SUVs and crossovers, more notably the latter, continue to take over the car market once dominated by sedans. This trend is really no longer a trend, but a reality. A reality with no end in sight. Given that, conventional sedans are starting to drop like flies, such as the Ford Fusion and Taurus. There are several other mainstream endangered makes and models as well, but not every automaker is willing to give up on passenger cars. Lexus is one of them.

Speaking to The Detroit Bureau, Lexus vice president of marketing Cooper Erickson clearly stated that "The fact is there is and will continue to be a very important role for sedans. Half the buyers of SUVs also own a sedan." For example, sales of the "near luxury" segment, which includes the new Lexus ES along with the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, totaled over 400,000 units last year. That's a solid number that automakers can rely on, especially when those sedans are sold in multiple markets, like the ES. Lexus also wisely decided to offer the redesigned 2019 ES with the new F-Sport model, aimed directly at younger buyers. There will also be an ES hybrid that's expected to account for some 15 percent of all ES sales.

Unlike other sedans, such as the also newly redesigned Kia K900, Lexus will launch a major marketing campaign costing millions. That's a lot of confidence in the new sedan despite the segment slowdown and the also expensive marketing campaigns required for crossovers like the also new UX. Toyota also has no intention of giving up on sedans, as sales for the latest Camry remain solid.