Lexus has made its move into the compact SUV sector with the unveiling of its hybrid-only LBX crossover.

The Lexus LBX marks a new entry point for the brand

Open for orders later this year ahead of deliveries in March 2024, LBX stands for Lexus Breakthrough Crossover and marks a new SUV entry point for the brand.

The carmaker says the Audi Q2 and Ford Puma rival will distil “the essence of Lexus into a smaller package, transcending customers’ traditional expectations of what a premium compact SUV can offer”. This will also open up the brand to a younger audience and those who may not have considered a Lexus before but with “no compromise in Lexus quality, luxury and refinement”.

Designed and engineered with a focus on European customers, it’s built on a modified version of the GA-B global architecture platform also used for the Toyota Yaris Cross and majorly revised to give a low centre of gravity, wide tracks, short overhangs and a highly rigid body. Boot space stands at up to 332 litres for front-wheel drive models.

Design introduces a new “Resolute Look” front-end with a reinterpretation of the brand’s ‘spindle’ grille, new headlight design and a rethink on the tail-end treatment.

The LBX is powered by a new-generation, full-hybrid powertrain using a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol and single electric motor, generating 134bhp with peak torque of 185Nm. It also features a new, more powerful bi-polar nickel metal hydride battery, developed to deliver both a reduced weight and a more compact design, along with higher output and much quicker response.

No performance figures have been announced but Lexus says the LBX enables all-electric EV driving at higher speeds and over longer distances.

An E-Four all-wheel drive model with an additional electric motor on the rear axle will also be available.

The interior features a focused driver’s cockpit based on Lexus’s Tazuna concept, first introduced on the NX mid-size SUV. Specification details will be announced closer to launch but there’ll be a latest Lexus Link Connect system, operated via a 9.8-inch touchscreen and with cloud-based navigation, “Hey Lexus” voice control, wireless or wired connections for Apple CarPlay, or a wired link for Android Auto. Over-the-air software updates will be available for multimedia and safety systems. Options include a digital key, a top-end Mark Levinson 13-speaker audio system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, marking a first for a Lexus.

The UK line-up will be designed around a choice of four model “atmospheres” and Lexus has also confirmed an entry-level LBX that it says will come with advanced technology features as standard rather than being provided as extra-cost options as per some competitor models. These include active safety and driver assistance systems included in the latest-generation Lexus Safety System+. An enhanced safety package will be available on certain versions.

In the UK, reservations will open in July and the model range, specifications and prices will be confirmed in due course.