Following its global reveal, Lexus New Zealand has announced the brand-new Lexus LBX is set to make its way to New Zealand in early 2024.

The LBX, which stands for "Lexus Breakthrough X(cross)-over", offers New Zealanders an accessible path to owning a luxury vehicle. 

Positioned just below the popular UX SUV, it serves as an entry-level option for the Lexus range and is scheduled for delivery in New Zealand in the first quarter of 2024. 

Lexus New Zealand expects the LBX will represent around 15% of total Lexus sales. 

The inspiration behind the new LBX stemmed from the vision of Lexus Master Driver and Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, who sought to redefine the conventional notion of luxury cars and to go beyond the constraints of compact size to deliver a high-quality driving experience and design. 

The goal was to design a car tailored for the discerning customer, allowing them to relax and feel like their true self during casual drives.

Vice President of Lexus New Zealand, Andrew Davis, says the LBX embodies a ‘Premium Casual’ approach to the crossover market. 

“The Premium Casual design philosophy establishes a presence and level of refinement that far exceeds its class. The mission was to develop a compact crossover appealing to customers with sophisticated taste, seamlessly integrating into their everyday lives as a casual essential,” he says.

A combination of a wide-stance body with short overhangs and flared treads, along with a compact cabin design that positions the front pillars towards the rear, creates a proportion with a sense of stability while maintaining a low centre of gravity. 

The design achieves a commanding presence that far exceeds the constraints of its body size, which is 4,190mm in length, 1,825mm wide, and 1,560mm high

The Lexus GA-B compact class platform underwent a comprehensive renewal to create the LBX with the aim was to create an engaging driving experience between the driver and car.

Taking customer feedback into account, there is also a new grade system that allows customers to select from three themes.

The cockpit design is rooted in the ‘Tazuna Concept,’ an innovative concept that elevates the Lexus human-centred philosophy to a new level. Taking inspiration from the connection between the rider and reins of a horse, the steering wheel switches are seamlessly integrated with the heads-up display, enabling the driver to effortlessly operate essential functions like navigation and audio.

The centre display features a touch-enabled 9.8-inch screen, with a range of functions seamlessly integrated into the display through intuitive soft switches. With a focus on intuitive operation and the frequency of use for each function, careful attention was placed on the size, shape, layout, and display information to ensure optimal placement. 

A large 12.3-inch full LCD is used for the meter display on two of the grades, and improved instrument panel visibility creates a space conducive to driving.

LBX offers a highly efficient 1.5L inline 3-cylinder hybrid engine, a compact and lightweight transaxle with enhanced motor output, and a high-output NiMH hybrid battery.