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 more dynamic and sportier stance, and there’s a new ‘Unified Spindle’ trapezoidal grill design and new, slim headlights linked together by a chrome bar that give this Lexus a fresher, friendlier face. Think of the LBX as the little Lexus that could – it could woo a new generation of younger customers for a brand that was in jeopardy of feeling a little tired, if we’re being honest. On that note, we’re also very glad to see that the Japanese carmaker has finally done away with those long obsolete CD players in these new models hitting the market today.
A GREAT DAILY WORKHORSE The LBX is a good-sized vehicle and by good-sized, we mean it’s easy to manoeuvre around the city, it’s easy to park, and it’s a great workhorse for daily runabouts. It’s also family-friendly – safe, comfortable and reliable, provided the kids in the family in question are still little tots as it’s a little tight in the back. The boot, meanwhile, offers up to 402 litres of storage space with the seats up.
Now the LBX is powered by a newly developed 1.5-litre, three-cylinder hybrid electric powertrain and while that won’t translate to remarkable performance figures, what it does get you is some pretty enticing fuel-efficiency ratings to the tune of 5.1 L/100 km.
URBAN LUXE INTERIORS We are also happy to report that when it comes to the luxury proposition, which Lexus describes here as "Premium Casual", the LBX impresses more on the inside than the outside. This means buyers can expect a level of luxury and refinement that goes beyond its class, typically reserved for higher-classed vehicles. For starters, the interior cabin can be personalised based on five themes – Elegant, Cool, Urban, Active and Relax (with Lexus distributor Borneo Motors only bringing in the first two trims) – in a choice of fabric, leather or vegan-alternative finishes replete with the upholstery designs and seat stitching to match.
That premium, urban luxe feel is further amped up by the ambient lighting – an array of 64 illumination options to create just the atmosphere you desire on your drives. Then, there’s the 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system featuring the new Quantum Logic Surround technology for even more full-bodied audio experience. We’d never imagine describing as full-bodied anything other than wine but here we are.
BEST-IN-CLASS SAFETY SYSTEMS And here you can also expect an extensive suite of best-in-class safety systems like the advanced park feature where the LBX can, technically, park itself with the automatic parking feature. Pretty impressive for the segment it’s in and this is where the LBX truly shines. Another nifty feature is the Blind Spot Monitor radar, which checks for traffic approaching from the rear.
If it detects a risk of your car door opening into the path of a cyclist or another vehicle, for example, this triggers a warning light and sound alert and automatically cancels the unlatching of the door. The touchscreen infotainment display is a modest 9.8-inches – slightly smaller than an iPad – which is sensible for a car this size but doesn’t feel as intuitive as with other luxury competitors.
It also comes complete with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Depending on the spec or trim, you may also get a height-adjustable Head-Up Display that projects essential drive information onto the windshield. Again, this is something you expect to see in a higher-classed vehicle.
This promising little Lexus checks many boxes and we expect the LBX will convert a new breed of acolytes, just like the way Singaporeans are latching onto Chinese EVs today. LEXUS LBX TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE: 1,490 cc, in-line three engine with electric motor POWER: 129 hp TORQUE: 120 Nm ACCELERATION (0-100 km/h): 9.6 seconds TOP SPEED: 170 km/h FUEL EFFICIENCY: 5.
1 L/100 km PRICE: S$229,800 (with COE).
