2024 Lexus LBX now in Singapore – brand’s 1st Cat A COE car; 1.5L hybrid; should this come to Malaysia?

First revealed globally in June last year, the Lexus LBX has now been launched in Singapore as the brand’s first-ever model to qualify for a Cat A COE in the country. Available in a sole Cool variant, the LBX is priced at SGD214,800 (about RM752k) inclusive of COE.

The LBX sits in the Cat A banding thanks to its hybrid powertrain, which is made up of a M15A-FXE 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated inline-three petrol engine providing 91 PS (90 hp or 67 kW) and 120 Nm of torque.

This is paired with an E-CVT and augmented by an electric motor rated at 94 PS (93 hp or 69 kW) and 185 Nm, the latter powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery. Put together, the total system output is 131 PS (129 hp or 96 kW).

Singapore’s Cat A requirements include an engine capacity of less than 1.6 litres (1,600 cc) and maximum output of 132 PS (130 hp or 97 kW), both of which the LBX meets. This setup enables a 0-100 km/h time of 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 170 km/h.

If the LBX looks small, that’s because it is. The compact crossover is built on the GA-B version of the Toyota New Global Architecture, which is also used by the Toyota Aqua, Aygo X as well as the European-market Yaris and Yaris Cross. The LBX uses MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.

In terms of dimensions, the LBX measures 4,190 mm long, 1,825 mm wide, 1,550 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,580 mm. For context, the Yaris Cross sold in Europe is 4,180 mm long, 1,765 mm wide, 1,560 mm tall and its wheelbase spans 2,560 mm – the ASEAN Yaris Cross is larger than both. On the practicality front, the LBX has a boot capacity of 402 litres, expandable to 994 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear bench down.

Standard equipment that comes with the Cool variant include 18-inch wheels, LED headlamps, LED DRLs, LED fog lamps, keyless entry and start, a 64-colour ambient lighting system, leather and Ultrasuede seat upholstery, dual-zone climate control with an nanoeX ion generator, a head-up display, a wireless charging pad, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support and a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with Active Noise Control.

As for safety and driver assistance systems, the LBX gets the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite which includes lane departure alert, lane tracing assist, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, adaptive high beam, assisted parking, a panoramic view monitor, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

At SGD214,800, the LBX is the cheapest Lexus model available in Singapore. Would you be interested in a compact Lexus crossover that sits below and is more affordable than the UX? The latter is currently priced from RM250,688 OTR without insurance.

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