Lexus LBX Review: Price, fuel economy and boot space

Lexus LBX at a glance:

• Body type: SUV
• Price range: £29,995 - £41,495
• WLTP fuel economy: 62.8mpg
• Number of seats: 5 (2 Isofix)
• Boot capacity: 253-332 litres
• Insurance groups: 23-25 

Lexus LBX: Everything you need to know

The Lexus LBX is the most compact model this Japanese car maker has ever produced, but it comes with the level of quality you’d expect. It sits on the same platform as the Toyota Yaris Cross, but faces tough competition in the small SUV class. Can it challenge the best? Our Lexus LBX review will reveal all.

All versions have the same self-charging hybrid powertrain, combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to generate 136PS, which is delivered to the wheels via an e-CVT gearbox. You’ll be able to enjoy some very economical electric-only around-town transport, before the engine kicks into gear when more power is needed or the battery runs low. It comes as a front-wheel-drive car, or there’s the option of all-wheel-drive if you’re keen on a little more traction.

It’s the sort of set-up that Toyota has always been so good at, and the arrangement works well for the Lexus LBX, too, with the caveat that the little engine gets a tad flustered when it’s pushed.

Nevertheless, the Lexus LBX delivers a 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds for the front-wheel-drive model and 9.6 from the all-wheel-drive variant. Official WLTP combined cycle figures show fuel economy of up to 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions from 102g/km, so it should be cheap to run.

Aside from that slightly rough-around-the-edges engine, the Lexus LBX offers up a pleasing mix of decent performance, well-rounded handling in a variety of driving scenarios, and decent comfort.

Naturally, there’s a premium feel for the interior, and equipment levels are solid too, with all of the accoutrements you’d expect, and more besides if you shell out for one of the higher-end trim levels.

The downside to this is the sheer scale of the choice available, because choosing between the multiple versions can be a bit bewildering.

Obviously, the small SUV market is a very crowded one, with lots of different models available. Among them, however, the Lexus is actually quite unique. Of the myriad choices available, very few match the LBX's combination of diminutive size, prestige badge, high-quality interior and efficient self-charging hybrid powertrain.  That said, if you're not worried about matching up the car's precise set of attributes, then the number of alternatives seem near-endless.

these include premium offerings like the Audi Q2, MINI Countryman and Volvo XC40, or big-selling mainstream alternatives such as the  Ford Puma or Volkswagen T-Cross. If you'd be open to an electric car, you might also be interested in the Volvo EX30 or MINI Aceman.

How we tested the Lexus LBX

We've driven the Lexus LBX on a wide variety of roads, including slow urban routes, twisty countryside roads and high-speed motorways. The surfaces of the roads we drove on also runs the full spectrum, from smooth and serene, to broken-up and uneven.

We've also conducted extensive testing of the car's interior, seeing how its level of space and versatility copes with family life, playing with all the myriad gadgets to see that they doing their jobs well enough, and assessing the car's build quality.

Is the Lexus LBX a good car?

The Lexus LBX isn't a big car as SUVs go, which inevitably means it has limited practicality, with relatively tight interior space and a small boot. However, if you can live with that, then there's lots of other stuff to like. It looks great inside and out, most versions are well equipped, it's pleasant to drive, it's reasonably priced and it's cheap to run. It should also be faultlessly reliable, and it comes with a really good warranty arrangement.

The Lexus LBX sits on quite big wheels, with either 17-inch alloys on the base-level models or 18s for the rest of the model range.

Therefore, the look and feel of the car is quite upright, allowing for quick, easy navigation of busy city streets with a decent view of the road ahead. You even get a reasonably good view out of the back of the Lexus LBX, but for added peace of mind the rear-view camera works to good effect.

The suspension has MacPherson-type struts at the front, and at the rear, there's torsion beam on the front-wheel drive car, with a double-wishbone set-up with trailing arms for four-wheel drive models.

Considering that Lexus has traditionally been a manufacturer of luxury  cars, the ride of the LBX might be a little firmer than you're expecting if you have experience of the firm's other models, but it feels entirely appropriate for a small car like this, and very rarely becomes unsettled or jarring.

There’s some fun to be had if you’re on curvy B-roads, too, with not too much in the way of body roll in evidence, provided that the Lexus LBX isn’t pushed too hard. However, tuck into a tight corner at excessive speed and those higher profile tyres do allow the car to slop sideways a little. 

The small SUV can be easily parked, too, thanks to its large door mirrors and light steering. Using it, and the decent turning circle, you can cram into tight spots without breaking a sweat. It’s a solid all-rounder.

You can only get the Lexus LBX with one engine option. It's a self-charging hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to send a combined 136PS to the front wheels through an its e-CVT transmission. There's also a four-wheel drive version that adds a second motor to the rear axle, but we haven't tried it yet. It doesn't provide any more power, but it should aid traction in slippy conditions. 

The front-wheel-drive version works well, most notably around town where setting off is a serene experience thanks to the ability to use electric power only. Your initial take-off feels pleasantly brisk, too, allowing you to easily exploit gaps in city traffic.

The level of acceleration tails off quite a bit more as you go faster, and you find the engine having to work quite hard when trying to gain pace over the 45-50mph mark. The cumulative effect of these characteristics means that the level of performance feels generally adequate without really dazzling. That's refelected in 0-62mph sprint times of 9.2 seconds for the front-wheel-drive car, and 9.6 seconds for the four-wheel drive.

There are three different flavours of Lexus LBX when it comes to safety, which come with differing amounts of driver assistance tech.

The entry-level Urban trim comes with measures including driver monitoring, automatic emergency braking, adaptive radar cruise control, pre-collision assistance, lane trace assist, lane keep assist and road sign assist.

Then come the three Premium-based trims - Premium, Premium Plus, and Premium Plus Design - and these come with an extended package that includes blind spot monitoring, safe exit assist, rear cross traffic alert and a camera washer.

At the top of the range, the Takumi and Takumi Design versions come with an advanced safety pack that includes lane change assist, front cross traffic alert with automatic braking, and a panoramic view monitor.

Regardless of which of the three flavours you choose, the Lexus LBX has a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

Despite its reasonably diminutive stature, the Lexus LBX can be used for towing purposes and has the capacity to pull braked trailers of up to 750kg where needed.

This might be a Lexus, but the LBX is not a large car. This compact footprint inevitably limits practicality.

Things are fine in the front, where there's very decent headroom and legroom, lots of adjustment and a decent view out. Cabin storage is also decent, with various areas to stash things in. The glovebox and door bins are a little small, though.

Move to the back seats, and things are less impressive. There's just about enough legroom for six-footers to sit without their knees pressing into the front seats, but there's not much room to spare, and headroom is distinctly on the tight side, so adult passengers might feel a wee bit claustrophobic. Smaller kids should be fine, but gangly teenagers won't thank you for choosing the LBX.

Compared to rivals, the LBX's cabin is rather narrow, too, so it's not a car you'll want to squeeze a third rear passenger into on a regular basis. What's more, small rear door openings make getting in and out of the back seats a little difficult.

The boot is on the small side, too. In front-wheel drive models, you get  332 litres of space, and that includes the small amount of underfloor storage. In high-end cars fitted with the Mark Levinson stereo, the stereo's subwoofer robs you of another two litres of space. Four-wheel-drive cars have even less space at just 255 litres, or 253 litres where a subwoofer is present. That's really not a lot.

Folding the rear seats down gives you a maximum cargo-carrying capacity of 994 litres, or 992 with that subwoofer. Again, these aren't brilliant figures.

Lexus LBX: Dimensions

We've said that the Lexus LBX is quite a small car, but precisely how small are we talking? Well, its dimensions are given at 4190mm in length, 1825mm in width, and 1560mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2580mm.

As you’d expect, the overall quality and finish of the Lexus LBX is excellent throughout. The materials used are first-rate, the range of textures and finishes on show is thoughtful and tasteful, and the assembly is so solid that it could be in a crew.

Entry-level Urban models have cloth upholstery, which doesn't really reflect the premium feel of the rest of the interior, but all others have some sort of leather upholstery - some synthetic, some genuine - for an appropriately plush feel.

Buying the Lexus LBX might mean you get a smaller car than with other models in the firm’s portfolio, but the quality is as good as ever.

One of the undoubted highlights in the cockpit is the infotainment system. There’s a very vibrant 9.8-inch central touchscreen that dominates the cockpit area. Low-end versions also have a 7.0-inch digital instrument binnacle, while in higher-end ones, this is replaced by a 12.3-inch item and a head-up display. This latter arrangement really looks the part, with trademark fonts and icons as seen in other current Lexus models. 

The infotainment system generally feels bang up to date with all the features and functions you expect. The software is reasonably easy to navigate, although there’s also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you prefer to do you own thing.

Most versions have a very decent six-speaker stereo, but the poshest models get an awesome 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system that really does justice to your tunes.

This Lexus LBX review is updated as often as possible, and was last updated in March of 2026. The table below contains the latest prices at that point in time. However, prices change very frequently, so please use these merely as a guide before verifying the very latest pricing for yourself on Lexus' website.

Is the Lexus LBX good value compared with rivals?

In all honesty, the Lexus LBX doesn't have many direct rivals. Most of the smallest SUV offerings from other premium brands are considerably bigger than the LBX, and also substantially more expensive. Form that point of view, you could say that the LBX looks like excellent value.

Compared with more mainstream alternatives, the LBX does look a little pricey. The Volkswagen T-Cross is similar in size to the LBX and sits at the posher end of the mainstream section of the market, and it can be had for a lot less than the Lexus. However, you're not getting a sophisticated hybrid powertrain with the Volkswagen, and you're not getting anywhere near the build quality.

All things considered, we'd say that as a halfway house between prestige and mainstream offerings int he congested small SUV market, the LBX looks like solid value.

The 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain of the Lexus LBX will return savings over time thanks to its ability to carry out significant parts of a journey using electric power only. Official WTLP figures suggests the small SUV could be good for up to 62.8 miles per gallon, and it'll work especially well if most of your driving is a low urban speeds.

Most versions of the car sit below the £40,000 price threshold for the higher rate of VED road tax, and so won't be liable for the extra charge. A couple of the highest-end versions do bust that threshold, though, landing them with liability for the higher charge, and a couple of others get quite close, so adding optional extras might tip them over. If in any doubt when buying used, Google the reg of any potential purchase to be sure of what you're looking at.

With all Lexus LBXs having the same power unit, it's no colossal surepise that. there's very little variation on insurance groupings. They range from 23 to 25 depending on spec.

The Lexus LBX is eligible for Lexus warranty protection for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first) for added peace of mind.

This is comprised of an initial three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer warranty, which then gets boosted by a year and 10,000 miles every time you have your car serviced within the Lexus dealer network, up to the limits mentioned.

Lexus LBX: Frequently asked questions

What does LBX stand for?

Where is the Lexus LBX made?

Is the Lexus LBX four-wheel drive?

Is the Lexus LBX automatic?

While many manufacturers have taken steps to simplify their trim structures, Lexus seems to have gone the other way by offering an almost bewildering array of choice on the trim level front. The entry point into the range is the Lexus LBX Urban, and this comes with a decent level of kit, although perhaps not as much as you expect from what is supposed to be a luxurious car. Still, it gets:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights with automatic high beam
• Dual-zone climate control
• Front- and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Door mirrors with heating, power adjustment, and power folding
• Fabric upholstery
• 9.8-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 7.0-inch digital instrument screen
• Six-speaker audio

Next up is the Lexus LBX Premium, which ticks quite a few more boxes, including the ones for:

• Heated front seats
• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Rear privacy glass
• Wireless smartphone charger
• Automatic wipers
• Single-colour ambient cabin lighting
• Extra safety kit

The Lexus LBX Premium Plus takes a further step up on the luxury front, by providing:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Powered tailgate
• 12.3-inch digital driver's display
• Head-up display
• Smart entry
• Air purification system

To that, the Lexus LBX Premium Plus Design adds a handful of exterior and interior styling upgrades, including:

• Two-tone paintwork
• Machined alloy wheels
• Perforated faux-leather upholstery with red stitching

Towards the top of the range, the Lexus LBX Takumi has enough creature comforts to feel like a proper luxury car, with:

• 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
• Semi-aniline leather upholstery
• Power driver's seat adjustment
• Multicoloured ambient lighting
• Intelligent park assist
• Adaptive high-beam headlights
• Enhanced safety kit

That handful of styling enhancements makes another appearance on the Lexus LBX Takumi Design, which takes Takumi spec and adds:

• Two-tone paintwork
• Machined alloy wheels
• Ultrasuede and leather upholstery

As often happens when a model first goes on sale, a limited-run range-topping version of the LBX with all the bells and whistles was offered, and if you're shopping on the used market, searching out one of these can make for a high-value and distinctive purchase. In that case of this car, it was called the Lexus LBX Original Edition, and to the regular range-topper, it added:

• Sonic Copper bi-tone paint
• Matt black alloy wheels
• Bumper inserts
• Rear pillar decals
• Dedicated badging

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