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Our example certainly creates a visual impact – the Passionate Yellow finish is incredibly vibrant in the sunshine, and somehow even more eye-catching on a dull winter’s day. It’s also the only paint that is a no-cost option, so if you want the LBX in its cheapest form (the Urban starts at £29,995) you’ll be getting a bright yellow car.
Our example, however, isn’t the base spec. It’s the Takumi, which sits behind only the top-spec Takumi Design and costs £39,555. That’s quite substantial for something which utilises a platform and powertrain from a Toyota Yaris.
So what can we expect from the LBX over the coming months? This is where things get surprising, because my preconceptions of the car have been proven completely wrong, with the Lexus going in such a different direction it may as well be an UNO reverse card.
First up is the efficiency. The Yaris majors in this area, thanks to the flexibility of the hybrid powertrain and its ability to sip fuel. I thought the LBX would impress here too, considering its ties to the Yaris; Toyota promises 68.9mpg on the combined cycle.
Lexus claims a little less for the LBX, at 61.4mpg – understandable given the extra kerb weight (1,280kg to the Yaris’s 1,090kg) and additional power (the LBX has the same 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol hybrid, but with 134bhp rather than the supermini’s 114bhp).
Despite our best efforts, however, we’ve struggled to match this, returning 48.1mpg so far. We’ve tested efficiency in various ways, singling out motorway and urban driving without success. There is, of course, the EV-only mode – although the 1.01kWh battery is small and only works at up to 30mph.
