It bodes well for Lexus that its LBX looks like a Chinese EV , with the latter seemingly all the rage these days. In essence, though, the all-new LBX borrows more closely from its more affordable sister under similar parentage, the Toyota Yaris Cross, but charms with a level of refinement that one expects from a Lexus badge. According to the car’s chief engineer, Kunihiko Endo, LBX is short for ‘Lexus Breakthrough X(cross)-over’, and this entry-level Lexus is the smallest vehicle the company has ever built.
Good news for Lexus fans in Singapore, too, as the LBX is also the first Lexus to qualify for a Category A Certificate of Entitlement (COE). “The LBX has been meticulously crafted to challenge the conventional notion of a luxury car,” said Endo. While we’re not exactly sure what Endo meant, we think it might be a subtle reference to taking a leaf out of the playbook of Chinese EV players, who are having astonishing levels of success in global export markets thanks to their ability to produce electric vehicles that attractively intersect on the Venn diagram in terms of unrivalled affordability, premium sensibility and a high-tech proposition.
Whatever the case, it’s obvious Lexus designers have paid close attention to its Chinese rivals. Just consider the LBX’s un-Lexus-like styling. This compact crossover feels fresh, like one of those smart cars zipping about these days – even stylish for its class.
It sits lower than your typical SUV, giving the LBX a m.