As though a harbinger for what is to come from Lexus in the near future, the LBX arrives in three hybrid-only variants across just two trim levels.
It also kicks off from a new and more accessible price-point for Lexus, of just $47,550 plus on-road costs for the Luxury 2WD grade. From there, it works its way up to $52,990 for the mid-spec Sports Luxury 2WD, and at the top of the range sits the Sports Luxury AWD at $56,990.
Pretty straightforward stuff to begin with, but we expect there’s more to come from the LBX nameplate in the future with the likes of the go-fast Morizo RR concept, which it seems is likely to be headed for production for those who were looking for something approximating a GLA45 rival.
For now though, the LBX, particularly at its keen starting price, already undercuts key rivals like the aforementioned Mercedes-Benz GLA and outgoing Audi Q2, although it manages to be notably smaller than these rival offerings from Germany. Other contemporaries, like Genesis and BMW simply don’t offer anything comparable, with their smallest SUV models being the GV60 and new, larger X1 respectively.
Lexus has always been a bit of a torchbearer for value in the luxury space, too, and despite its dimensions, the LBX packs a great set of standard equipment across its two trim levels, with a handful of notable exceptions.
The entry-level Luxury scores 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail-lights and foglights; auto-dimming wing mirrors with auto folding, and tinted windows, alongside such interior luxuries as synthetic leather interior trim, a 9.8-inch multimedia touchscreen with voice recognition, sat-nav and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless phone charger, ambient interior lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a surround-view parking camera, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-start ignition, eight-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat, a power tailgate and heated front seats.
Meanwhile, the Sports Luxury gets a 18-inch alloys in an alternate design, additional contrast trims on the rear pillar, interior trims in a blend of synthetic leather and suede, genuine leather trims for the steering wheel and shifter, power adjustment for the steering column with paddle shifters and a heated steering wheel function; haptic feedback controls on the steering wheel, multi-colour ambient lighting, a head-up display, an ‘engine sound enhancement’ with active noise cancellation, a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, and an ‘Advanced Park’ feature where the car can park itself.
Both grades also score two-tone paint schemes, and the safety suite on both is also formidable (more on that later).
It’s good value kit at this price-point and free of the usual option-pack rigmarole which comes on many luxury rivals. There are some bits and bobs missing, though. Lexus is usually famous for the inclusion of a sunroof, which doesn’t appear on either grade here. There’s also no ventilated seats or heated seats in the rear, and if you were hoping to option bigger wheels, you can’t do that either.