Lexus released a teaser today to announce the upcoming release of an urban SUV, the LBX. We will certainly have to wait until June 5, 2023 to find out more, but we can however discover in the video the rear light signature, composed a priori of a single LED strip. Lexus also unveils a photo showing part of the front end. You can see the design of the headlights, a short bonnet and an open honeycomb grille.
The long-awaited LBX would be a B-segment SUV positioned just below the automaker’s UX range. It should be based on the GA-B platform of the Toyota Yaris Cross and will probably display similar dimensions of 4.18 m long, 1.76 m wide and 1.56 m high. If so, the LBX would be Lexus’ smallest vehicle, which could open up new markets for the Japanese firm.
The engine would no doubt be shared with the urban SUV Yaris Cross, namely a hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.5-liter three-cylinder VVT-i engine operating on the Atkinson cycle, associated with an electric motor, all developing 116 hp of cumulative power. The transmission would be by Toyota epicyclic train, the famous CVT box with continuous variation effect. It is possible to move over a short distance in all-electric mode if the battery, which is charged while driving, is full.
The LBX could also be available in a four-wheel drive version (AWD-i) with an electric motor driving the rear wheels. Customers in mountainous regions could be attracted, because there are not many small 4x4s on the market. We will have to wait until June 5 to find out more.