The smallest automobile Lexus has ever produced is hybrid-powered and is available in underneath $50,000. Does this luxurious small SUV – which relies upon the identical platform because the Toyota Yaris Cross – stack up?
What we love
- Improved, pleasing driving expertise
- Some good inside touches and supplies
- Able to being very environment friendly round city
What we don’t
- petrol engine can drone when working laborious on the open highway
- Second row is tight, and is lacking air vents
- All-wheel drive mannequin will get a conspicuously small boot
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It is a small automobile, however the Lexus LBX represents a giant transfer for the posh Japanese model. The model has constructed its popularity upon the profitable V8-powered saloons and off-roaders of the Nineties and 2000s, however more and more Lexus makes use of hybrid know-how as its level of distinction in a fiercely aggressive luxurious market.
However to chase an even bigger slice of the Australian new automobile pie, Lexus goes small with the LBX. Utilizing a platform and elements shared with the Toyota Yaris Cross mild SUV, this LBX is the smallest automobile on file for Lexus.
It is also geared toward a youthful viewers, someone with maybe fewer greys on the scalp and probably fewer {dollars} within the checking account.
The beginning value is alluring, so is the price of possession. So is the Lexus LBX the right metropolis automobile for individuals who desire a pragmatic contact of premium?
With a beginning value of $47,550 plus on-road prices, the 2024 Lexus LBX is the brand new entry-level mannequin within the lineup. The marginally bigger UX small SUV nonetheless exists, and for 2024 switches to a hybrid and EV-only vary ranging from $55,370, dropping cheaper non-hybrid petrol fashions within the course of.
However this LBX actually feels new and recent, in comparison with the UX. It additionally provides decrease working prices, due to the 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain.
Customary tools within the entry-level LBX Luxurious contains the hybrid powertrain in front-wheel drive guise, NuLux artificial leather-based inside trimming, heated entrance seats, dual-zone local weather management, wi-fi telephone charging and a powered tailgate.
There’s additionally a 9.8-inch infotainment show, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, six-speaker sound system, rear privateness glass, and electrical adjustment for the driving force’s seat.
The highest-spec LBX Sports activities Luxurious begins from $52,990 plus on-road prices and provides leather-based accenting and Ultrasuede inside trimming, together with a premium leather-based steering wheel and shifter. There’s additionally paddle shifters, inside ambient lighting, a distinct design for the 18-inch wheels, a head-up show, automated parking, and energetic noise cancelling.
The sound system will get upgraded to a 13-speaker Mark Levinson-branded setup, and the steering wheel will get haptic-style buttons.
The 1.5-litre, three-cylinder hybrid powertrain is normal throughout the vary, and there is not any choice of another powertrain for the LBX at present.
Sports activities Luxurious can be had as an all-wheel drive mannequin, with a modestly powered rear motor (4.7kW/52Nm) becoming a member of the fray on the rear. This implies the rear suspension modifications from a torsion beam to a extra refined double wishbone setup, however boot house drops from 402 to 315 litres.
Stepping as much as the Sports activities Luxurious AWD prices an additional $4000, however regardless of the additional rear motor, Lexus would not quote any enhance in total (mixed) energy outputs.
| Key particulars | 2024 Lexus LBX |
| Value | LBX Luxurious 2WD – $47,550 LBX Sports activities Luxurious 2WD – $52,990 LBX Sports activities Luxurious AWD – $56,990 Notice: all costs are earlier than on-road prices |
| Colors accessible | Sonic Quartz Sonic Chrome Sonic Copper Frozen Mercury Moonstone Shadow Wealthy Ruby Citrine Flare Midnight Sapphire |
| Rivals | Audi Q2 | Volvo XC40 | BMW X1 |
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The Lexus LBX is barely smaller than the UX small SUV by way of footprint, however is barely taller. Compared to the cheaper Toyota Yaris Cross, it is larger in each path, together with a 20mm bump within the wheelbase.
At not far more than 4 metres lengthy, do not count on the Lexus LBX to be a giant automobile. And possibly do not take a look at this mannequin as a doable household automobile.
You will discover this largely within the second row, the place there is not an entire lot of house on supply. With me within the again (sitting behind my very own driving place) I had simply sufficient legroom to not be scraping the seats with my knees. I am slightly below six foot tall, and sit comparatively near the steering wheel. So taller adults can have extra points.
There are additionally no air vents within the second row, which appears to be incongruous with the posh labelling of this Lexus. Neither is there any fold-down armrest or cup holder, save for house for one bottle in every of the rear doorways. You do have two USB-C energy retailers, nonetheless.
Up entrance, the LBX feels nicer and extra compelling as a premium providing. It seems to be sharp, with out feeling overdone or chintzy. Ultrasuede on the dashboard and doorways of the Sports activities Luxurious fashions are fairly good, and there may be loads of consideration to element within the corners and a stable sense of construct high quality.
The scale of the automobile might be felt by way of the narrowness of the centre console and you will discover there is not an entire lot of storage on supply. One cup holder lives out within the open, whereas one other lives throughout the lidded centre console, which has an attention-grabbing slide-and-tilt operate in its opening.
The cavity beneath is the place you may stick your purse or small purse largely, and you will find USB-C and 12V energy on this space as nicely. And with two further USB-C factors up on high, you may nicely lined for charging your units.
There is a small spot to whack your keyfob and a wi-fi charging pad up entrance, however this is able to solely settle for small smartphones with out hanging out noticably into the gear shifter space. My telephone is fairly massive, and it seemed unusual at how a lot it caught out.
The boot of the LBX is not nice, and is especially small when you might have the top-spec all-wheel drive mannequin. There’s sufficient for just a few large luggage of groceries in there, however not an entire lot extra. And if you wish to prioritise boot house, take a look at the front-wheel drive fashions.
| 2024 Lexus LBX | |
| Seats | 5 |
| Boot quantity | 402L seats up (2WD) 315L seats up (AWD) 994L seats folded (2WD) AWD seats folded capability not supplied |
| Size | 4190mm |
| Width | 1825mm |
| Top | 1560mm |
| Wheelbase | 2580mm |
Does the Lexus LBX have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
A 9.8-inch infotainment show within the LBX is a comparatively new little bit of {hardware} for the juggernaut that’s Toyota and Lexus, and it seems to be fairly sharp on the dashboard of the LBX. This has wired and wi-fi Apple Carplay and Android Auto, native navigation, in addition to digital radio reception.
The working system is sweet with a vivid and sharp show, good response to inputs, and quick loading instances. It is a easy setup, not dripping with options and complexity. However it’s additionally efficient.
The Lexus LBX additionally will get entry to Lexus Related Companies, with a complimentary three-year subscription coming with the acquisition of the automobile. This works with a companion app and permits for automobile location, distant local weather controls, and selecting out your automobile in a chock-full automobile park, plus permits over-the-air updates.
Past the automobile, this LBX additionally comes with a subscription to Lexus Encore, which is a three-year subscription to the ‘way of life program’ that comes with a wide range of completely different proprietor advantages.
Is the Lexus LBX a secure automobile?
Being a comparatively new mannequin for Australia, the Lexus LBX is but to be crash-tested by ANCAP.
| 2024 Lexus LBX | |
| ANCAP ranking | Untested |
What security know-how does the Lexus LBX have?
Typical of Lexus autos, the LBX comes with a complete suite of energetic and passive security know-how. This contains well-tuned and attentive driver help options like lane hint help (Lexus’ time period for lane centring), blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise management. The site visitors signal recognition appears to be largely correct, and the 360-degree digital camera system is top of the range.
And since issues like lane-keep help, site visitors signal recognition and the driving force monitoring system is comparatively nicely tuned and never overly intrusive, you do not really feel the urge to show all of them off.
| Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) | Sure | Contains bike owner, pedestrian (day/night time), motorbike (day), junction detection and steering help |
| Adaptive Cruise Management | Sure | With curve pace discount |
| Blind Spot Alert | Sure | |
| Rear Cross-Site visitors Alert | Sure | With parking help brake |
| Lane Help | Sure | Lane Departure Warning, Lane Maintain Help, Lane Centring Help |
| Street Signal Recognition | Sure | Velocity indicators solely |
| Driver Consideration Warning | Sure | Digital camera-based with emergency driving cease system |
| Cameras & Sensors | Sure | Entrance and rear sensors, 360-degree digital camera |
How a lot does the Lexus LBX price to run?
Lexus provides 5 years of capped-price servicing for the LBX, which prices $595 per go to and is required each 12 months or 15,000km. This brings a five-year whole to $2975 and for 75,000 kilometres travelled. This makes it greater than twice the worth compared to the mechanically related Toyota Yaris Cross small SUV.
Though, it is value noting right here that Lexus possession and servicing does include advantages that embody choose up and drop off, in addition to a complimentary mortgage automobile. In order that additional spend goes someplace.
Possession additionally contains three years entry to Lexus Encore, an possession advantages program that features gas reductions, and a variety of provides and occasions. Homeowners may also improve to Encore Elevate which provides airport lounge entry, valet parking provides, and entry to on-demand mortgage autos.
Insurance coverage for a top-spec LBX Sports activities Luxurious AWD involves $2623 per yr, based mostly on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male, dwelling in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance coverage estimates could range based mostly in your location, driving historical past, and private circumstances.
| At a look | 2024 Lexus LBX |
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless km |
| Battery guarantee | Ten years, limitless km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing prices | $2975 (5 years) |
Is the Lexus LBX gas environment friendly?
A claimed gas consumption of three.8 litres per hundred kilometres for the Lexus LBX is spectacular, and one thing that will have most likely been written off as a typo a decade in the past. In opposition to that declare, we got here inside round 1 litre of matching it, with a quantity that sat at 5.0 litres per hundred kilometres consumed. This was throughout a highway check that included a variety of open highway and freeway driving.
As is typical of hybrids, the declare of effectivity round city can really be barely decrease than freeway driving, due to the skills of the hybrid powertrain to reap power underneath coasting and braking conditions and redeploy the harvested energy to the electrical drivetrain. So when you have light accelerator inputs and skim the site visitors with a view to enhance effectivity, it is possible for you to to get spectacular numbers from the Lexus LBX.
Whereas the ‘M15A-FXE’ 1.5-litre petrol engine from Toyota is a comparatively new design, it’s nonetheless set as much as run on common 91-octane unleaded gas, which might trim down working prices barely. And regardless of getting a modest bump in total outputs compared to the Toyota Yaris Cross, consumption stays regular between the 2.
| Gasoline effectivity | 2024 Lexus LBX |
| Gasoline cons. (claimed) | 3.8L/100km |
| Gasoline cons. (on check) | 5.0L/100km |
| Gasoline sort | 91-octane unleaded |
| Gasoline tank measurement | 36L |
What’s the Lexus LBX wish to drive?
The hybrid powertrain is extra environment friendly across the suburbs and cities, and the Lexus LBX looks like a way more compelling providing in these environments. The electrical drive does a very good quantity of preliminary take-off and coasting by itself, and the three-cylinder engine demurely joins in with little fuss and interruption.
However on the open highway, the identical engine can get somewhat noisy and thrashy as it really works to overhaul or climb a mountain go. Three-cylinder engines might be a number of the most characterful and fascinating motors for a driver’s automobile, but it surely would not appear to be consistent with the quiet, luxurious pretensions of this LBX.
Whereas based mostly on the drivetrain from the Toyota Yaris Cross, the LBX has a extra highly effective system with 100kW of mixed energy, in comparison with 85kW within the Yaris Cross.
Total acceleration is nice sufficient for the job, with out feeling significantly quick. The mixing of electrical and petrol energy is often seamless, as you’d count on of an organization that has been crafting this sort of powertrain for many years now.
Maybe most significantly for this little Lexus LBX, it does really feel like a shrunk-down Lexus by way of the driving expertise. The steering feels extra stable and direct, owing to a stiffer physique and the setup of the electrical steering system.
And whereas the hybrid engine not a scintillating companion for twisty roads, the LBX is a composed and enjoyable companion to hyperlink up your favorite bends. Route modifications are dealt with nicely, and the automobile tracks confidently in opposition to g-forces.
Experience high quality is nice as nicely, imbuing a equally stable feeling to the little Lexus, It would not pogo and skate throughout tough surfaces like a small automobile, however as a substitute soaks up surfaces with confidence and management.
| Key particulars | 2024 Lexus LBX |
| Engine | 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol hybrid |
| Energy | 67kW @ 5500rpm (petrol) 69kW (entrance electrical motor) 4.7kW (rear electrical motor, AWD solely) 100kW mixed |
| Torque | 120Nm from 3800-4800rpm (petrol) 185Nm (entrance electrical motor) 52Nm (rear electrical motor, AWD solely) No peak mixed torque determine supplied |
| Drive sort | front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive |
| Transmission | CVT automated |
| Weight (kerb) | 1330kg (2WD) 1415kg (AWD) |
| Spare tyre sort | Tyre restore equipment |
| Payload | 445kg (2WD) 405kg (AWD) |
| Tow ranking | 400kg |
| Turning circle | 11.2m |
Lexus provides the LBX small SUV a 400kg towing capability, with none distinction between braked and unbraked trailers. This implies whereas the automobile technically can tow a small quantity, it is low sufficient that may preclude it is suitability for something past a small, empty trailer. For instance, some regular-sized 6×4 field trailers may weigh as much as 300kg earlier than you fill them up with stuff, so you could possibly simply overload the capability of the LBX.
Ought to I purchase a Lexus LBX?
Lexus is aiming this LBX small SUV at a youthful viewers than regular, and I can see the attraction. If you’d like one thing small and straightforward to reside with, but additionally with some good touches, then this automobile hits a variety of the proper notes. Whereas opting for the same Toyota will inevitably be lighter on the hip pocket, you may see the place the additional cash goes on this LBX to enhance the inside, driving, and possession expertise.
And let’s face it, a garden-variety hybrid Toyota is not precisely an inexpensive automobile as of late to start out with.
Do not buy this automobile for those who’re planning on loading up and hitting the highway recurrently on weekend jaunts, the LBX is enjoyable however feels much less at residence on the open highway. However have a more in-depth look for those who want one thing environment friendly however somewhat additional for each day driving and nipping round city.
How do I purchase a Lexus LBX? The following steps.
We reckon that spending up on an LBX is not essentially the easiest way to go, and patrons ought to take a look at both of the front-wheel drive variants because the choose of the vary. The additional equipment and nicer supplies of the Sports activities Luxurious are good to have, however the base mannequin nonetheless seems to be and feels good.
The Lexus LBX is already on sale, and an preliminary wave of ground inventory has already arrived at dealerships. Lexus is anticipating to herald round 1500 examples of the LBX over the following 12 months, however the energy of demand in Australia will dictate shortage of inventory.
However if you wish to order a selected trim degree or color, count on to attend round two to 4 months for that order to be fulfilled.
The following steps on the acquisition journey are to examine the Lexus web site for inventory of your most popular LBX variant. You can too discover Lexus vehicles on the market at [URL='https://drive.com.au/cars-for-sale/all/all/lexus/']Drive Cars For Sale. [/URL]
We strongly suggest taking a check drive at a dealership earlier than committing as a result of private wants and tastes can differ. We’d additionally suggest test-driving the BMW X1 which is available in at a better value level, however is value consideration, or if compact measurement is vital, the Audi Q2 may additionally warrant a glance.
If you wish to keep up to date with all the pieces that is occurred to this automobile since our assessment, you may discover all the most recent information right here.
Scores Breakdown
Lexus UX
7.6/ 10
Infotainment & Connectivity
Inside Consolation & Packaging
Electrical Automobiles Information
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Sam Purcell has been writing about vehicles, four-wheel driving and tenting since 2013, and obsessive about something that goes brum-brum longer than he can bear in mind. Sam joined the staff at CarAdvice/Drive because the off-road Editor in 2018, after slicing his enamel at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures.
Learn extra about Sam Purcell
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