As promised, Lexus Philippines has now launched its smallest crossover yet: Say hello to the all-new Lexus LBX.
This subcompact crossover boasts a “premium casual” theme with its stylish exterior. There’s a spindle green lugrille up front with sleek, swept-back taillights flanking the front fascia. True enough, it looks like a baby RX with a much subtler look.
At the rear, it gets a familiar design with a taillight that appears somewhat like a combination of the RX and the UX. Like the front end, the look is clean out back, and is just as what you’d expect from a Lexus.
“Our aim was to challenge the conventional concept of a luxury car,” said Lexus chief engineer Kunihiko Endoh. “We have thoroughly pursued a driving experience that enables a natural dialogue between the driver and their vehicle and a design that has a refined presence.”
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Despite its minuscule footprint, however, the LBX still gets a rather decent interior. Soft-touch materials with Tsuyusami charcoal-effect trim inlays can still be found around the cabin, and several buttons and large displays are available as well. Lexus followed its Tazuna concept here, which based on the press release from the launch, is as follows: “This positions principal controls and information sources immediately around the driver, so operation or reading only requires minimal movements of hand or eye, helping keep the driver focused on the task of driving, with least distraction.”
Space-wise, there’s a 317-liter trunk at the rear. Other amenities here include a six-speaker audio setup, Lexus’ e-Latch system enables easier door opening and closing. There’s a power liftgate as well as ambient lighting, the latter of which allows users to choose among 50 different color options.
As for the powertrain, the LBX arrives packing a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline mill with an electric motor that together churns out 134hp and 185Nm of torque. In case you aren’t familiar with it, it works like the self-charging hybrid setup in the Corolla Cross and Yaris Cross. With this setup, the LBX does 0-100kph in 9.2sec.
The LBX Is also equipped with features such as lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, adaptive high beam, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Lexus is offering eight two-tone color options for the LBX, all of which come with black accents: Sonic Quartz, Silver Metallic, Astro Gray Metallic, Red Spinel, Sonic Copper, Sonic Chrome, Passionate Yellow, and Deep Azure Mica Metallic. The all-new crossover stickers for P2.968 million. What do you think of this new Lexus?
