenger of the European luxury cars thanks to its unique looks and zero tolerance for superfluous design elements. It didn’t resemble any of the other cars on the road at that time, plus it had the V-8 engine to boot. For those who wanted something a little more sustainable, there was also a V-6 hybrid option.
The red leather interior tipped this one over as a winning option. If you were to pick one up today, the starting MSRP is around $93,000 plus an additional $4,500 for a hybrid.
The Unique 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport
Lexus isn’t a brand out to prove itself, yet it does so effortlessly through sheer design ingenuity and offering drivers something unique. In the case of the 2020 ES 350 F Sport, the red leather sports interior is unique to this trim.
The racy red leather interior is just the start, as it also features paddle shifting and a smooth V-6 engine. Fuel economy ranges from 22 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the open road. Lexus doesn’t cut corners on safety with intuitive parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and pedestrian detection.
The Limited Edition 2022 Lexus LC 500
Lexus swaps out the usual fiery red option for a color called Dark Rose in its 150-line 2022 Lexus LC 500. The Dark Rose also makes its way to the convertible soft top, which sets off beautifully with the season’s exterior paint color of choice, Iridium. The theme is dark romance, and Lexus ticks all the boxes on that front.
Looks matter in this range, and the sports model features 21-inch forged alloy wheels. If you bought this model new, you also had the option of using the build configurator to include all the specs you desired.
It features a powerful V-8 engine and goes from zero to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Once again, Lexus pulls all the tricks out of the bag and loads the LC 500 with several safety features. These include a surround-view camera system and a climate control system. It also offers top-of-the-range tech options such as app compatibility (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and a touch-screen interface.
Find Your Lexus at Longo Lexus
Longo Lexus serves the El Monte, California, community, and assists with all their Lexus needs. Make an appointment with one of our sales associates to view our new or used vehicles or schedule a test drive.
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