Lexus LBX Test Drive: Affordable, Great Service
For a small car of a Japanese high-end brand, love at first sight will not work, and its advantages can only be discovered after a long period of close communication. And there are many advantages.
This is Lexus' first attempt to enter the small urban crossover market. They had never launched such a small car before. From the very beginning, the brand has created large, comfortable models for the American market. This is evident from the name LEXUS (Luxury Export to the United States). At least, they took root there and built a reputation, while conquering half the world. The Japanese have only been trying to gain a foothold in the European market for a few years, so this time LBX seems to have been given an important mission.
Positioning of the Lexus LBX
The poor sales of the Lexus UX compact SUV model should have made the Japanese think, but it was not, and we got another small Lexus with a name cleverly made up of three letters that represented the Lexus breakthrough crossover. Yes, Lexus almost never uses three letters in the abbreviation, we only remember the sporty LFA, so it looks like we've got a unique product. What's so special about it?
At first glance, we can say - nothing. Because the LBX is a redesigned Toyota Yaris Cross. The company mainly positions this subcompact car as a vehicle suitable for "golden" youth. In this way, they try to target the most popular segments in Europe. Given the environmental friendliness of the crossover and the popularity of city cars, they have a good chance of success.
Our protagonist is based on the standard TNGA-B architecture and hybrid setup, just like Toyota. However, it is difficult to find similarities with the Yaris Cross in the appearance of the LBX, and the designers have done a good job of this. Lexus looks completely different. You can only see clues to the kinship in a single light strip between the tail headlights. The wheelbase of this luxury subcompact car has been lengthened by 20 mm, and the body has also been lengthened by 20 mm. An extra few millimeters went into the passenger space and, unfortunately, did not play any special role.
I would like to say that the LBX stands out from the rest of the brand's models: the front profile does not have such a threat, the ribs on the sides are clear, and the overall look is solemn. This babe is as chubby as Winnie the Pooh. In addition, for some reason, it vaguely reminds us of the DS 3 in France
The only major question is whether the Lexus LBX, with such a friendly look, can challenge the best small SUV from competing premium brands like the Audi Q2, Range Rover Evoque or MINI Countryman. And, Lexus offers the strongest build quality, premium materials, thoughtful attention to the smallest detail, vivid behavior, and affordability, which will be worth paying attention to.
The driving experience of the Lexus LBX
According to Lexus engineers, they put a lot of effort into improving the crossover and making it more refined in detail, thus giving the car a distinctive impression in line with its luxury status. The TNGA-B platform has been improved and the handling has been improved to meet Lexus standards, which they used as a reference for the 1989 IS sedan.
This is reflected in the dynamics, precise control and lightness. The car's behavior on the road is clear and predictable, with no unnecessary rolls and stops. The Lexus LBX is like a capsule that moves through space, programmed by every movement of the elastic steering wheel and reacts with vivid behavior.
The suspension is tuned for comfort, but you won't find the softness of a large crossover. Unlike the Mini (which has a multi-link rear suspension), the LBX basically follows the trend of small cars, with MacPherson-style struts at the front and torsion bars at the rear. The steering column is equipped with an intermediate shaft with an expansion/compression mechanism that helps to absorb vibrations.
The main difference is actually much hidden. Toyota's parallel hybrids may not seem that complicated at first glance, but their elegant engineering is constantly advancing to maximize performance and efficiency. In our case, the system consists of a three-cylinder 1.5 atmosphere engine, a front-axle electric motor, a planetary gearbox, and a small battery with a capacity of 1 kWh (compared to 0.76 kWh for the Yaris).
LBX also uses a different type of battery: not lithium-ion, but nickel-metal hydride. The brand's engineers claim that the new "bipolar" battery is ideal for the fast charging and discharging requirements of hybrid vehicles that are not connected to the grid.
The system has a total power of 136 horsepower, compared to 114 horsepower for the Yaris Cross. In addition, the engine is equipped with a balancer shaft, which absorbs "negative" vibrations, allowing the operation of the engine's three cylinders to run more smoothly. In addition, this engine is quiet enough not to cause a startle when suddenly changing operating modes.
A cautious approach to the accelerator pedal and Eco mode can often get you to rely more on electric power. There is a button on the center console to force the use of electric mode and get the most out of it. But even without it, the system runs on electricity for the longest available time. You can travel many kilometers and occasionally hear the sound of the engine.
Interestingly, even on the highway, the crossover switches to electric drive mode, which reduces fuel consumption. On average, the fuel consumption of this crossover does not exceed 100 liters per 5 km.
The concept is too complex to explain in its entirety here. The main thing the user needs to do is fill up the fuel tank, switch the control stick to driving mode, and press the gas pedal to start. Right from the start, he could feel the full 136 hp, which showed the dynamism of the crossover. This is true regardless of whether the driving mode is sport or normal. The CVT in the LBX is flawless, accelerating the baby to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds.
For some, this number is not impressive, but even with such indicators, inertia can push passengers back to their seats. You can play like this until the battery is completely drained. After that, the flexibility will decrease, and although the cabin is well insulated, the engine will remind you of its presence. At speeds above 100 km/h, there is a slight wind whistling in the mirrors, so the aerodynamics can certainly be improved more.
The braking of the Lexus LBX is equally pleasant. Here, regeneration is set very gently, slowing down to recharge the battery. If the driver uses the brakes, the effect is even more pronounced.
Overall, driving this small crossover is a pleasant and fun experience. It is easy to maneuver in traffic and accelerates quickly at any speed. It makes you want to drive fast and dynamically, while constant fuel consumption adds even more excitement and encourages you to keep going.
Technology and security of the Lexus LBX
The Lexus Safety System+ in the LBX continues to focus. You don't need to turn on adaptive cruise and the car keeps you safe on the road. It moves cautiously and does not interfere with driving, acting at the last minute and correcting the driver's inattention.
It has features such as lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, cross traffic warning, emergency braking, and driver attention monitoring. The LBX is very versatile, even in the initial configuration. As a result, the car will constantly monitor your gaze and will annoyingly alert you if you take your gaze off the road for more than 5 seconds.
The Lexus LBX has LED lighting throughout the interior and body, but with an adaptive lighting system. In principle, this is enough to avoid remembering to switch headlights again.
And when you get closer, the cross door doesn't open automatically. Maybe it's done for safety, but you have to use touch to turn it on. This feature, called E-Latch, first appeared on NX. Therefore, the handles here are unusual: they are completely fixed and work by sensors. You can simply grasp the handle to open the door, it will open automatically and you can lock it by placing your finger on the outside of the handle. Opening them from the inside requires skill: you press the button and push the door at the same time to open it.
Interior and space of the Lexus LBX
The first thing you'll notice when you get into the LBX is that Lexus has managed to make the interior not inferior to the Lexus RX, but visually compact. The upholstery materials are pleasant, with a generous use of synthetic leather that is soft to the touch, and it is difficult to distinguish them from genuine leather with the naked eye, but a slight rubberization can be felt when touched. Only the stitching is thin and even, and the black roof upholstery creates an overall uniform space.
The 9.8-inch touchscreen blends harmoniously with the center console structure and has ample physical button selections such as temperature, heating, and volume knobs. Only the angle of the screen is strange and impractical, since the surface immediately accumulates dust.
Some climate control controls are accessible through the screen, but they are displayed continuously and have normal sensitivity, which allows you to press them like keys. The climate control here is dual-zone control with a Lexus Nanoe-X air quality filter. The controls don't need to be moved unnecessarily, and you can quickly adapt to the position. The front seats are heated and cooled, and you can also set them to turn on automatically based on climate control.
The instrument panel is 12.3 inches in size and displays information about travel speed, rpm, hybrid system operation, assistance functions, and more. Many functions are configured to be controlled via steering wheel buttons, minimizing distractions while driving.
The multimedia has the usual style of the company, very similar to Toyota's interface. Clear graphics, fonts, and adequate touch response. It's nice to connect wirelessly to your smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition, it comes with decent software that does not overheat the smartphone and does not discharge as quickly as other brands. There is also a wireless charger under the screen, which keeps the charge and ensures that the phone does not overheat by turning it off for a while and resuming the charging process again. The process is constantly monitored by an intelligent system. For this, we thank the manufacturer.
There are a variety of configurations available on our market, but not all of them. So the difference between them is not huge, but there is a difference. As a result, the LBX Elegant will not feature a black roof, but will be offered in light interiors: light beige and brown. But the LBX Emotion is our test car with a black interior and a black roof.
Another feature of the smaller cabin is the narrower center console, which provides closer distance between the driver and passengers. This is a feature of small cars. You can get used to it because there is plenty of storage space for coffee, a place to put your phone, and a notch under the central display for extra small items. But the pockets on the door are very small.
It's much harder for the rear passengers, and if there's a tall man sitting in front, you can't even squeeze a child's palm in the back. But in the back row, where the height is average, children can sit safely, and even adults can sit down. Interestingly, the roof is out of the way, and the rear aisle is quite spacious. The rear backrest folds down to make it easy to hang a child seat or pack things.
On the other hand, the trunk, although not large, has a surprising depth. The volume is 317 liters, while the volume of the Toyota Yaris is 390 liters. A victim of a designer or engineer? There is no touch-type trunk door opening device here, you have to press the button below the inscription or on the key.
Competitors and test drive conclusions
Over the years, only the Mini has managed to convince enough buyers to pay more for a small car. The first-generation Audi A1 performed well at the time, but everything stopped at the second-generation. The Audi Q2 also didn't set a sales record. Even the Mercedes-Benz A-Class still exists as a complement to the segment and does not bring sales to the brand. Therefore, Lexus can be said to be quite bold. If we remember that the company rarely takes reckless measures, then this is likely to be a fairly balanced goal.
Anyway, for the smallest Lexus, the LBX Elegant sells for $39,000, while the largest LBX Emotion sells for $40,000. That's a lot of money for a small car, especially if you can get a Toyota Yaris Cross for $29,189 from the same dealership. Keep in mind that even a fully loaded Toyota will cost $31,985, which isn't much cheaper than a Lexus, and the difference will be very noticeable.
A similarly equipped Audi Q2 costs about the same as an LBX, DS 3 or Peugeot 2008, but certainly lower. Large cars like the Cupra Formentor or the Mercedes GLA are obviously more expensive. And not everywhere there are hybrid engines. So, in our market, there is little competition in the segment, but the European series will be a little more expensive, and Lexus will start to build its reputation there.
In addition to its impeccable safety record, Lexus is also known for building the most reliable vehicles. The LBX has yet to travel tens of thousands of kilometers and prove its reliability, but the Toyota Yaris Cross is already on the road without causing any alarms.
I think you'll find the LBX both economical and practical thanks to a hybrid drivetrain. After all, you should also consider a three-cylinder engine, which will be slightly less expensive to maintain, and all the parts in the car are easy to repair, affordable, and easy to replace, which will only make the vehicle run better.
LBX ticks most of the requirements you could wish for. The interior atmosphere and quality are convincing, as is the attention and care that went into finalizing the software. The smooth, quiet and economical powerplant is perfect for the city. Overall, the idea of a small but not expensive car is appealing to those who can and want to add a little luxury to their daily commute.
Pros: economical, comfortable, high-quality materials, multimedia.
Cons: The rear passenger space is too small and the appearance is uninteresting.