Lexus May Add Another Hybrid To Its Ultra-Luxury Minivan Lineup

The Sienna’s Fancier Cousins

Minivans may have a domesticated image in America, but it’s a different matter around the world. Many markets have tapped the potential of the luxury minivan market, and for Toyota, it’s paying off big time. In Japan and parts of Asia, Toyota has been in the posh minivan game for over 20 years. It started with the Alphard, and eventually added the Vellfire as a ‘sporty’ alternative.

Park an Alphard or a Vellfire next to a Sienna, and those models look and feel like Lexus products, especially in higher trim levels. So, in 2019, Toyota actually put on Lexus badges on the Alphard and rolled out the LM. As it is, the Alphard is a plush van, but the LM takes it up by several notches. The first model proved so successful that it warranted a second generation. The LM’s biggest market? None other than China.

Purely Hybrid

The first Lexus LM was offered with either the 3.5-liter V6 that served every midsize Toyota and Lexus model since the mid-2000s, or a four-cylinder hybrid. For the second generation, it has, rather predictably, gone straight for a pure hybrid lineup. It starts with the LM 350h, a 2.5-liter hybrid, and tops out with the LM 500h, a punchier 2.4-liter turbo-hybrid. Its lesser siblings, the Alphard and Vellfire, are still offered with ICE options.

It’s safe to say that the LM should take the pure hybrid route. Save for the GX, every model Lexus makes has an electrified powertrain on offer, and as these luxury minivans aim for a silent, comfortable ride, a hybrid was the only way to go. Now, it seems that there might be a third hybrid choice on the way, as suggested by a recent trademark filing.

A Mid-Spec Model Underway?

The first filing, a little over a week ago, was a trademark registration for the name LM 400h. As the name implies, it hints at a model that might slot in between the 350h and the 500h. Of course, it could simply mean that Toyota is protecting the name to block other automakers from using it.

Still, the idea of a mid-spec LM might appeal to those shopping for one. The 250h makes a relatively conservative 247 hp, while the 500h might seem too much with its combined output of 366 hp. We’re not complaining about the power figure of the latter, but not every LM shopper shares our sentiments.

We can rule out the possibility of it being a plug-in hybrid model. The lack of a ‘+’ suffix suggests the model will be a regular hybrid, although we wouldn’t be too surprised if a PHEV eventually joins the LM lineup. After all, the hardware for that is already available in the Alphard and Vellfire.

Does the LM Have a Chance in the U.S.?

Truth be told, it’s hard to say. On the one hand, the LM offers far more space than an LX, and there’s heaps more seating flexibility in terms of space and adjustment. On the flip side, it’s difficult to gauge whether the U.S. market will warm up to the idea of a family shuttle turned into an executive lounge.

The LM’s formula has already proved successful in Asia, and it’s doing well in Europe, given its niche status there. Lexus isn’t shy from pushing the idea to the next level, either, as the company might turn the LS into an even more opulent sibling for the LM, evolving from Luxury Sedan to Luxury Space.