Lexus LBX review

The Lexus LBX could be described as the Wagamama of small SUVs. You see, like the noodle-bar chain's dishes, it's a Japanese product aimed at the European market.

Can the LBX replicate the ramen restaurants' success? Well, the signs are good, because with Lexus being the premium arm of Toyota, the LBX has a similar hybrid system to the super-efficient Toyota Yaris Cross.

You probably wouldn't guess that from looking at the two cars side by side though: the LBX is a completely different shape to the Yaris Cross, plus it has a bespoke interior and a longer wheelbase (the gap between the front and rear wheels) to maximise interior space.

Lexus LBX video review

So does the Lexus LBX have what it takes to challenge the best small SUVs from rival premium brands – the Audi Q2 and Range Rover Evoque for example – or more mainstream rivals, including the Ford Puma and Toyota C-HR? Read on to findt…

The Lexus LBX uses the same basic 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor combo as the Toyota Yaris Cross but it's so much more than a rebadge of a cheaper car.

The LBX is more powerful for starters, with noticeably stronger acceleration when you need it. Indeed, the front-wheel-drive version can officially sprint from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, so it's significantly nippier than an Audi Q2 30 TFSI and only slightly slower than a Q2 35 TFSI.

Unlike many small SUVs – including the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq – the LBX is available with four-wheel drive if you go for one of the top trim levels. The extra motor on the rear axle should, in theory, improve traction in low-grip conditions (we haven't tried it yet), so it's worth considering if you live somewhere with less clement weather.

The trade-off for opting for four-wheel drive (aside from the higher price) is slightly worse efficiency and a fractionally slower 0-62mph time of 9.6 seconds. 

A big benefit of hybrid cars is that they're usually hushed when you're pootling around town because the electric motor can manage on its own in stop-start traffic. The LBX is no exception, making virtually silent progress until the engine kicks in. Not that the engine is particularly rowdy when it does fire up, mind. 

Indeed, Lexus has put real time (and no doubt money) into refining the LBX. The engine has been given a balancer shaft to reduce vibration for example, and despite the CVT automatic gearbox causing the engine revs to flare when you put your foot down hard, the accompanying noise is subdued (far more so than in a Toyota C-HR or Toyota Yaris Cross).

That said, you do hear a little more tyre and wind noise at motorway speeds than in some rivals. Lexus has fitted damping sheets to the doors to help reduce this, but the Audi Q2, the VW T-Roc and the Range Rover Evoque are all slightly quieter cruising companions. 

What about comfort? Well, in contrast with some of the more expensive Lexus car models, the ride is on the firmer side, so the LBX sometimes get fidgety, especially at town speeds. At least things never become annoyingly jarring and the ride improves noticeably the faster you go.

The relatively stiff suspension helps make the LBX a confidence-inspiring companion on twistier roads, as do its naturally weighted steering and grippy front end. It won't put a smile on your face quite like an Audi Q2 or Ford Puma but it's more entertaining than plenty of other small SUVs, including the DS 3 and Toyota C-HR.

“The front-wheel-drive Lexus LBX accelerates from 0 to 30mph in a nippy 3.5 seconds so I found slotting it into gaps in traffic easy.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Lexus is renowned for creating some of the best interiors in the business and the LBX doesn't disappoint. It has a look and feel inside that's reminiscent of the company's larger SUVs, including the Lexus NX, with plush-feeling materials in all the important places, combined with superb build quality. 

The solid "thunk" you hear when you close a door is further evidence that the smallest Lexus SUV isn't simply a rebadged Toyota Yaris Cross. In fact, the only small SUV that can get close to the LBX for interior quality is the Audi Q2.

It's only the cheapest LBX trim – called Urban – that makes do with fabric seats. All other trims have synthetic leather upholstery, real leather or a combination of leather and suede. Likewise, it's only Urban trim that misses out on any form of ambient interior lighting. Takumi models go further, with sophisticated 64-colour LED interior lighting for a more upmarket ambience.

The design of the LBX's dashboard is clean and uncluttered, and there are physical controls for the air-conditioning (dual-zone climate control is standard on all trims) plus a knob for the stereo volume. Overall, it’s a far less distracting arrangement than you'll find in the VW T-Roc, which forces you to use a fiddly touch-sensitive panel to adjust its air-conditioning.

The cheapest trim levels come with a 7.0in digital driver’s display behind the steering wheel, with Premium Plus models and above getting a 12.3in alternative plus a head-up display. We’ve tested the 12.3in system, and found it easy to read on the move, with the head-up display beaming your speed and other information on to the windscreen directly in front of your eyes.

All LBXs come with a 9.8in infotainment touchscreen as standard. The system is relatively easy to use, with easy-to-hit icons and crisp graphics. Better still, wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay come as standard. You'll find three USB-C sockets in the front of LBX plus two in the back, and if you go for Premium trim or above, there's also a wireless phone-charging pad.

As for the driving position, it’s very easy to get comfortable. The steering wheel and seats offer plenty of adjustment, while the seats themselves are supportive – far more so than those in most small SUVs. The only issue is that drivers well over 6ft tall might wish the seat could slide a bit further back.

The LBX doesn’t have the highest of driving positions but you feel significantly higher up from the road than you would in a regular hatchback (or a Skoda Kamiq for that matter). Forward visibility is excellent thanks to narrow windscreen pillars.

To help with tight manoeuvres, all versions come with front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera. Range-topping Takumi models add a 360-degree bird's eye view camera.

“I found the Lexus LBX interior well finished, and features like selectable ambient lighting colours help to make it feel more special than the Toyota C-HR.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

You won't struggle for space in the front of the Lexus LBX. There's plenty of head and leg room to allow taller people to get comfy, plus lots of storage dotted around the interior, including two cupholders, a large central storage cubby and a sizeable shelf below the centre console. The door bins are on the small side, though, as is the glovebox.

While you and your front passenger won't have any complaints about space, anyone sitting in the back will feel more cramped. Don't get us wrong, a six-footer will fit – they just might find that their head brushes against the roof.

The Audi Q2 and non-premium rivals such as the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc have a noticeable amount more head and leg room, so are better bets if you plan to put adults in the back on a regular basis.

Front-wheel-drive versions of the LBX have a respectable 402 litres of boot space. For comparison, equivalent versions of the Q2 have 405 litres of luggage capacity while the T-Roc has 445 litres. We managed to load six carry-on suitcases below the LBX's parcel shelf, the same number we squeezed in the Q2 and one fewer than fitted in the T-Roc.

The space is usefully square, although the lack of a height-adjustable boot floor means there's a big drop down from the boot entrance to the floor of the load bay. It's also worth bearing in mind that four-wheel-drive versions have a significantly smaller boot, with capacity dropping by around 20% (to 317 litres).

Whichever version of the LBX you go for, the rear seatback splits and folds in a 60/40 configuration, which is par for the course in the small SUV class. That said, the rear seats in the Audi Q2 and Range Rover Evoque and most versions of the closely related Toyota Yaris Cross split in a more versatile 40/20/40 configuration.

“The Lexus LBX offers less rear leg room than you get in a Toyota C-HR but it’s not too bad and there was still plenty of room for my feet." – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

The Lexus LBX is currently the only regular hybrid small SUV offered by a premium brand. It’s impressive, then, that the starting price is roughly on a par with the petrol-powered Audi Q2 while even the most expensive version of the LBX undercuts the cheapest Range Rover Evoque.

Entry-level Urban trim is quite well equipped, coming with 17in alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, keyless start, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, parking sensors and touchscreen infotainment. 

Even so, we'd recommend going for at least Premium trim, which adds heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery, tinted rear windows, a wireless phone-charging pad, ambient interior lighting and automatic wipers.

Our favourite trim is mid-rung Premium Plus trim, which is still respectably priced but adds some desirable extras, including a 12.3in digital driver’s display, a head-up display, keyless entry, a powered tailgate and an interior air purification system called Nanoe X Technology.

To maximise creature comforts, the Takumi and Takumi Design trims include a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, powered driver’s seat adjustment (with memory function) and multi-coloured ambient interior lighting. They also add LED headlights that can be left on main beam and will automatically shape their beams to avoid dazzling other drivers. 

The price of the two range-topping versions is a little too close to bigger and better alternatives, such as the Evoque, for us to heartily recommend them.

If you're prepared to consider a small SUV without a premium badge, it's worth checking out the Ford Puma and VW T-Roc. Like for like, both are cheaper options for private cash buyers or anyone using PCP finance. That said, the LBX's lower CO2 emissions (from 102g/km) makes it very competitive for company car drivers paying BIK tax.

No matter how you're buying, you'll appreciate the LBX's impressive fuel economy. Officially, the front-wheel-drive version can average 62.7mpg, compared with 48.7mpg for the Audi Q2 35 TFSI and 47.3mpg for the VW T-Roc 1.5 TSI. Of course, none of these figures will be easy to achieve in real-world driving, but the LBX should comfortably return 50 to 55mpg unless you have a particularly heavy right foot.

The LBX scored the full five stars when it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP. All versions have automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and road-sign recognition.

Premium trim adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert – a system that warns you of dangers when reversing out on the road. Takumi adds an Advanced Safety Pack, bringing more aids, including a system that can perform lane changes for you on motorways.

The LBX did not feature in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Lexus has an excellent reliability record. It finished second out of 31 brands in the latest rankings and was top for several years in a row before that.

“I managed a fantastic real-world economy figure of 51.3mpg in the Lexus LBX.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

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