Lexus RX L: new seven-seat SUV unveiled

Third row of seating added to US-focused variant; it lands alongside the larger LX 570 two-row

A larger, seven-seat version of the Lexus RX has been revealed at the LA motor show.

The RX L, as it called, is available in six and seven-seat guises with the addition of a new reclining bench in the boot.

To free up space for the extra passengers, the US-market model is 110mm longer than the regular RX (which is available in Britain), so its tailgate sits at a steeper angle to meet the roof.

The rearmost passengers have access to the car’s tri-zone climate control and get two cupholders. When the seats are not in use, they fold down flat into the boot floor.

Two powertrains are available in the RX L. The first is a 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 290bhp and 263lb ft of torque, while the second mates the same block to two electric motors, giving a system output of 308bhp. The electrified set-up will be familiar to British RX owners, as it’s offered here in the RX 450h.

Lexus LX 570 two-row

Alongside the RX L, Lexus has also launched a new version of its larger LX 570 two-row SUV. This US model, a rival to the Toyota Land Cruiser, has ditched the third seat row of the regular variant to become a five-seater.

Lexus says it has removed the passenger space in order to expand the storage capacity of the car’s boot – something it says the customers have requested. The LX 570's price of $84,980 (£63,294) in the US makes it $30 more expensive than the Range Rover.

Lexus is a major player in the US car market, having reigned as the country's top premium car brand as recently as 2011. It has since been overtaken by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but sales are back on the up following the launch of the NX, with Lexus delivering 331,228 cars in the US last year.