If you were the CEO of a car company and could pick and choose your ‘secret menu’ combination to create the perfect car, what would it be? For Akio Toyoda, boss at Toyota, it was this, the 2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR. Taking the firecracker three-cylinder turbo from the GR Yaris and GR Corolla and wrapping it in Lexus’ smallest crossover has created one of the most special cars on sale today.
To understand the significance of this, the development process of new cars usually involves focus groups, a multitude of engineers and middle men all putting their fingerprints on something, resulting in forgettable, bland transport.
Not so here. We came away very impressed with the LBX Sports Luxury. This takes the plushness, acoustic laminated windows and refined inner sanctum of that car but adds a new rear suspension layout (multi-link instead of torsion beam), 19-inch forged wheels wrapped in Continental SC7 235/45 R19 tyres, and wider track front and rear (+10mm and +15mm), plus a very special driveline.
The idea of combining an economy-focused luxury crossover with a rally-bred weapon is an enticing one in theory, but is the hype really justified? How well does it blend the two very disparate worlds of comfortable crossover and high-performance hot hatch?
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Specifications
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo three-cylinder
Output: 206kW@6500rpm / 390Nm@3250-4600rpm
Gearbox: Eight-speed auto
Drive type: All-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 18×7.5, 225/40
ANCAP: Not tested
Tare weight: 1455kg
Power-to-weight: 7.06:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 9.2L/100km
Our consumption: 10.1L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 50L/98 RONPower efficiency: 22.39kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 2.79 seconds*
0-100km/h: 5.54 seconds*
60-110km/h: 3.78 seconds*
1/4 mile: 13.83 seconds at 168.0km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.806g*
100-0km/h braking: 35.21m in 2.79 seconds*
Max deceleration: -1.361g*
Decibel at idle: 46*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 86*
Starting price: $76,490
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: How much does it cost?
At $76,490 before on-road costs, the Morizo RR is decent value considering its breadth of ability and almost-guaranteed future classic status. We’d advise shopping around, as there appears to be some dealer mark-up at the time of writing. Other rivals you might consider include the Cupra Formentor VZx, Volkswagen T-Roc R, BMW X1 M35i, and MINI Countryman JCW. While all brilliant in their own right, they don’t have the lore of the Morizo RR.
Having swapped out the parsimonious hybrid powertrain for the G16E-GTS turbo triple and Aisin AWF8FXX 8-speed auto, fuel consumption and requirements differ. The donor car’s 3.8L/100km and 36L fuel tank with cheap 91 RON appetite makes way for a 50L tank with a minimum 98 RON requirement and an average consumption of 9.2L/100km.
In terms of servicing, the intervals are shorter than the hybrid’s at 10,000km or 12 months. Lexus Australia caps the first five years of servicing at $695 per visit, totalling $6950 – nearly $1400 per year, and far more than a GR Corolla or most of the Euro rivals it’s cross-shopped against. You do get a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, three years of roadside assistance and three years of Lexus Connected Services, plus access to the Encore owner program with service loan cars and other perks, which all help soften the blow a little.
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Interior & packaging
Open the door and it’s hard not to be amazed at how this already modern, luxury-oriented cockpit has been repurposed for this sporty flagship. Alcantara adorns the upper dash, including upper door cards and door pull. Red stitching throughout the cabin and drilled alloy pedals look slick. In Japan, other colour combinations are available such as Ochre, Red Rose and Solis white.
A crisp 12.3-inch instrument screen, 9.8-inch portrait style infotainment screen with buttons and HUD imbue the Morizo with all the modern amenities you could expect, though the central touch-screen lacks overlay and can be prone to crashing when toggling between Apple CarPlay and main screen. At least it has tactile switches for climate and a volume knob, which is more than you can say for others. The fact it retains the same shift-lever as the hybrid model is a neat touch, which highlights the innocuous nature of this little SUV.
You might be forgiven – as we did – for thinking the removal of the hybrid battery might yield more boot space. Not so. To accommodate the double wishbone rear suspension, 14L larger fuel tank and 12V battery moved to the back, space is reduced from 315 litres with seats up and 944L with them down for the hybrid to 266L/880L for the Morizo. The Mark Levinson 13-speaker audio system is solid, with decent clarity and punch, but by that brand’s own lofty standards it’s merely good rather than genuinely special.
Bugbears include a charging receptacle with no cooling, and no rear vents in the back but you do get five USB-C outlets (three in the front, two in the back), 12V sockets, and panoramic camera system, but no power moonroof, if that even matters on a car like this.
What is the safety rating of the Lexus LBX Morizo RR? The LBX scored very strongly in ANCAP testing, receiving a full five-star rating. This included 82 per cent for adult occupant, 86 per cent for child, with 79 per cent apiece for vulnerable road user and safety assist. The Morizo RR retains the LBX’s full passive-safety package; dual front, side-chest, side-head (curtain), driver knee and centre-seat airbags across the front seats, plus curtain airbags.
There are ISOFIX anchor points (3-point mounting) and top-tether anchors on the rear seats, retaining the child-seat capability of the hybrid.
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Powertrain & handling
As you might expect, this is the juicy part of the review. The 1.6-litre turbocharged, direct-injected three-cylinder engine develops 206kW at 6500rpm, and 390Nm between 3250-4600rpm. This is slightly down on the GR Yaris and Corolla’s 221kW and 400Nm, due to a petrol particulate filter.
With a full-time AWD system incorporating a Torsen limited-slip differential and 8-speed auto, Lexus quotes a 0-100km/h time of 5.2 seconds. During our testing with a Vbox, we saw 0-100km/h come up in 5.54 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in 13.83 seconds at 168km/h.
First impressions are exciting. The thrummy idle might be a bit rough for Lexus’ usual clientele, but is a signal of intent for what’s to come. Once on the move, the engine settles into a refined companion, quietly slurring through gears with smoothness. A six-speed manual is available in JDM models and does give us a slight FOMO sting, but the auto is so good you’d never miss it.
It’s the refinement that sets this car apart from its angrier Toyota siblings, with good bump absorption, low wind noise and better long distance touring ability, though the road roar from the Conti’s could be contained with better wheel well insulation in our opinion.
Chuck it into Sport (or Sport+), press the AWD button to lock the front:rear torque split and this is where the real fun begins. The engine comes alive with a cultured three-cylinder roar combining with just the right amount of turbo hiss and blow-off valve flutter to make your ear hairs stand on end.
Dynamics are where this car truly shines, however. A stiffer body shell (due to additional welds and bracing), lower ride height (-10mm) and the aformentioned chassis and tyre changes transform the LBX into a well-sorted weapon around tight bends.
Turn-in is hyper positive thanks to the compact footprint and wider track with the steering wheel transmitting messages from the road like braille. The tyres bite in, with the AWD system extracting so much lateral grip that it dares you to push harder.
Being a nimble, small SUV, you can send it around narrower corners with more confidence than you could in any other small SUV, and it is utterly addictive – I’ve never been able to carry this much pace through switchbacks in something that qualifies as an SUV. Its 1455kg mass is so well contained that you feel more like you’re in a hot hatch. Absolute magic.
Thanks to passive damping and a still reasonable 45-series tyre, there is enough compliance and sidewall to ensure the Morizo RR is not punishing over rougher surfaces and backroads. This is a Lexus, after all. In saying that, there is more body lean than a typical hot hatch, including the GR brothers.
The bottom line is there is nothing that feels this unique and special for the price. What Toyoda-san has achieved is the fusion of rally-bred hot hatch monsters with a luxurious compact SUV to create a very new kind of Grand Tourer (GT). With good comfort and practicality, it’s a solid urban SUV for city duties as well.
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- Akio’s “secret menu” special: A 206kW GR turbo triple, full-time AWD, Torsen LSD and a bespoke chassis tune give the LBX Morizo RR a unique personality in an era when cars are focus-grouped into oblivion.
- Genuinely ‘new Lexus’ driving flavour: It takes the brand into a new direction, with F-branded cars giving way to something altogether more unique and devastatingly capable.
- Premium cabin with real sense of occasion: Sculpted sport seats, suede-lined surfaces, a strong tech package and Mark Levinson audio (even if merely good) deliver a cabin that delights every time you climb in.
- It’s just cool: Cars/SUVs like this are rare these days. It reminds us of the ‘turbo’ era of the 1980s.
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Key considerations before you buy
- Higher running costs: Short 6-month/10,000km service intervals, nearly $700 per visit and thirstier-than-average fuel use make this more expensive than the hybrid model upon which it is based, but not exorbitant and totally worth it.
- No spare tyre: The reduction of the base LBX’s already compromised boot area means there is only a temporary inflation kit, so you’ll need to rely on roadside assistance if you get a flat
- No manual option for Australia: To be fair, the LBX Morizo RR driveline feels perfect as is, but by all accounts, the six-speeder is a sweet unit and the first manual Lexus for nearly 20 years. The last one being the 2007 IS 250.
2025 Lexus LBX Morizo RR: Video
How does it rate against its rivals?
- Price
- Quality look & feel
- Interior tech
- Powertrain performance
- Ride & handling
- X factor (does it stand out in its class?)
Final word
This is a once-in-a-decade vehicle, or even double-decade. It’s rare, very capable, refined, and, above all, very cool. You’ll have to get in quick though as numbers are limited. Customisation options are not as extensive as they are in its home market, either.
