Otto Explains — Model Lineups

Lexus Model Lineup Explained

Short Answer

A Lexus name combines two letters for the model family, a number and often a suffix for the powertrain. The letters stand for words such as Luxury Sedan (LS) or Radiant Crossover (RX); the number began as the engine size but no longer matches it; and h means hybrid, h+ plug-in hybrid and e battery-electric. F marks the full performance cars, F SPORT the sportier versions of everyday models, and F SPORT Performance a step above F SPORT. In October 2026 the Lexus Oman website listed the IS, ES, LS, UX, NX, RX, LX, LC and RZ.

How is the Lexus range organised?

On 25 October 2026 the Lexus Oman website listed three saloons, the IS, ES and LS; four SUVs, the UX, NX, RX and LX, including the LX 700h hybrid; the LC coupé and LC Convertible; and the RZ 500e battery-electric SUV. Lexus sells further models elsewhere that were not on the Oman site: the GX off-roader, the TX three-row SUV developed for North America, the compact LBX and the LM luxury people-carrier.

How do Lexus model names work?

A Lexus name starts with two letters for the family. Lexus explains them as LS for Luxury Sedan, ES for Executive Sedan, IS for Intelligent Sports, GS for Grand Sedan, LC for Luxury Coupe, RC for Radical Coupe, SC for Sports Coupe and CT for Creative Touring; among SUVs, RX is Radiant Crossover, NX Nimble Crossover and UX Urban Crossover. The electric RZ is Radiant Zero, LM stands for Luxury Mover and LBX for Lexus Breakthrough Crossover. In the names Lexus explains, X belongs to crossovers and C to coupés; Otto found no official meaning for LX, GX or TX.

What do the numbers in Lexus names mean?

They began as engine sizes: the 400 in LS 400 stood for its 4.0-litre V8 and the 250 in ES 250 for its 2.5-litre engine. They no longer match the engine. The LS 500 of 2017 uses Lexus's first 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, and the LX 600 uses a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 that is smaller than the V8 it replaced, so today's number is best read as the name of a version rather than as its engine size. Lexus has not explained on any page Otto read how current numbers are chosen.

What do h, h+, e and the other suffixes mean?

Lexus puts an h on its hybrids, as in the UX 250h, NX 350h, ES 300h, LC 500h and LS 500h; h+ on its plug-in hybrids, the NX 450h+ and TX 550h+; and e on its battery-electric cars, the RZ 450e, ES 350e and ES 500e. Earlier suffixes included d for diesel (the IS 220d of 2005, Lexus's first diesel), t for turbocharged petrol (the IS 200t, with Lexus's first turbocharged petrol engine, and the NX 200t) and C for coupé-convertibles such as the IS 250C. L marks a longer car: the seven-seat RX L and long-wheelbase LS versions such as the LS 600h L. Otto explains how hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric cars differ.

Where do F, F SPORT and F SPORT Performance sit?

F is Lexus's performance badge, named after Fuji Speedway, where the first F car, the IS F of 2007, was tested; the emblem traces some of the circuit's curves. Full F models have been the IS F, the LFA supercar, the RC F and the GS F. F SPORT is a version of an everyday model with sportier styling and engineering adjustments, and on 25 October 2026 Lexus Oman listed F SPORT versions of the UX, ES, IS, NX and RX. Above F SPORT sits F SPORT Performance, introduced with the IS 500 in 2021 and also used for the RX 500h. AutoTronix PERFORMANCE offers inspection-led specialist support for Lexus F and F SPORT models.

Which saloons and coupés does Lexus make?

The IS compact saloon dates from 1999; its third generation of 2013 brought the IS 300h, and the IS 500 F SPORT Performance followed in 2021. The ES, sold since 1989, reached its eighth generation in 2025, with hybrid ES 300h and ES 350h and battery-electric ES 350e and ES 500e versions. The fifth-generation LS of 2017 is the flagship saloon, offered as the LS 500 and LS 500h, and Lexus now says LS stands for Luxury Space. The LC coupé, revealed in 2016, comes as the V8 LC 500 and the LC 500h hybrid, with an LC 500 Convertible, Lexus's first soft-top, since 2019.

Which SUVs and crossovers does Lexus make?

The UX, premiered in 2018 as the UX 250h, is the compact crossover, and its UX 300e was Lexus's first battery-electric model. The NX, launched in 2014 as the first Lexus compact crossover SUV, gained Lexus's first plug-in hybrid, the NX 450h+, with its second generation in 2021, and an updated NX was premiered in September 2026. The RX, which created the luxury crossover in 1998, is in its fifth generation (2022), with versions including the RX 350h and RX 500h. The LX began as the LX 450 in 1996 and is now the fourth-generation LX 600, joined in 2024 by the LX 700h hybrid. The GX, announced in 2002, was redesigned in 2023 with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 and an OVERTRAIL grade.

Which Lexus models are electric or sold only in some markets?

The RZ, announced in December 2021, is Lexus's first dedicated battery-electric car; the RZ 450e was joined by 2026 by the RZ 550e F SPORT with Interactive Manual Drive, which simulates eight gears. In May 2026 Lexus added the TZ, a three-row electric SUV. Three other current models are aimed at particular markets: the TX three-row SUV was developed exclusively for North America, the compact LBX was launched for Europe, Japan and selected markets, and the second-generation LM people-carrier is sold in more than 60 countries.

How do Lexus generations and platforms work?

Lexus usually refers to generations by number: the LS is in its fifth generation (2017), the LX its fourth (2021), the RX its fifth (2022), the LM its second (2023) and the ES its eighth (2025). Toyota's records also give chassis codes, such as UCF10 and UCF11 for the first LS in its Japanese form, the Celsior. Underneath, Lexus groups its cars by platform: GA-L for front-engine, rear-drive cars such as the LC and LS; GA-K for the RX and the latest ES; the body-on-frame GA-F for the LX and GX; GA-B for the compact LBX; and e-TNGA, designed only for electric cars, for the RZ.

Which Lexus models have been discontinued?

Lexus's American newsroom archive of past models lists the CT hatchback, the original ES 250, the GS saloon and GS F, the HS 250h, which Lexus called the world's first hybrid-only luxury vehicle, the IS C coupé-convertible, the LFA, the LS 400 and the SC coupés, from the SC 300 and SC 400 to the SC 430. Some current names have also ended in particular markets: Lexus in Britain ended LS sales in January 2025 and lists the LC as on sale there from 2017 to 2025, and in the United States Lexus called the 2026 LS 500 Heritage Edition, limited to 250 cars, a final-year tribute to the car that launched the brand.

Are Lexus models different in Oman and the Gulf?

Some differences are visible on Lexus's own regional websites. On 25 October 2026 the Lexus Oman website offered the ES with 2.5- and 3.5-litre petrol engines and an eight-speed automatic as well as the ES 300h hybrid, whereas Western Europe received the ES from 2018 as the ES 300h hybrid. Oman's IS came with a 241-hp turbocharged four-cylinder (IS 300) or a 3.5-litre V6, the LX with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 or as the LX 700h hybrid with Dirt, Mud, Sand and Rock terrain modes, and the LS was still listed after Lexus in Britain had ended LS sales. Lexus's Saudi Arabia website listed a similar line-up: IS, ES, LS, NX, RX, LX and LC. In Oman, Lexus cars are brought in by Saud Bahwan Group. Otto found no official list of GCC-specific specifications, so check the exact specification, equipment and availability of a car with the authorised Lexus dealer. For a used or imported car, a pre-purchase inspection confirms what you are buying, and Otto explains the difference between a dealership and an independent specialist.

Common Questions

  • What does LS stand for? Originally Luxury Sedan, the name chosen for the LS 400 in 1988. In October 2025 Lexus said LS now stands for Luxury Space, presenting a six-wheeled LS Concept.
  • Is there a fully electric Lexus? Yes. The RZ is Lexus's dedicated battery-electric SUV, listed in Oman as the RZ 500e. The eighth-generation ES is also offered as the battery-electric ES 350e and ES 500e in some markets, and the three-row TZ was unveiled in May 2026.
  • Is a Lexus F SPORT the same as a Lexus F? No. F models such as the IS F, RC F and GS F are separate high-performance cars, while F SPORT is a sportier version of an everyday model, with styling and engineering changes.

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