Jump LinksLexus LBX Morizo RR SpecsLexus May Need A Replacement For the UX Crossover SoonThe United States is Lexus's largest market. Exporting more expensive cars to America is why Toyota created the Lexus brand in the first place. It's rare that Lexus would develop a car without plans to offer it stateside. Only two current Lexus models are not sold in the United States. One of them is the LM, which is a very JDM-looking luxury hybrid minivan. The other is the LBX.The LBX is a super-small city crossover. Such a car normally wouldn't rouse major interest from American car enthusiasts. However, the Lexus LBX has a track-focused Morizo RR edition that would be one of the first names on any American forbidden fruit list. The LBX is essentially a fancier Lexus version of Toyota's coolest hot hatch. And it can come, incredibly enough in 2025, with a six-speed manual transmission. What Is The Lexus LBX Morizo RR Edition? LexusGlad you asked. The Lexus LBX Morizo RR Edition is essentially a Lexus take on the Toyota GR Corolla or GR Yaris. It’s a crossover, but in the loosest, "we can’t call this a hatchback for marketing reasons" sense of the term. Morizo is the track alias used by former Toyota president and known racing fiend Akio Toyoda. Toyota fans will remember the GR Corolla Morizo Edition, which was a stripped-down track version of the GR Corolla, which removed the rear seats for weight, added torque, and modifications such as a closer gear ratio, forged wheels, a stiffened chassis, and monotube shocks.Lexus The LBX Morizo RR Edition uses the same turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-three engine as the GR Corolla, pumping out 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Buyers can fit the car with either an eight-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. Lexus just launched a limited-run LBX Morizo RR Original Edition with Morizo's "signature yellow color" on the brake calipers, front bumper molding, and seat belts, as well as an Ochre interior, similar to the fetching color that appears in the LC 500. Lexus describes the vehicle as having "casual luxury that you'll want to drive on the weekends, like a well-worn pair of sneakers." Why The Lexus LBX Is Not Sold In The United States Lexus Lexus has not spelled out precisely why it has not, as of this writing, offered the LBX in the United States. But one reason must be that it's tiny. The LBX is essentially a Lexus city car. That's a great idea for Asian markets and Europe. It's less great for the open roads in America. The LBX is just 165 inches long. For perspective, it's around a foot shorter than the Lexus UX (often knocked for being too small) and seven inches shorter than the Toyota Corolla hatchback.The base model LBX would also be incredibly anemic and not Lexus-like by American standards. Its 1.5-liter hybrid system is tuned for efficiency, putting out just 134 horsepower. That output would make the LBX one of America's least powerful cars. Even if we accepted that such a car could make sense for the American market, Lexus would likely have to price it comparably to cars like the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA with import tariffs. And those vehicles would notably outclass it for power and performance. But Lexus Could Be Planning To Bring The LBX Over To America Lexus Lexus filed a U.S. Patent and Trademark application for LBX. It doesn't cost much for a major corporation to trademark things. Doing so does not guarantee the manufacturer will use it. This could just be due diligence on Lexus's part. But if Lexus were bringing the LBX to America, filing for the trademark would be a necessary step. And there could be a clear opening for the LBX in America. Lexus May Need A Replacement For the UX Crossover Soon Lexus has not confirmed the departure of the UX hybrid. But there's speculation it could end production early in 2026. Lexus’s smallest crossover has grown a bit long in the tooth since entering production in 2018 (though Lexus does let vehicles linger). And the UX is not selling well. Lexus sold just 6,889 UXs through Q3. It was Lexus’s third-worst seller, behind the RZ electric car and the LX. That’s despite it being Lexus’s most affordable vehicle, with a starting MSRP under $40,000. More than eight times as many buyers bought the larger Lexus NX.We don't know what, if anything, will replace the UX crossover. Lexus has not confirmed or teased another generation. But the UX's sales performance suggests it may be worth Lexus re-racking and trying something new in that entry-level segment. And The Lexus LBX Morizo RR Edition Could Make Sense As An Entry-Level Sporty Option Lexus Lexus is involved in motorsports. There’s a clear attempt to make sportiness a part of the brand. But Lexus has one clear issue with that mission right now: the lack of anything resembling a sporty car. The RC coupe departs the lineup after the 2025 model year. We know Lexus is working on an LFR supercar, which we have spotted testing several times. But there isn’t really a sporty car in the brand’s lineup selling for under $100,000. And we don’t expect the RX 500h F Sport Performance to carry the mantle.The LBX Morizo RR Edition could be that car that Lexus needs. It has the power that would work in the American market. It would give Lexus an affordable option. And a fancier take on the GR Corolla/GR Yaris sounds like something buyers could get into. The LBX Morizo RR Edition could be Lexus’s answer to the Acura Integra Type S.Source: Lexus
