The LBX wears Lexus' current design language well — a compact take on the brand's signature spindle grille, sharp LED headlights, and a curvy rear taillight that ties the whole rear end together. It's a genuinely sleek exterior, and next to its Toyota Yaris Cross sibling, the extra design polish is immediately obvious.

The side profile is where the LBX's compact proportions really show — short overhangs, a high beltline, and none of the visual bulk you'd expect from a crossover. Photo: Cars&TechSG.

From this angle you get the full effect of that curvy rear taillight — it's one of the LBX's most distinctive design cues, and it doesn't look like anything else in the segment.

Step inside and the cabin feels refined at first glance, with leatherette trim wrapped around the doors and dashboard. Look closer, though, and some of the "soft touch" panels turn out to be harder plastic than expected — a small reminder of where Lexus drew the cost line on its smallest model.

A clean, driver-focused dashboard layout — leatherette trim runs across the full width, and the horizontal lines help the cabin feel wider than it actually is. Photo: Cars&TechSG.

Door bin storage is unusual in shape — enough for a single water bottle, but shallower than we'd like. The rear seats fit two adults comfortably, and can take a third in a pinch. Front seats come with electric memory function, though ventilation is notably absent, which feels like an odd omission at this price point.

Supportive and well-bolstered up front, with a seat material that feels genuinely premium to sit in — even if it stops short of ventilation.

Two adults will be comfortable back here; a third is doable, just cosier than you'd expect from the cushioning alone.

Boot space comes in at 402 litres — not the biggest in the segment, not the smallest either, but enough for a grocery run or a day trip to Sentosa. It'd comfortably fit a family of four.

The elevated transmission tunnel eats into rear middle-seat foot space — worth knowing if you're regularly seating three across the back. Two USB ports are on hand here too.

402 litres in practice — enough for the weekly grocery run, or a couple of bags for a Sentosa day trip.

The 9.8-inch infotainment screen is crisp and clear, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay both supported. Audio duties are handled by a 13-speaker Mark Levinson system, which more than lives up to the Lexus badge on the dash. A configurable digital instrument cluster with three display layouts and a head-up display round out the tech package.

On physical controls — a hot topic these days — Lexus keeps temperature adjustment on buttons, which we appreciate. Fan speed, however, is screen-only. It's a small, nifty setup overall, even if not every function made the cut for a physical dial.

The digital cluster switches between three layouts — handy for toggling between a full map view and a simpler, less cluttered readout.

A small but satisfying detail — the gear selector has a solid, deliberate action that feels every bit as premium as the badge on the boot.

The steering wheel feels nice in hand, and handling is well-controlled, if not the most precise in the segment. Auto-hold and an electronic parking brake are both standard, alongside a low-speed EV mode and Eco mode for the hybrid system.

Where the LBX shows its hand is acceleration — 0 to 100km/h comes up in 9.6 seconds, and getting up to speed takes a bit longer than some rivals. Body roll is present in corners, and this isn't a car that rewards hard driving — it's tuned for comfort instead. Overtaking is best done above 70km/h, where flooring the throttle gets the job done without much drama.

Comfort-tuned rather than sporty — the LBX settles into a relaxed, unhurried gait once it's up to speed. Photo: Cars&TechSG.

The LBX comes with Lexus Safety Sense, the brand's active safety suite, fitted as standard rather than an optional extra. It bundles a Pre-Collision System with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Lane Departure Alert with steering assist, Automatic High Beam, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control that maintains a set following distance in traffic.

Also included is Road Sign Assist, which reads speed limit and warning signs and displays them on the driver's cluster — a small but genuinely useful touch on unfamiliar roads. Combined with the auto-hold function and electronic parking brake covered earlier, it's a comprehensive package that adds real peace of mind day to day.