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By Jonathan Crouch

The Lexus LBX is a small premium SUV that should rejuvenate its brand. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

Lexus always needed a breakthrough model to attract new generation of younger customers. Here it is, the LBX. Surprisingly, it's not an EV. That's because it's based on Toyota's Yaris Cross, which uses a full-Hybrid drivetrain. But Lexus has re-imagined that design in a far more premium manner.

Backgroundword count: 205

So. The Lexus LBX. Is it merely a Toyota Yaris Cross with a premium badge? Or the properly Lexus-engineered small entry-level model the company has always needed? Perhaps it doesn't matter. This car, a self-charging full-Hybrid designed in Europe for Europe, is the model that will really push its brand forward. In the past, we've always rather respected Lexus for not simply re-badging a small Toyota and creating a big-selling entry model that would rack up sales but diminish its brand. The closest the company came to that was with the Prius-based CT200h hatch, sold between 2011 and 2020, but that was still very much its own car, fundamentally re-engineered for 'Lexus-ness'. Which is pretty much what we have here with the LBX. Yes, all the basic engineering is borrowed from the Yaris Cross, but much has also been re-engineered so that this car feels like a Lexus. And those letters? Some at the brand say they stand for 'Lexus Breakthrough Crossover'; others that the 'L' is for Lexus, the 'B' for the B-SUV segment that this car competes in and the 'X' again references crossover status. Call it what you like though: it's the most important car the company has launched for a decade.

Driving Experienceword count: 213

The only drivetrain on offer is the self-charging full-Hybrid engine from Toyota's Yaris Cross. Except that here, that 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol/electric powerplant is a bit different. It draws its power (134bhp) from a new, larger e-motor powered by a new battery using sophisticated bipolar nickel metal hydride tech first seen in the brand's largest model, the RX. This provides greater power density, supposedly giving an instant feeling of acceleration a bit like an EV, though the 0-62mph stat of 9.2s isn't actually very EV-like (though it's 2 seconds quicker than the equivalent Yaris Cross). Handling's been worked on too, with revised suspension, a wider track and a 'Vehicle Posture Control' system that automatically uses the brakes to reduce pitching through turns. The CVT auto gearbox has been re-worked to deliver a more linear feel. And huge efforts have been made to create refinement more in keeping with a Lexus. Rather than just stuffing the Yaris Cross platform with sound-proofing, the development team tried to eliminate noise at source, hence the added engine balancer shaft and the work put in around the bodywork's flex joints. As an alternative to the standard front-driven model, Lexus will also offer a top E-Four all-wheel drive version, which adds an extra electric motor on the rear axle.

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