Lexus LBX (2024 onwards) | Expert Rating

Summary

The Lexus LBX is a compact SUV/crossover which first arrived on UK roads in Spring 2024. Only available as a petrol-electric hybrid, this small family car is now the cheapest model in the Lexus range and shares its foundations with the similar Toyota Yaris Cross.

“The LBX hits the nail on the head” says Steve Huntingford of What Car? – a publication that gave the crossover full marks. “It’s plush inside, cheap to run and very well equipped. You also get the promise of stellar reliability and rock-solid build quality.”

Unfortunately for Lexus, other motoring outlets aren’t as enthusiastic. The Carwow team notes that the car “isn’t particularly practical”, mentioning the rather tight rear seating, while Carbuyer‘s John McIlroy argues that the LBX is expensive, particularly when compared to more spacious alternatives from mainstream automotive brands.

Colin Overland of Parkers concludes that the LBX is a decent addition to the crowded small SUV category which is “fairly refined and comfortable”, but it is “not very Lexusy, in terms of luxury and sophistication, while being quite expensive for what remains at heart a perfectly decent Toyota.”

As of March 2024, the Lexus LBX holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 62%. It scores top marks for its eco rating, helped by low CO₂ emissions from its hybrid engine. We don’t have any safety rating data yet, while media reviews have been below-average (despite the LBX winning What Car?’s Car of the Year 2024 award)

More Lexus Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

LBX highlights

High-quality, well-equipped cabin
Precise steering
Nippy and efficient hybrid powertrain

LBX lowlights

Tight for rear passengers
Expensive when compared to rivals
Not as luxurious as other Lexus SUVs

Key specifications

Body style:Small SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol-electric hybrid
Price: From £29,995 on-road

Launched: Spring 2024
Last updated:N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“Lexus has done enough to make the LBX a credible premium small SUV, but there are still plenty of small electric cars out there for less, and while they may fall short of the LBX’s cabin finish, they more than make up for it with greater practicality.”
Author: John McIlroy
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Stylish, easy to drive and with a real sense of quality it nails the brief of delivering a proper Lexus experience in a smaller package.”
Author: Dan Trent
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Autocar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Fun to drive and pleasant to spend time in, but space is tight and it lacks a touch of refinement.”
Author: James Attwood
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.6 / 10
“It’s attractive inside and out and well-built, with plenty of equipment, and is good to drive provided you’re more concerned with comfort than sporty handling. It’s also expensive though and not as spacious as alternatives without premium badges.”
Author: John McIlroy
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Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overview
“The Lexus LBX is a small, stylish SUV with an upmarket interior, but it’s not particularly practical.”
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Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Lexus LBX is the smallest car the premium Japanese brand has built to date and provides plenty of appeal if you’re thinking about downsizing. It’s well built and looks the part, with a wide-range of paint and trim options allowing owners to get just the car they want. While it’s definitely great to drool over, the all-new hybrid engine isn’t quite as refined as you’d expect. But used as a city car, the little Lexus LBX excels.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Lexus LBX is an appealing premium small SUV. It features a frugal hybrid petrol engine set-up, and the design is great too, with an array of upmarket interior options to match. But it’s a little short on space behind the front seats.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The LBX is an agreeable car to drive and live with, but utterly lacks the X factor that should come with the Lexus badge, especially bearing in mind that the pricing is rather stiff. The end result falls awkwardly between two stools by being not very Lexusy, in terms of luxury and sophistication, while being quite expensive for what remains at heart a perfectly decent Toyota.
Author: Colin Overland
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Lexus has high hopes for its smallest compact crossover. Smart looks, a premium interior and efficient drive offer plenty of promise.”
Author: Peter Rawlins
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What Car?

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“The Lexus LBX hits the nail on the head when it comes to its intended purpose. It’s the smallest Lexus you can buy, yet it’s plush inside, cheap to run and very well equipped. You also get the promise of stellar reliability and rock-solid build quality.”
Author: Will Nightingale
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of March 2024, the Lexus LBX has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP. While it doesn’t stand for the LBX, with structurally-similar Toyota Yaris Cross was given a full-five star safety rating from the crash testers in 2021.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of March 2024, the Lexus LBX has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Hybrid models	61 mpg	A	59 – 63 mpg	A – A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Hybrid models	105 g/km	A	102 – 110 g/km	A – A

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	32	C	28 – 35	B – C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£202	B
Year 2	£539	B
Year 3	£876	B
Year 4	£1,078	B
Year 5	£1,406	B
Overall	£4,101	B

The Lexus LBX is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

The crossover’s average fuel consumption of 61mpg (59 to 63pmg) is lower than the market average in the small SUV sector, and the car’s servicing and maintenance costs should be fairly affordable over the course of the first five years of ownership. The LBX also has insurance premiums that sit at around the market average.