• Lexus has been named Best Overall Luxury Brand in the 2026 Kelley Blue Book Consumer Choice Awards, a win it has now claimed six times
• Lexus also took home Most Trusted Luxury Brand — a title it has held every year since 2016 — along with Best Value Luxury Brand
• In total Lexus won half of the awards in the luxury category

Kelley Blue Book has announced the winners of its 2026 Consumer Choice Awards, and Lexus walked away with the biggest prize in the luxury segment: Best Overall Luxury Brand. This marks the sixth time Lexus has claimed the top honor, with KBB citing the brand’s reputation for comfort, reliability, safety, fuel efficiency, and value.

Unlike awards handed out by panels of automotive journalists, the Consumer Choice Awards (formerly known as the Brand Image Awards) are decided by the people who matter most: in-market new car shoppers. The results come from KBB’s annual Brand Watch Study, which surveys more than 12,000 active shoppers on 14 key attributes, from affordability and safety to durability and interior layout.

In other words, this is a direct read on how people actively shopping for a new vehicle perceive the Lexus brand.

A Decade of Trust

The Best Overall win wasn’t the only hardware Lexus collected – Lexus was also named Most Trusted Luxury Brand, a title it has now held every single year since 2016. Ten consecutive years is a remarkable run by any measure, and it speaks to the foundation Lexus has built since its inception.

Rounding out the trio, Lexus also won Best Value Luxury Brand. KBB pointed to the brand’s deep hybrid lineup and generous standard equipment as key motivators for buyers, noting that Lexus delivers genuine luxury while keeping quality-for-the-price and fuel efficiency top of mind. With hybrid powertrains now available across nearly the entire lineup — from the UX and NX up through the RX, TX, and ES — it’s not hard to see why shoppers see Lexus as the smart money in the segment.

Source: Kelly Blue Book

• Gazoo Racing has confirmed that no GR badge will appear on future Lexus vehicles
• GR engineering learnings may trickle into future Lexus products, but will not come as high-performance branded models
• With F gone and no GR trims planned for Lexus, the future of the successful F SPORT trims also seems unclear

In recent memory, Lexus enthusiasts watched Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division produce some of the most exciting sports cars the company has built in a generation: the GR 86, GR Supra, and now the GR GT. As Lexus’ F brand quietly wound down without a successor in sight, it was natural to wonder whether GR might extend its reach to Lexus, filling that performance void with something like a GR IS or GR LC — a formula that had already proven itself with the GR Yaris and GR Corolla on the Toyota side. The idea wasn’t far-fetched, and plenty of enthusiasts were genuinely excited by the possibility.

That hope has now been addressed directly, and the answer is no.

Autoblog recently spoke with Gazoo Racing executives ahead of the launch of the GR GT, and the exchange produced the clearest language on this topic that we’ve seen from anyone inside Toyota’s performance organization.

Jeff Bal, Director of the sports car program at Gazoo Racing, was unambiguous: a GR badge on a Lexus is simply not happening. “That’s not in the cards,” he told Autoblog. For enthusiasts who were banking on GR as a lifeline for Lexus performance, this is another door closing and this one appears to be locked.

GR Is Its Own Brand, Not a Performance Tier for Lexus

The message from GR leadership is consistent: Gazoo Racing is an independent brand with its own vehicles, its own identity, and its own trajectory. That trajectory includes dedicated performance vehicles like the GR 86, GR Supra, and now the flagship GR GT, as well as high performance versions of Toyota’s Yaris and Corolla, off-road models like the Land Cruiser GR Sport, and even a GRMN version of the Century SUV… but Lexus will be one brand that does not receive future GR models.

Bal did offer a nuanced qualifier and some positive news for Lexus enthusiasts: GR’s development work, he explained to Autoblog, is not entirely walled off from other Toyota brands. “Maybe the next-generation LX, IS F Sport, or RAV4 will have something that was learned and built from a GR product,” he said.

Nick Miller, Senior Manager of Motorsport and Special Products for Toyota North America, reinforced the underlying philosophy: “GR is a mindset.” Engineers who work on GR projects carry those learnings back into mainstream product development across Toyota and Lexus alike — better chassis tuning, stronger components, refined dynamics.

At face value, that GR influence could be a real and meaningful benefit for future Lexus models but it is engineering influence and not a sub-brand with a name and a corporate support, and the latter is what so many Lexus enthusiasts have been hoping to see come to fruition.

An improved suspension and a full GR-badged performance model are two very different things, and it is worth being clear-eyed about which one Lexus is actually getting.

A Question With No Good Answer

We asked back in January whether the decline of F represented a farewell or a new chapter. The Autoblog interview provides as close to a definitive answer as we are likely to receive from Toyota. GR will not replace F. GR will not replace F SPORT as an identity.

GR will, at best, make future Lexus products quietly more capable and that is worth something, even if it is a significant distance from what the Lexus community was hoping for.

• Lexus has canceled the production version of the LF-ZC concept, which was intended to serve as a fully electric replacement for the IS sedan
• With the ZC gone, the ES appears set to stand alone as Lexus’ only remaining sedan once the current IS ends production
• Lexus will continue sharing BEV platforms with Toyota, but the future of dedicated, bespoke Lexus EV programs is now unclear

Lexus’ most ambitious electric vehicle program is now dead. According to reports from Automotive News and Nikkei, Toyota Motor Corporation halted development of the next-generation Lexus BEV sedan program, a production model widely expected to be based on the striking LF-ZC concept first unveiled at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.

The decision places Lexus in line with a broader pullback from EV ambitions among Japanese automakers, and it carries significant consequences for the brand’s lineup and long-term product identity.

The ZC Was A Bold Vision for Lexus’ Electric Future

Lexus’ ZC program represented the brand’s most forward-looking BEV engineering, a truly next-generation product in comparison to current electric vehicles like the RZ and ES. The production model would reportedly offer several powertrains ranging from a high performance model with more than 500 horsepower, to another long range model allegedly capable of more than 400 miles of range on a single charge.

Critically, the ZC was also set to pioneer large-scale gigacasting construction within the Toyota Group, paired with Lexus’ DIRECT4 torque-vectoring system and the Arene OS software-defined vehicle platform. In theory, this could have been Lexus most advanced model in recent memory.

If all of this is true, cancelling the ZC represents a substantial R&D investment that is now without a home. Lexus has indicated that technology and learnings from the ZC program will be redirected to other projects, which may include Toyota’s ongoing solid-state battery development efforts. But “redirected to future projects” is not the same as seeing that engineering ambition arrive in a production Lexus model, and curious minds are right to wonder what specifically happens to the gigacasting commitments and next-generation manufacturing investments that were at the heart of this program.

With the ZC Gone, The IS Sedan Has No Replacement

The more immediate consequence is a straightforward one: Lexus has no near-term, next-generation IS. The current third-generation model, which launched in 2014 and was recently updated again for the 2026 model year, will have no true successor and the sedan has already been running on life support through continued refreshes. That leaves the ES as Lexus’ only sedan going into 2028 and beyond.

The IS and ES have never been interchangeable, and the elimination of the GS and LS models left only these two sedans in dealer showrooms. The IS carved out its place in the lineup as the smaller, sportier option whereas the ES has always served a different buyer with an emphasis on comfort and refinement. Collapsing the sedan portfolio into just one model one removes a meaningful competitive position for Lexus in the entry-luxury sport sedan segment, and it is a segment where rivals like BMW and Mercedes-Benz are not standing still.

Yes, the sedan market has been more challenging for automakers over the last few years as more buyers migrate to crossovers and SUVs, but the IS has always brought a younger customer into Lexus showrooms because it serves as an affordable, attractive point of entry for the brand. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi have consolidated some of their coupe models, but core sedans still stand, from the BMW 3 series to the Audi A6 or Mercedes S-Class.

Lexus’ nearly full retreat from passenger cars is a stark departure and alienates some core customers. With the cancellation of the ZC and no immediate plan to replace the IS with a newer model, Lexus having only the ES leaves the brand poorly leveraged in a core part of the luxury market.

Shared Platforms, an Uncertain BEV Roadmap

Looking forward, the future for bespoke Lexus EV development becomes harder to decipher.

The new ES electric sedan and the forthcoming TZ three-row crossover both leverage an updated version of Toyota’s GA-K platform architecture, which is a sensible and cost-effective approach, though not particularly ground breaking in terms of capability, range, or power. But if the ZC, a ground-up Lexus BEV with genuinely purpose-built technology, could not survive the current environment, the question of what an ambitious and distinctly Lexus EV looks like going forward becomes a difficult one to answer.

Lexus has stated its goal of becoming fully electric by 2035 and the brand hasn’t issued any follow up guidance on that plan despite the erosion of EV demand in many key markets across the globe.

The near-term electric lineup – the TZ, the new ES EV, and the RZ – each heavily relies on Toyota-sourced parts, platforms, and powertrains which is a smart, cost-conscious strategy as consumers navigate between traditional gasoline engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full BEVs… but if Lexus is committing to be fully electric, many buyers will look for a broader departure from current models with roots in the humble Toyota parts bin. The ZC was supposed to be something uniquely and unapologetically Lexus but that opportunity, for now, is gone.

Sources: Automotive News, Nikkei

• Lexus has filed an international trademark for “LM 400h,” hinting at a new hybrid option sitting between the current LM 350h and LM 500h
• The 400h designation likely represents an updated, more powerful version of the LM 350h’s 2.5-liter hybrid system, potentially producing 270–300 horsepower
• With Lexus also trademarking “TX 400h,” the 400h powertrain appears to be a broader lineup strategy that could extend to multiple Lexus models

Lexus has filed an international trademark for a new LM variant: the LM 400h. The filing was made through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) — not the USPTO — which means there’s no confirmed US market introduction looming just yet. Still, it hints that the second-generation LM’s hybrid lineup may be getting a new, more powerful and more efficient hybrid option.

A New Step Between 350h and 500h

Right now, Lexus LM buyers can choose between two hybrid powertrains: The LM 350h uses a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system producing 247 horsepower, while the LM 500h steps up to a turbocharged 2.4-liter hybrid good for 366 horsepower. The gap between those two is significant in both power and price.

An LM 400h could slot right in the middle or potentially replace the 350h model all together. Based on the LM 350h’s 247 horsepower, the updated 400h model may have a combined output of 270–300 horsepower, likely from revised, higher capacity batteries. This would make it a meaningful upgrade over the 350h’s 2.5-liter system while stopping well short of the 500h’s turbocharged setup.

As with any trademark, the LM 400h could also simply be a defensive filing where Lexus is protecting a name it doesn’t intend to use immediately. However, given that this particular designation is logical as an updated powertrain for the flagship van, the LM 400h makes great sense.

Lexus’ other recent “400h” Trademark: TX 400h

Here’s where things get more interesting. Back in September, Lexus also trademarked “TX 400h” — and that filing raised the same question: what exactly is this powertrain, and where does it fit?

The TX and LM share a platform, which makes the parallel “400h” trademarks for both models almost certainly not a coincidence. It strongly suggests that the 400h designation represents a new mid-range hybrid system that Lexus plans to offer across multiple models. If the TX 400h and LM 400h are drawing from the same powertrain family, that same system could potentially find its way into the RX as well — giving the brand a consistent, more powerful alternative to the 350h across its most important nameplates.

Lexus hybrids continue to be among the brand’s fastest-selling and most in-demand products. Adding a new tier of hybrid output that bridges the existing gap between the 350h and 500h would give buyers more flexibility — and Lexus more room to differentiate within its lineup on both price and performance.

What’s Next

Trademark filings typically precede an actual product reveal by anywhere from one to three years, so there’s no indication of an imminent LM 400h announcement. Still, with the same “400h” name now appearing across at least two distinct Lexus models, it’s looking less like a placeholder and more like a powertrain strategy taking shape.

We’ll be watching for more details as they emerge.

Source: WIPO

• A camouflaged Lexus RX prototype was caught testing on public roads and showing a heavily covered front end.
• Limited interior photos reveal a redesigned dashboard similar to the ES, TZ, and upcoming NX.
• Based on its lifecycle, the RX should be updated for the 2028 model year.

After introducing so many redesigned crossover and SUV models over the last few years, Lexus is now preparing mid-cycle updates as we’ve seen with the recently spied updated NX, and now the midsize RX.

Fully redesigned for the 2023 model year, the RX should be on schedule for a mid-cycle model refresh in 2027 as a 2028 model. If that timeline holds true, we could see this updated RX roughly a year from now.

2028 Lexus RX Exterior

These spy shots show a heavily camouflaged front end and the details – or any changes – are hard to decipher based on these photos.

The headlight design looks nearly identical to the current model, and it appears any changes to the front grille or bumper are minimal, though all of that could change once the camouflage is removed and the details are more apparent.

The rest of the exterior is not covered by camouflage and also looks identical to the existing model. It could be that Lexus is not planning to make changes outside of the front end, or this could simply be a prototype testing new functionality related to the front end, such as sensors, cameras, or specific design updates. We just won’t know until Lexus reveals the production vehicle or additional prototypes are captured.

2028 Lexus RX Interior

Extracting details about the updated RX’s interior might be challenging, but these photos still show notable changes. Lexus’ recent interior design philosophy is a drastic departure from what the brand traditionalists are used to with the revamped cockpits seen in the 2026 ES and new TZ.

Recent spy shots of the upcoming 2027 NX showed a new dash design more similar to those newest Lexus models, and it appears the RX will also follow suit.

The current RX has a center screen that is slightly angled towards the driver, and looking into the cockpit from the front of the car shows a different design when comparing the existing model with this prototype: Here we see a more upright, flat center screen similar to the ES and TZ. Based on these photos, the center screen looks like it could be even larger than 14″ — but it is certainly at least that size.

Current RX models have a relatively thick bezel or rim around the screen and these photos show that in the new model, it is significantly slimmer and more modern.

Despite being Lexus’ best-selling model, the brand is not resting on its laurels with the RX. In addition to the exterior and interior changes, we also expect updates to the powertrain lineup as well as technology and suspension.

More details and information about updated Lexus models will be shared as it is available.

Lexus has taken the wraps off the all-new TZ, and here it is from every angle