Lexus New Zealand says it will be offering customers an "accessible path to owning a luxury vehicle" with its new LBX, an entry-level model set for launch in early 2024.
Even smaller than the current UX, the LBX is based on what the brand calls its GA-B platform - but that's essentially the Lexus version of Toyota's TNGA-B, which sits underneath the Yaris Cross.
So no surprise that the powertrain comprises a Yaris-sourced 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid.
Lexus says the architecture has undergone a "comprehensive renewal, accompanied by refinements in electrification technology and core engineering characteristics" for the LBX.
The LBX will arrive in NZ in the first quarter of 2024 and is expected to claim about 15 per cent of the brand's sales. Final pricing and specification is yet to be announced, but it'll fit under the current UX hybrid - which starts at $64,400.