Not available in the United States of America, the Lexus LBX is best described as the posher sibling of the Yaris Cross from Toyota. The B-segment crossover has recently been put through its paces by Spanish motoring publication km77, with the subcompact utility vehicle clocking a best of 75 kilometers per hour (46.6 miles per hour) in the moose test.
While that may be two clicks off the 77 in km77, it's not a bad result for a small crossover with torsion-beam rear suspension and front-wheel drive. Had it been the GR Yaris-twinned LBX Morizo RR, chances are that Fernando Rios may have clocked over 77 kilometers per hour or 47.8 miles per hour in US vernacular.
Although the drive layout and rear suspension design leave much to be desired, the Yokohama ADVAN V61 rubber shoes do not. Supplied as original equipment for the LBX, the ADVAN V61 was developed specifically for sport utility vehicles. Released in 2023, this model is original equipment for a few other vehicles, namely the Lexus RX, the all-electric RZ, Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra, the Mazda CX-60, and the family-sized Mazda CX-80.
A premium tire developed with a focus on stability and comfort, the V61 is also compatible with the likes of the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, and Volvo XC60. In this particular application, it measures 225/55 by 18 inches all around.
Despite a lot of understeer, Fernando Rios of km77 praised the vehicle's reactions in the moose test at 81 kilometers per hour (50.3 miles per hour). Lowering the entry speed to 75 resulted in far less understeer and roll, along with far improved steering control.
Photo: km77.com on YouTube
The additional two clicks to 77 kilometers per hour make a world of difference in terms of stability control intervention. The question is, what did you expect from the Lexus brand's entry-level crossover? Be it Toyota-controlled Lexus or any other luxury brand, 75 kilometers per hour is good enough for the entry-level version of an entry-level utility vehicle.
Measuring 4.19 meters (165 inches) in length as opposed to 4.46 meters (175.6 inches) for the Corolla Cross, the LBX isn't meant for North America due to the US market's preference for larger vehicles. Not available in Mexico either, the fancier take on the Yaris Cross will set you back at least 33,900 euros in Spain, where the folks at km77 are based.
That’s $37,035 at current exchange rates before optional extras, which is a heck of a lot of money for a crossover this petite. On the other hand, remember that Lexus differentiates itself from Toyota through more standard kit, better materials, and all that jazz. By comparison, the mechanically similar Yaris Cross from Toyota starts at 26,450 euros in Spain, which is close to 28,900 buckaroos.
Hybrid all-wheel drive is available in the form of a rear-mounted electric motor that outputs a meager six metric ponies and 52 Newton-meters or 70 pound-feet of torque. As for the combustion-only Morizo RR, the AWD-equipped performance version puts out a very respectable 304 ps (300 hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) from a 1.6-liter turbo inline-three mill.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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