The Lexus LBX luxury car is the same price as the high-end Toyota Yaris Cross

UK Luxury brand products have a starting price of only 36,600 USD, while the most expensive Yaris Cross version is 34,400 USD.

Lexus launched the LBX for the European market earlier this year and now the company has announced UK prices before the car reaches customers early next year. Compared to the standard Yaris Cross - a product of parent company Toyota - the luxury brand model is only about 8,500 USD more expensive, while the highest version of the Yaris Cross in the UK is almost the same as the LBX.

The seemingly disproportionate difference between a luxury product and a popular car model attracts a lot of attention. However, when asked by Autocar , Simon Humphries - Lexus brand director in the UK - said that the LBX will not damage the premium image of the Japanese brand despite its modest price.

Lexus LBX for the European market, delivered to customers from March 2024. Photo: Motortrend

In Western Europe, LBX is sold in 5 versions, with a price of 36,600-47,500 USD. This product is expected to build a foundation for the Japanese brand in the growing high-end crossover market.

Chris Hayes - director of Lexus UK - agrees with Humphries: "I don't think it will affect the brand. The residual value of a Lexus is as important as the price of the car. So we are very fundamental." about quantity management. I don't think the displayed price is the most important thing."

Lexus wants to sell 5,000-10,000 LBXs in the UK, with more than half of those being the premium Takumi and Takumi Design versions.

Also according to Hayes, in the past 10 years, the number of Lexus cars sold in the UK has been about 10,000-15,000 units. But after LBX is sold, the company plans a new plan with a number of about 20,000-25,000 vehicles.

12.3-inch digital screen for the dashboard and 9.8-inch touch screen for the infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Photo: Motortrend

Previously, in another interview, Humphries once said: "We're not trying to make a cheap car, we're trying to make a small car." In fact, the LBX is Lexus' smallest SUV .

Then Lexus brought the LBX, sharing the same TNGA-B platform with the Toyota Yaris Cross. The car's name stands for "Lexus Breakthrough Crossover", and is also the first car model that the Japanese brand designed specifically for the European market.

The powertrain is a combination of a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor, with a combined output of 134 horsepower and 184 Nm of torque, driving the front wheels. The system is powered by a new NiMH (Nickel-metal Hydride) battery pack, first used on the Lexus RX launched in 2022.

The LBX accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, with emissions of 120 g/km. A two-motor, all-wheel drive version will be available later, with specifications yet to be announced.