Recently, several sets of data from the automotive industry have been shocking. On August 8th, the State Administration for Market Regulation announced that 7632 new energy vehicle related enterprises will be deregistered in the first half of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%. According to statistics from Liji Consulting, as of May this year, 23 new energy vehicle companies, including those that have declared bankruptcy through judicial procedures, entered bankruptcy liquidation or restructuring processes, and have essentially come to a complete shutdown, have sold approximately 850000 new energy passenger cars in compliance with regulations. This means that 850000 car owners had no after-sales service, no spare parts, no OTA, and the official 400 number became an empty number overnight.

The large-scale abandonment of car owners reflects not the normal survival of the fittest in market competition, but the consequences of car companies transferring all risks to consumers in the era of rampant growth of new energy. In the past few years, more than 400 new energy vehicle companies have joined the market, and the capital driven car manufacturing movement has produced impressive sales figures but failed to establish a sustainable after-sales system. On the list of those who have fallen, there is Nezha, the former sales champion of the new forces, Gaohe, known as the "Chinese Rolls Royce", and Weimar, known as the "Four Little Dragons" along with "Wei Xiaoli". They were once glorious, but now they push car owners into the dilemma of losing warranty for the three electric system, shutting down the in car intelligent service device, and making the lifetime warranty and OTA upgrade promised at the time of purchase all become empty agreements.

In this frenzy of pursuing speed, there is a brand that always chooses another rhythm. After more than 20 years in China, Lexus has won the trust of over 2.2 million users with its continuous competitiveness in products and services. It has consistently ranked first in imported luxury car sales for many years and has never left any car owner in a dilemma of no after-sales service. Its after-sales satisfaction and resale value continue to rank among the top in the industry. Lexus' steady pace is not a adherence to following the crowd, but also an active value choice - taking certainty as the core selling point and reliability as the highest standard. And this certainty has become the rarest luxury of this era.

The underlying support of 'certainty'

Compared to many new brands' 'short, flat, and fast', Lexus' 'slow' has a solid underlying logic.

This logic is first reflected in the value orientation of "long termism". Lexus' values of "long termism" are highly compatible with the core of China's "high-quality development": it is not about pursuing short-term breakthroughs, but about pursuing sustainable growth that is environmentally friendly, responsible for products, and sincere to users. At the 2025 Japan Mobility Expo, Lexus unveiled its new brand vision "Discover" to drive evolution through exploration, constantly breaking boundaries while maintaining its unique "Lexus style". And the starting point of each exploration is based on the needs of the local market and customers.Since entering China more than 20 years ago, Lexus has always adhered to the original intention of "customer first" no matter how the market changes.

The most intuitive projection of this long termism is quality. In JAccording to the 2026 US Vehicle Reliability Study (VDS) released by Power, Lexus has remained at the top of the luxury brand rankings for the fourth consecutive year. Quality cannot be achieved through a single press conference, let alone through short-term marketing. It comes from the long-term accumulation of research and development, components, manufacturing, and quality management systems. In terms of product manufacturing, Lexus inherits the craftsmanship and quality control of its Kyushu factory, adapting to the demands of the Chinese market with globally unified quality standards.

In terms of product strategy, Lexus adheres to the "multi-path technology development strategy" and is the only luxury brand in the industry that offers multiple power options including BEV, HEV, PHEV, etc. The all-new ES has been launched as a hybrid version at the Beijing Auto Show, equipped with the fifth generation THS hybrid system, with a fuel consumption of only 4.39 liters per 100 kilometers; The pure electric version will also be launched in the second half of the year. Based on more than 30 years of experience in hybrid technology research and development, the fifth generation THS has been validated by millions of users worldwide for a long time. It is not simply a "replacement of oil and electricity", but provides multiple choices based on diverse user needs. This restrained and pragmatic path is completely different from the survival philosophy of those new car making forces who rely on one car model and one round of financing to risk everything.

Service is another cornerstone of Lexus. At the beginning of entering the Chinese market, Lexus was the first to launch a 4-year/100000 kilometer free warranty and maintenance service. In 2007, it also launched a 6-year/150000 kilometer free warranty and maintenance service for its smart hybrid models. Nowadays, the all-new ES still offers a 6-year/150000 kilometer free warranty and maintenance, and vulnerable parts can be replaced for free once they meet the replacement standards. For plug-in hybrid and pure electric models, we also offer peace of mind commitments for the three electric system for 8 years/200000 kilometers and 10 years/200000 kilometers. This service system that covers the entire lifecycle is in stark contrast to the "orphan cars" that car companies crash and fail after sales.

This' certainty 'has been validated by real gold and silver in the market. In the "Research Report on China's Automobile Resale Value in the First Half of 2026" jointly released by the China Automobile Dealers Association and Jingzhen Estimation, Lexus ranked first among luxury brands with a three-year resale value of 58.08%. The Lexus ES ranks first among mid to large sized cars with a three-year resale value of 60.09%. In a fiercely competitive and rational market environment, stable quality and brand reputation continue to demonstrate long-term value.

Nowadays, localization is becoming the latest footnote to this certainty. Based on its high emphasis on the Chinese market, Toyota has established "with China, for China" as its action guide for its business in China. Lexus' localized manufacturing is entering the substantive implementation stage relying on its Shanghai Jinshan factory. Currently, the Shanghai Jinshan factory is accelerating construction and plans to achieve full mass production by 2027, with an initial annual production capacity of 100000 vehicles. For Chinese consumers, this means faster demand response, more adaptable product definitions, and more stable supply of components. The attitude of firm investment and long-term deep cultivation is itself the most powerful commitment to users.

Maintain the fundamentals amidst industry contraction

The Chinese automobile import market in 2026 is experiencing an unprecedented contraction. In the first half of the year, the cumulative import volume of domestic imported cars was only 200000, a year-on-year decrease of 11%; Terminal retail is even more dismal, with 190000 vehicles sold in the first half of the year, a year-on-year drop of 29%. The German BBA, which once monopolized the high-end market, collectively declined: Mercedes Benz imported 35900 vehicles, a year-on-year decrease of 4%, BMW 22700 vehicles, a year-on-year decrease of 15%, and Audi only 8000 vehicles, a year-on-year drop of 43%. Super luxury brands have also not been spared, with sales of Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls Royce and others declining by over 30% year-on-year.

In such a cold winter of the industry, it is precisely based on the comprehensive "certainty" provided to consumers that Lexus has held its basic position. In the first half of 2026, Lexus will remain the top imported luxury brand with sales of 70600 vehicles. In July, Lexus directly dominated the top two imported car sales.

According to terminal sales data compiled by Cui Dongshu, Lexus ranked first in the brand's imported car sales list from January to July 2026, with a gap ahead of other traditional luxury brands. In terms of market share, Lexus accounted for 41.4% of the imported luxury car market share in July, and from January to July, Lexus' imported luxury car market share was 40.2%, which is about 2.6 percentage points higher than the 37.6% in 2025. Among them, ES has performed particularly well, with insurance coverage exceeding 44000 units in the first half of the year, leading in the sales ranking of imported models. According to Yiche data, the Lexus ES ranked first in the sales list of imported models in July 2026 and from January to July, with a gap ahead of the second place Mercedes Benz GLE (imported in July).

This counter trend performance is not accidental, but the ultimate manifestation of Lexus' product competitiveness and market insight. At the level of product competition, when the industry was caught in an arms race of configuration stacking, Lexus chose a simpler and heavier path, which is to return to the essence of cars as durable consumer goods and deeply cultivate the underlying technology for a long time. The fifth generation THS hybrid system is the culmination of this concept, relying on Lexus' over 30 years of hybrid technology accumulation and the full scenario verification of millions of users worldwide, integrating smooth and quiet driving experience with 4.39 liters of low energy consumption per 100 kilometers. What Lexus delivers to users may not be a momentary surprise on the configuration table, but a certainty that spans several years or even more than a decade of ownership cycle.

At the market insight level, Lexus deeply embeds local demand into research and development through the "with China, for China" strategy. Taking the all-new ES as an example, it was developed based on the driving habits and aesthetic preferences of Chinese consumers from the beginning of planning, with Chinese demand as the starting point. Chinese elements such as bamboo translucent decorative panels and landscape leather patterns were integrated into the design and manufacturing of ES, and a green bamboo interior and a new fragrance system were specially customized for the Chinese market. When peers chase the concept of the trend, Lexus chooses to respond to rational choices with certainty, which is the fundamental reason for its stable foundation in the Chinese market for more than 20 years.

Summary

When the entire industry regards' fast 'as a belief, the long-term interests of consumers become a cost. A 180 day 'crash chicken' can be eaten, but no one dares to drive a car made in 180 days. Every time a car is sold, the promised after-sales service by the car company will be spread out for ten years, but most car companies do not survive for ten years. The income is settled within two years, but the after-sales debt has to be spread over ten years later. In this game of passing the buck, only ordinary consumers can ultimately pay the bill.

Lexus' stability is not conservative, but sober. When others are chasing the trend, it is chasing quality; When others are competing for speed, it is competing for the bottom line. When the tide recedes, what truly stays on the shore is never the fastest runner, but the one with the most stable foundation. The true competitiveness of luxury brands is never short-term fluctuations in monthly sales, but the ability to cross cycles - it is the comprehensive accumulation of quality reliability, user lifecycle value, and long-term brand reputation. The warning of 850000 "orphan cars" still lingers in our ears, and Lexus has proven the same truth through practice: some things cannot be rushed.