Lexus LM is the true star, revitalizing the Quiet Luxury market that embodies hidden luxury within simplicity, for Lexus Thailand.
Highlights from the Lexus Thailand press conference featured Supakorn Rattanawaraha, Senior Vice President of Lexus Group at Toyota Motor Thailand, and Nattorn Sreenives, Assistant Senior Vice President of Lexus Group at Toyota Motor Thailand, casually discussing with several media outlets.
Regarding Lexus's sales figures in Thailand, they may not seem spectacular, as in 2025 the overall premium car market in the country recorded cumulative sales of 26,828 units, a decline of 11% compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, Lexus sold 942 vehicles, holding a 3.5% market share. Breaking down further, Lexus LM accounted for 503 cumulative sales, representing more than 50% of Lexus's sales that year, followed by the Lexus RX and Lexus NX with 340 units sold.
What caught the "Thairath Online News Team" interest was not the engine performance or Lexus's design but rather the marketing approach for the Lexus LM, a high-end minivan or Luxury MPV from Lexus. It presents itself simply yet elegantly, embodying Quiet Luxury—expressing the user's identity subtly and uniquely, unlike any other.
If that’s unclear, think back to when Srettha Thavisin, the 30th Prime Minister, made his first trip to Government House. All NEW Lexus LM 350h On 5 Sep 2023, just four days after Lexus Thailand launched this model,Certainly,the Lexus LM was widely searched online by netizens curious about what makes this Luxury MPV special (A look at the specs of the Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s choice: the All NEW Lexus LM 350h, priced at 7.5 million baht.)
Supakorn explained that Lexus customers have become iconic real users of the brand because they genuinely use the cars in their daily lifestyles, creating a fresh brand image that benefits Lexus. Importantly, over the past decade, more than 10,000 customers have returned to Lexus service centers, with over 70% repurchasing Lexus vehicles, demonstrating strong brand loyalty. Additionally, about 55% of Lexus buyers pay in cash.
Meanwhile, Nattorn explained that today’s Lexus customers belong to the Quiet Luxury group—wealthy individuals who dislike showing off—and are more diverse. Customers often recommend Lexus within their own circles, sharing experiences. The customer base is also getting younger, comprising those who achieve success quickly and prefer their own unique style.
This aligns with Quiet Luxury marketing, which experts define as
- Luxury that is not ostentatious,
- Concealed luxury within simplicity,
- Simple yet elegant.
Regarding marketing direction for 2026, Lexus will introduce Discover Lexus, aligning brand marketing in Thailand and globally around three main elements:
- Electrification: focusing on battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and hybrids (HEV).
- Experience: customer care based on the Omotenashi philosophy, emphasizing attention to detail to create experiences distinct from other luxury car brands.
- Equity: activities linked to customers’ lifestyles, such as golf and fine dining events, to build brand value and relationships.
Currently, Lexus has three showrooms in Bangkok—Rama 9, Ramindra, and Sukhumvit, with the Sukhumvit branch relocating to Vibhavadi. There are also 15 Lexus Service Corners within Toyota service centers nationwide, supporting customers in provinces, who account for about 15% of sales, along with Home Visit Mobility Service where technicians check and maintain cars at customers’ homes.
Supakorn stated that the revised excise tax structure effective from 1 January 2026 has caused some vehicle tax rates to increase by about 5-10%, resulting in higher prices for certain models.
However, the company has absorbed part of the cost to avoid full price hikes, especially for Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) models where taxes make up nearly half the sale price.
Due to this tax structure, Lexus has adjusted its product plan by incorporating some PHEV specifications and features into Hybrid (HEV) models to offer better value at competitive prices, while increasing focus on marketing BEVs in the future.
Most Lexus vehicles sold in Thailand are imported from Japan, with the brand’s main markets being Japan and the United States. In ASEAN, the largest markets are Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with Thailand ranking about fifth or sixth in the region.
Additionally, the company is studying the feasibility of assembling Lexus cars in the ASEAN region to leverage the AFTA free trade agreement and improve price competitiveness. However, this decision depends on production volumes and suitable models and is not expected within the next five years.