Lexus to unveil the all-new LBX

[Don C]

1 hour ago, serbarry said:

I don't understand why being upset about Lina's opinion. He never said that you are idiots. He has a different opinion than you about the latest Lexus models. I don't know if he's right but I think that different opinions and views in a forum make the forum more interesting. I think he's right saying that nowadays new cars are too expensive and if customers didn't buy them, cars manufacturers would be obliged to reduce the price. This is a simple law of the market. For me the LBX is a pretty car, seems well built and maybe could do good sales. Would I buy new? Not at all! It's not worth that money for me but I don't think that someone else who buys it is an idiot. Probably for him it is worth that money or maybe he doesn't care because he has a lot of money to spend. But I have never bought a brand new car, too expensive and not worth. I have always bought second hand cars. Unlike Linas, I don't hate SUV as type of car itself, but what I do hate is the fashion of buying only SUV and crossovers and consequently the trend of cars manufacturers of making only SUV and crossovers. My wife has a 2018 Hyundai i30 fastback saloon with only 32,000 Kms bought from new. Since the second mileage service in 2020 the local Hyundai dealer where we bought it has called her twice a year until last May asking her to trade in her i30 for a newer model promising a very good trade in value. They stopped calling her when bothered, she told them that she is not interested in SUV and crossovers and as Hyundai doesn't have a single saloon in its range anymore she won't change the i30. Actually if the dealer could offer the brand new Elantra my wife would consider swapping her car. I personally hate waiting minutes in the car park of a shopping centre that a lady in her 30s, 40s or 50s is struggling to park her NX, X3, Q3, etc. Why do they buy a SUV if they are not able to park it? Do they really need it? 

How come he’s allowed an opinion and I’m not?   Regarding pricing, I’m not sure if the car manufacturers are following the fuel and gas companies but I do know component prices have rocketed so maybe they’re making a loss.  Is it just SUVs or anything but a hatchback. Personally I see an SUV as a large hatchback, it’s just a car and there are a lot of people that can’t park a city car never mind an SUV.

[serbarry]

3 hours ago, Don C said:

How come he’s allowed an opinion and I’m not?   Regarding pricing, I’m not sure if the car manufacturers are following the fuel and gas companies but I do know component prices have rocketed so maybe they’re making a loss.  Is it just SUVs or anything but a hatchback. Personally I see an SUV as a large hatchback, it’s just a car and there are a lot of people that can’t park a city car never mind an SUV.

Why wouldn't you be allowed an opinion? For me it's just this trend or fashion of buying only SUV and crossovers and consequently the disappearance of saloons in the range of models of some manufacturers. You would agree with me that parking a city car is a lot easier than a longer and wider SUV and consequently only a small number of drivers have difficulty in parking a city car compared to the number of drivers having difficulty in parking a SUV and as SUV are nowadays so common and spread it happens more often to see a driver struggling to park one.

[Don C]

6 hours ago, serbarry said:

Why wouldn't you be allowed an opinion? For me it's just this trend or fashion of buying only SUV and crossovers and consequently the disappearance of saloons in the range of models of some manufacturers. You would agree with me that parking a city car is a lot easier than a longer and wider SUV and consequently only a small number of drivers have difficulty in parking a city car compared to the number of drivers having difficulty in parking a SUV and as SUV are nowadays so common and spread it happens more often to see a driver struggling to park one.

Not really, no.   There are plenty of vehicles the same size as a typical SUV and plenty of people that can’t park.  To suggest the ones that can’t only end up in SUVs is plain daft and untrue but I don’t intend debating it any more, if that’s what you think, fair enough.  

[serbarry]

Maybe it happened to me to see only ladies struggling with SUV. Honestly I don't see which other vehicles are the same size as SUV or if you mean saloons as long as SUV yes maybe but I never saw anyone struggling to park a saloon.

[dutchie01]

For european old villages and inner cities the LBX makes perfect sense. I live in a 17th century village and no way i can find a spot for my Volvo. The car is just too big. My wifes Q2 however is fine. As the LBX has thesame size it makes sense on that front.

[dutchie01]

My wifes Q2 has to go next year and i wonder if the lbx can be a replacement. Prices have not been announced in Holland and i need to see it in the flesh. From pics i kind of like it. Doubt is also if we go full electric or hybrid. If we buy new we intend to keep it for a long time instead of the 3 odd years we have done, it could also become the retirement car we will keep. We dont need the space of a big car and dont drive distances so it does tick those boxes?

[stepppy]

Well it’s a no from me. 

Went to the BBC Good Food show to see it. It was a pre production model in grey with the brown interior

It looks good, but felt quite tight inside, smaller than a Yaris which I don’t understand, although it may be due to the very high dashboard and large centre console giving it a more cocooned feeling. The top of the dashboard was a very dense squishy material, but other parts were very pre production in quality. I just touched the leather (Tahara) on the side of the centre console and it came apart. Other parts were rough in places too. Not sure I understand why they would show a car like this. The e-latches on the doors were great and the doors sounded very good when you closed them. 

The boot was much bigger than I expected, but the rear leg room was extremely tight. I could just about wedge myself in behind my driving position (5’11”). 

The car is obviously well travelled as it had a couple of dents and a scratch too which is such a shame. 

Back to looking at the current UX or maybe just wait for the 2nd Gen UX. Probably look at the 2nd Gen C-HR too. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely car, just not for me.  I am sure the production models will be up to Lexus usual high standards. 

 

[Gary H]

Many thanks for the pictures @stepppy. Again, I will await to see one 'in the flesh' before casting my own final judgement on it - so everything I've said so far and what I'll say here with regards to the LBX is solely based on pictures. 

To me, I still say it's too small for a Lexus badge and I still stand by my opinion that this is a model which whilst no doubt will prove popular, I feel it'll devalue the brand. 

The colour combination of that particular interior does suit it and I will say compared to other interior pictures I've seen so far, that's by far and away my favourite. The black ones do nothing for me at all and dare I say this - it looks cheap. I like the fact that the boot has depth to it - which has always been my biggest complaint with the UX. I quite like the alloys on that one too, but the design of the car overall just doesn't appeal to me personally. Again, I need to see one 'in the flesh' to judge properly. If I was in the market for another small(ish) Lexus, I too would be hanging on for the second generation UX. 

It's a real shame that one was showing signs bodywork imperfections on what's a brand new, upcoming model. I'm surprised Lexus allowed that to be fair but given their decline in customer services (certainly from my experience), maybe they accept this now. Who knows...?! Obviously being used on the road you may expect it to have picked up a minor stone chip or something by now, but dents?

 

[stepppy]

You are very welcome 😀

I have to say it did look better to me in the metal that it has done in pictures or videos, but once inside it seemed much smaller than I was expecting.  I think that is probably due to the wide angle lenses people use for filming.  I have uploaded a short walk around clip on YouTube, but I was not sure if it was OK to post a link to it here.

It does seem odd that despite having a slightly longer wheelbase than the Yaris Cross it seemed to have less legroom by quite a margin, maybe the front seats are bigger?.

I agree with you, I am shocked that they did not get those dents removed at the earliest time possible as you end up saying "look at that dent.... look at this dent" instead of admiring the car.  Lets hope the cars they take to the event in Soho are pristine.

[ColinBarber]

48 minutes ago, stepppy said:

but I was not sure if it was OK to post a link to it here.

yes 🙂 (unless you have a YouTube channel and are looking to monetise the situation).

[stepppy]

9 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

yes 🙂 (unless you have a YouTube channel and are looking to monetise the situation).

OK, here it is 😀.  I have a channel, but I do not qualify for monetisation as its just somewhere I upload the odd clip.  i'm right at the bottom of the heap for views 😆

LBX walk around

Thanks

[H3XME]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:36 AM, stepppy said:

felt quite tight inside, smaller than a Yaris which I don’t understand, although it may be due to the very high dashboard and large centre console giving it a more cocooned feeling. 

Do you think it could be possible that you're feeling that way because it was LHD? We rented a Kia ProCeed estate when visiting Europe a couple of months ago and I too felt very "cocooned" when driving, but I think it was because I was sitting on the wrong side of the car because it certainly isn't a small car.

As for the legroom in the LBX, I'm not surprised tbh. This is a perfect Urban Cross-Over as per today's demands.. Not my cup of tea, I'd never go out of my way to own an SUV or Cross-Over but if someone likes it, then I think it would be good solution for town driving, doing a school run etc. I'd consider it for my other half. It's by no means a family car but I'm sure it's got a place in the market. A lot of Lexus clientele are people aged 50+, they want and can afford something nice and well built but don't need anything too big.. I think it will be a good selling car in the UK if prices would start just under 30k

[stepppy]

I dont think it was because it was left hand drive.  I have to admit, any car seems cocooned compared to my Prius, even much bigger cars as mine is so open and the windscreen is so far away.

I am in the perfect Lexus target market age wise, but on the very odd occasion I do carry someone in the back, I would like them to have better access and definitely more legroom.  Sitting in the back of the UX afterwards it felt so roomy and that is not something you would normally say about the UX, but then the LBX is a small car so I guess it makes sense, but why less room than a Yaris?

The UX is perfect for me, but I will hold off until the 2nd generation comes along in a few years time now that I know the LBX is a no go.

[H3XME]

25 minutes ago, stepppy said:

but why less room than a Yaris?

It is bizarre given the LBX has a longer wheel base specifically for that reason they said.

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, H3XME said:

I think it will be a good selling car in the UK if prices would start just under 30k

Prices start at £ 29,995. 🙂 

[Don C]

That demo model isn’t a good example because the 12v Battery isn’t connected and you can’t adjust the seat and it’s set really low which means it’s dropped back.  That not only makes the dash look high but also limits the rear seat space.   You can’t power up the dash or anything.   To say it’s too small to be a Lexus seems an odd statement to me but that’s my opinion.  It could be OK but they couldn’t give anything better than a gut feeling for price and they couldn’t confirm whether it would be available with ventilated seats which is important to my mrs so I’ve found a cancelled order UX which I’ve claimed.  It’s currently queued at the south end of the Suez Canal and will be here late September.  

[stepppy]

The LBX I was sat is was all powered up. It had what looked like a large power source under the boot floor whirring away. 

The car was able to be switched on and seats adjusted to whatever position I wanted. The seating position in my video was for my driving position, but set a bit more forward than usual to give a bit more legroom. When the car was ‘started’ the seat would move forward and then backward when turned off. The lady on the stand said everything works, but the car had been disabled to stop it moving. 

I was also able to have a play around with the centre screen. 

I don’t think I have ever said it is too small to be a Lexus, so that must be someone else, just that it’s very small in the rear, but being smaller in the rear than a UX that makes sense. 

[Don C]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:55 AM, stepppy said:

The LBX I was sat is was all powered up. It had what looked like a large power source under the boot floor whirring away. 

The car was able to be switched on and seats adjusted to whatever position I wanted. The seating position in my video was for my driving position, but set a bit more forward than usual to give a bit more legroom. When the car was ‘started’ the seat would move forward and then backward when turned off. The lady on the stand said everything works, but the car had been disabled to stop it moving. 

I was also able to have a play around with the centre screen. 

I don’t think I have ever said it is too small to be a Lexus, so that must be someone else, just that it’s very small in the rear, but being smaller in the rear than a UX that makes sense. 

No it wasn’t you 👍

[hockeyedwards]

I like data, here is a fun link to insert. Make of it what you will 😉

https://companiesmarketcap.com/automakers/automakers-ranked-by-operating-margin/

[Tonyw]

Not sure if anyone else has noticed, the prices are now showing on all models.

https://www.lexus.co.uk/new-cars/lbx/pre-order

I am tempted by swapping for a Takumi next year, being cheaper than my current 6 month old ES. I have had two ES in a row now over 3 years and fancy dropping down a size. Trouble is a good spec UX is more than a base ES. So hoping the LBX will satisfy my needs. 

[HPS13]

Lexus Carlisle sent me an email last week with all the models / prices. 

I quire like the look of the LBX from the photos but would like to see it in person before committing. 

My only concern would be the 3 cylinder engine and having less power than I'm used to but I'm sure around town it will be a nice car. 

The UX F-Sport design model is less than the base ES? 

[Tonyw]

7 hours ago, HPS13 said:

Lexus Carlisle sent me an email last week with all the models / prices. 

I quire like the look of the LBX from the photos but would like to see it in person before committing. 

My only concern would be the 3 cylinder engine and having less power than I'm used to but I'm sure around town it will be a nice car. 

The UX F-Sport design model is less than the base ES? 

The UX is missing loads compared to the £40k ES when you compare side by side. You need the premium plus pack at over £42k to match like for like 

[HPS13]

If you want to change from an ES to a new LBX model then good luck and I hope you enjoy it. 

[P M R]

Hello My wife is interested in the new LBX. Her present car is top of the range but all the "toys" are never used.

Therefore the basic model would be most suitable. The dealer has confirmed that all variants have push button start but the basic model only has a manual key to open and lock the doors.

I find this very difficult to accept in this day and age ? 

can anyone confirm this please? any comments most appreciated advance thanks Paul

[stepppy]

I think what he means is you use a remote to unlock the car rather than it being ‘keyless entry’ of the higher models. The higher models unlock when you press the button/sensor behind the handle and touch the handle to unlock again. 
 

I think the days of actually putting a key in the physical door lock, except the emergency key are behind us.