4 Discontinued Lexus Models That Need To Make A Comeback

Plenty of car companies go through a lot of turnover when it comes to what models are available. Every few years, they need to devise some new vehicle to replace one that may have lost a little bit of its luster, constantly creating demand with something brand new. However, some companies have created models that are able to maintain their appeal for a long time. One such company is Lexus. A few of the vehicles it still sells go back to the very first model year for the company, such as the super reliable Lexus LS 400. In fact, Lexus has only discontinued a half-dozen models in its 36 year existence.

Car companies always feel like they have a good reason to discontinue a vehicle, be it because of declining sales or changing technologies, but Lexus has long been such a high quality brand that basically every automobile it has decided to cease production on would still be a welcome addition to someone's garage to this day. These are all vehicles that have received glowing marks from drivers and come from what is consistently viewed as one of the most reliable car brands in existence. 

Here, we are going to look at four different discontinued Lexus models that maybe should not have gone away in the first place. Three of these models have been gone for a number of years, and in the case of one, 2025 will be the final model year for the model.

One of those cars that seemed like it was destined to be a part of the Lexus lineup forever was the Lexus GS. This was an executive car that debuted all the way back for the 1994 model year and had a robust run all the way through 2020. If the LS flagship model that launched the company was a bit out of someone's price range or was a bit too large to handle, the more mid-size GS made for a fantastic alternative. Unfortunately, sales started to slide during the car's final generation, leading it to become one of the most unsuccessful Lexus vehicles of all time. Despite those lackluster sales, there were model years in that final generation that received terrific marks from drivers. For example, the 2015 Lexus GS earned an overall average of 86 out of 100 according to drivers surveyed by J.D. Power, and the quality and reliability score average was an even more impressive 89.

Ultimately, the reason behind the GS losing customers had nothing to do with the GS itself, but rather to do with the rise in popularity of SUVs. Currently, Lexus has seven different SUVs in its lineup, and on the sedan side of things, there are only three available. This does not factor in various powertrain options. The Japanese automaker has clearly placed its emphasis on the larger automobiles, and an executive car like the GS could be seen as expendable. That is unfortunate, because a car that has a production run for over 25 years should be able to continue that run on legacy alone.

This might be a confusing entry on this list to a lot of you, because the Lexus RC has survived well into the 2025 model year. However, that will change by the end of this year, because 2025 is the final model year for the car. Look, it is understandable why Lexus is shutting production on this car down. Outside of a couple hot years right at the beginning after being introduced for the 2015 model year, sales for the RC have been rather stagnant, managing to sell just a few thousand units per year. 2023 and 2024 were the first full years where it wasn't even able to crack 2,000 units sold in a year.

What makes this particular discontinuation a little sad is that the RC is just one of two coupés that the company makes, and starting with 2026, all that will be left is the Lexus LC. While that is not terrible in theory, you are significantly cutting out a lot of people's ability to even think about getting a Lexus coupé because of the price difference between the RC and LC. The 2025 RC has a starting price of $46,695, which is a pretty affordable price by Lexus standards. Meanwhile, the 2025 LC starts at a massive $101,100. You are just telling your potential customers that only the wealthiest of the wealthy will be able to drive a Lexus coupé, and keeping the RC around helps not price people out.

Speaking of coupés, the Lexus SC is another model that should be resurrected from the ashes. Like the GS, the SC has a history that goes back to the early 1990s. However, it didn't last quite as long in production, having gone away after the 2010 model year. Technically, the current Lexus LC is the evolution of the SC, but the SC was a fantastic vehicle in its own right that still has fans to this day. This was a sporty, hardtop convertible that is arguably the most beautiful the company has ever produced, particularly in its second and final generation.

There is a very good reason why Lexus discontinued the SC: It didn't sell very well. In its final years, it was not even crossing 1,000 units sold in the United States in a year. Lexus obviously could not continue to sell this car with those figures, but when you are selling a car with a starting price of $68,380 in 2010 (over $100,000 today, adjusted for inflation), you can afford to sell fewer units.

Admittedly, this is a very personal selection. My family got a Lexus SC 430 in the early 2000s, and everyone in the family still considers it to be the most gorgeous machine to ever be parked inside our garage. Even with its small size, it was always a comfortable ride, and unfortunately, Lexus never brought it into the era of true modernity. Seeing this design with all of the technological bells and whistles of today, along with possibility even being a hybrid, just sounds exciting based on experience with this car.

Lexus has many SUV options, a few sedans to choose from, and soon to be one coupé in lineup. What it does not have is a hatchback. Granted, hatchbacks are not necessarily the kind of cars you think about when you think of a luxury brand, but they are an important factor in the automobile ecosystem, giving people an affordable entry point into a luxury brand they might not otherwise think they can attain. Lexus has only ever produced one hatchback in its history, the discontinued Lexus CT, and it didn't last very long with its production in the United States lasting from the 2011 model year through 2017.

It's not like the CT was some sales disaster like some of the other models on this list. For the first five years of its existence, the hatchback would sell anywhere from 14,000 to 19,000 units per year. For comparison, the Lexus LS — the flagship sedan that has been around since 1989 – has not sold over 10,000 units in a year since 2013. In its penultimate year, sales did drop to 8,900 units, but that still isn't a disaster. What made it even more appealing was its relatively modest $33,345 starting price for the final 2017 model ($43,500 adjusted for inflation). Lexus just felt it was time to retire the hybrid hatchback. What makes it even more frustrating is that the CT is the one Lexus model that didn't get a long run in North America before its fate was sealed. There may not be a massive market for a luxury hatchback, but there is one out there.