Background: Semantics sometimes play too big of a part in the auto world vernacular. Case in point. Earlier this month area journalists, automobile marketing representatives and dozens of shimmering new 2002 vehicles got together to enjoy the day at the Fall Midwest Automotive Media Association road rally held this time around at the Volo Auto Museum campus near the intersections of Routes 12 and 120 in northwest Lake County. At one point after lunch a colleague and I were talking shop with Mona Richard, long-time media representative from the Toyota/Lexus Detroit office.
While discussing the merits of the all-new 2002 Lexus SportCross my associate made the unfortunate misstep of referring to the all-new vehicle as Lexus’ new “STATION WAGON.” Upon hearing these words poor Mona almost lost her mid-day meal and required some gentle restraint. “Oh no no no we never refer to it as a station wagon,” Mona sharply replied. “It’s our new four and one bodystyle.”
Somewhere along the evolutionary chain the term “station wagon” has gotten a bad rap. That’s too bad because before the arrival of the minivan in the mid 1980s, the family-friendly station wagon accounted for about eight percent of car market sales. But then again SportCross is not anything like your father’s Vista Cruiser.
SportCross reflects the reemergence of the flexible “four doors and a hatchback” design gaining popularity with a segment of the car buying public searching for a happy medium between the good looks of a car and the versatility of a minivan. SportCross is actually a derivative of the IS 300, Lexus’ entry-luxury sport sedan that debuted in the 2001 model year. Competition in this popular segment include the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4. Lexus, the luxury division of Japan’s largest automaker (Toyota), assembles the SportCross and its counterpart IS 300 sedan in Japan.
Trim levels: The IS 300 lineup includes a returning four-door sports sedan from its inaugural 2001 model year and our test vehicle this week, the all-new five-door 2002 SportCross. The IS 300 is the only Lexus model available with the choice of either automatic or manual transmission and two body styles. SportCross represents a niche product for Lexus. Total sales of the entire IS 300 line is expected to top 25,000 units in 2002, with SportCross accounting for 5,000 of those sales.
Engine: The sole engine powering the SportCross and all IS 300 versions is an inline, six-cylinder engine delivering 215 horsepower. This engine combined with SportCross’ automatic transmission, delivers 18 miles per gallon in city travel and 25 m.p.g. highway. The tanks holds 17.5 gallons of 91 octane, premium-grade fuel. The 2002 model year welcomes manual transmission as an option in the IS 300 sedan. When the IS 300 debuted in 2001, the sporty sedan featured five-speed automatic transmission exclusively.
However, this automatic transmission does include a clutchless “E-shift,” allowing drivers to manually change transmission shift points up or down via buttons on the steering wheel. Lexus envisions the new manual transmission accounting for 20 percent of IS 300 sedan sales. The new 2002 SportCross, however, is currently available only with automatic transmission. The entire IS 300 model line up features rear-wheel drive. Those desiring all-wheel drive in a Lexus product must look to the larger, more expensive RX 300 wagon/sport utility hybrid. Outside of the Lexus lineup, Subaru offers one of the widest arrays of all-wheel drive, four and five-door vehicles.
Standard equipment: Since SportCross gravitates to the luxury end of the spectrum, many features come standard including: single-feed, six unit compact disc player, AM/FM/Cassette player with nine speakers, automatic climate control, cruise control, halogen fog lamps, high-intensity headlights, power window and door locks, rear wiper, tilt steering wheel, variable intermittent front wipers, rack-and-pinion steering, heavy-duty rear-window defroster and auto-dimming side-view mirrors. Optional features include a power moonroof, in-dash GPS navigation system, Homelink programmable garage door opener, heated and full-leather seats.
Price: Lexus provided the Daily Herald with a dark green SportCross with a starting price of $32,305. After adding extras including full leather interior, limited slip differential, heated front seats and upgraded tires, the bottom line jumped to $35,924 including a $545 destination charge. By comparison a 2002 Audi A4 all-wheel drive wagon with six-cylinder engine lists at $33,665.
Interior: One of the first aspects that grabs the attention of drivers is the one-of-a-kind instrument panel. The circular, three dimensional center speedometer (monitoring speeds up to 160 miles per hour) resembles a “swatch watch” design with three smaller dials inside. A three-quarter circle tachometer flanks the speedometer’s left side while a fuel gauge and secondary gear shift indicator adorns the right. At night, the instrument panel and many dashboard nuances illuminate with bright red backlighting.
Headlights twist on and off via the turn signal stalk while both front and rear windshield wipers activate from a right-hand side stalk. A second, smaller appendage on the right side activates all cruise control functions. The round, illuminated ignition is found on the dashboard right of the steering column. Circular air vents flank the ends of the dashboard with two rectangular vents side-by-side in the middle. Below the center vents is a rectangular display digitally listing the outside temperature and time.
The hazard light gets positioned just to the left. Three easy-to-grab dials regulating ventilation functions are in the middle and the stereo system is below. Between the buckets seats are dual in-line beverage holders, hand-operated parking brake, automatic transmission shifter and a small storage bin/arm rest hinged in the back. The driver’s door is home to power window, power lock and power mirror controls placed at a 90-degree angle ahead of the arm rest. The fuel door release lever is on the floor just left of the driver’s bucket seat. Both front doors incorporate rather large map pockets.
Seating comfort: Lexus promotes SportCross as a five seater, but two adults fit most comfortably especially since the rear-wheel drive transmission hump runs the length of the floor. SportCross provides good headroom for all travelers. In back, seat backs fold down on top of the cushions with a 60/40 split, extending the cargo carrying capacity into the back hatch area. A retractable cargo cover pulls out from a long cylinder-type base unit and stretches across the back to cloak items.
This cylinder unit is removable when more cargo room is desired. With back seats up, SportCross has 11.3 cubic feet of space. Folded down, that figure balloons to 21.5 cubic feet. Two beverage holders retract into the back of the front storage bin for the convenience of rear riders. Ceiling handles are found above all four doors.
Safety features: SportCross and the IS 300 sedan feature a good number of safety features standard including: daytime running lights, driver and front passenger air bags, front side curtain air bags, front seat-mounted side-impact air bags, four-channel anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction control, front and rear crumple zones, energy-absorbing steering column, theft deterrent system, energy-absorbing soft upper headliner and pillars and keyless-remote entry. All five seating positions include three-point seat belts.
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 105.1 inches
Overall width: 67.9 inches
Overall height: 56.7 inches
Curb weight: 3,410 pounds
Exterior: The five-door SportCross hatchback (remember…it’s not a station wagon) borrows some European styling cues with a longer roofline than what’s found on conventional compact-to mid-size wagons. The square, locking gas tank door with tethered cap is located on the left rear fender. SportCross also differs from its IS 300 sedan counterpart with a rear spoiler standard (its optional in sedans.)
The roof-based, angled antenna is mounted above the cargo area. While SportCross and the IS 300 sedan share the same wheelbase length (distance between front and rear axle), SportCross is .4 inches longer and 1.2 inches taller. Dual circular headlights are flanked at each end, encased in a band-like design. Lexus’ L logo highlights the grille front and center surrounded by rows of small dimple-like holes.
Round taillights are found at the bottom of the hatch door while brake lights are nestled inside on the hatchback door. Four strap-like, body-colored handles adorn all four doors. Rectangular, fold-in side-view mirrors are body-colored as well. Seventeen-inch aluminum alloy wheels come standard. Seventeen-inch graphite polished alloy wheels or six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels are optional.
Final thoughts: With a sport-type suspension SportCross handles and corners well despite its station wagon looks. Sizewise, exterior length and interior cargo volume are less than most mainstream competitors, including the entry-level Ford Focus wagon. SportCross falls into the entry-luxury market, a segment generating 375,000 vehicle sales three years ago.
Three years from now, that number is predicted to swell to 540,000 units and SportCross intends to be along for the ride. Lexus markets two vehicles in the entry-luxury segment; the sporty IS 300 (of which SportCross is a derivative) and the redesigned 2002 ES 300 sedan. Other vehicles rounding out the 2002 Lexus lineup include the RX 300 wagon/SUV hybrid, SC 430 hard-top convertible, GS 300/430 sedan, LX 470 sport utility and flagship LS 430 sedan. Lexus began selling vehicles in the United States back in 1989.