Lexus Thailand has launched the first ever Lexus LBX. Positioned below the Lexus UX, the entry-level B-segment premium SUV is priced 20 percent lower than the UX.

If there’s a BBA (Benz, BMW, Audi) equivalent to the LBX, the closest would be the Audi Q2.

The Lexus LBX rides on the same TNGA-B platform as the Japanese / European market Toyota Yaris Cross, analogous to the VW T-Roc.

Two variants are available in Thailand – Luxury and Premium – both powered by the same 1.5-litre 3-cylinder M15A-FXE Atkinson cycle naturally aspirated engine. The petrol-electric combo makes a combined system output of 134 hp, enough to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 9.2 km/h.

Like all transverse engine Lexus hybrids, drive is transferred to the front wheels via an E-CVT, which despite the name, has no CVT inside. Instead, It’s a belt-less planetary gearset that achieves the same infinite gear ratio, while allowing the series-parallel hybrid drivetrain to charge AND drive the car simultaneously.

The Lexus LBX measures 4,190 mm long, 1,825 mm wide, and 1,560 mm tall, with a 2,580 mm wheelbase. For comparison, the Mercedes-Benz GLA- / BMW X1-rivalling Lexus UX measures 4,495 mm long, 1,840 mm wide, 1,520 mm tall, with a 2,640 mm wheelbase.

Standard features include:

• Noise-reducing acoustic windscreen
• Power-operated tailgate
• 9.8-inch touchscreen infotainment that supports wireless Apple CarPlay
• 6-speaker audio
• 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, synthetic leather
• Dual-zone automatic air-conditioning
• Multi-colour ambient lighting
• Full suite of advanced driving assistance systems, including rear-cross traffic alert with braking (Parking Support Brake)
• 7 airbags
• E-Latch inner door handle

E-Latch is an electric inner door handle first introduced in the Lexus RX / RZ. It prevents accidental opening of doors onto bicycles / motorcycles. If you are concerned of electric door handles failing in an accident or flood or fire, the same E-Latch can be pulled to manually open the door, which still has a mechanical lock.

The higher-range Premium variant adds:

• Acoustic front-side windows
• Adaptive high beam with dynamic headlamp levelling (auto high beam is standard)
• Front fog lamps and cornering lamps
• 12.3-inch multi-info display (centre display on instrument panel, standard is 7-inch)
• Head-Up Display
• Paddle shifters
• Touch Switch steering wheel buttons
• Genuine semi-aniline leather seats

Prices in Thailand start at THB 2,390,000 for the Luxury variant, and THB 2,229,000 for the Premium variant.

The one segment higher Lexus UX starts at THB 2,780,000, or 20 percent more.

In Malaysia, Lexus Malaysia has discontinued the Lexus UX. Our local market is too small to support two heavily taxed, fully imported-from-Japan (CBU) Lexus models under RM 300k.

The gap will be filled by the Lexus LBX, though Lexus Malaysia has yet to make any announcement on the matter. The UX has since been removed from Lexus Malaysia’s website.

The Lexus UX was last sold at RM 250,688 for the Urban variant, and RM 290,688 for the Luxury variant. Assuming that the same 20 percent price gap between the Thailand market Lexus UX and LBX can also be applied to Malaysia, Malaysians might be able to buy the Lexus LBX at just slightly above RM 200k.

At the same time, expectations must be tempered because the whole point of Lexus Malaysia discontinuing the UX is to clear the circa RM 250k to RM 300k price range. The LBX is a hybrid-only model, and unlike Thailand, Malaysia's all-or-nothing tax structure for imported cars don't recognize the contribution of hybrids, so prices will remain high. You pay either zero tax on a battery EV (BEV), or the full taxable amount whe buying a non-BEV model.

With the exception of the Lexus LS, all Lexus models sold in Thailand are hybrids.

The LBX is the second-ever Lexus model to carry a three-letter name, which is reserved only for genuinely status quo-challenging models. The other was the Lexus LFA.

If LFA stood for Lexus Future Advance, LBX is short for Lexus Breakthrough Crossover, because conventional understanding says small cars must be built cheaper, using less refined materials, than big cars.

The Lexus LBX is also one of Chairman Akio Toyoda’s personal cars. But since he also doubles as the company’s Master Driver ‘Morizo,’ his LBX is powered by the GR Yaris’ 1.6-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged G16E-GTS engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

There is still no confirmation on whether Akio Toyoda’s Morizo RR Concept personal LBX, which is still a prototype, will be greenlighted for production.