Toyota Yaris Cross to spawn Lexus version – report

Lexus has been rumoured to introduce a small SUV to that will slot into its line-up beneath the UX, one that will be based on the Toyota Yaris Cross. This means that the rumoured model could use a platform that is positioned below the Global Architecture – Compact (GA-C) platform that underpins the UX, and which will mean dimensions smaller than the UX’s 4,496 mm length and 2,639 mm wheelbase.

Should this new model come to be, it could wear the BX moniker and be released some time in 2023, reports autohome.com.cn. This could draw extensively from the styling of the UX, including the signature Lexus spindle grille, while adding more chrome trim around its exterior whereas the Yaris Cross employs black or body-coloured trim.

It is also possible that the rumoured BX could have a lower ride height than the Yaris Cross, trading some ground clearance for a slightly sportier on-road stance and handling, the Chinese site suggested.

The Lexus UX is currently the smallest SUV in the brand’s line-up

Motive power for the small Lexus could most likely also come from the Yaris Cross Hybrid, featuring the Toyota’s THS II layout which pairs an M15A Dynamic Force 1.5 litre petrol engine with an electric motor and the Japanese manufacturer’s Direct Shift-CVT.

The Yaris Cross Hybrid setup outputs a total of 116 PS, which can be specified in front-wheel-drive or E-Four electric four-wheel-drive configurations. A sportier F Sport variant for the Lexus version could feature the all-wheel-drive setup as standard, the autohome.com.cn report suggests.

At present, Toyota said that the Yaris Cross will be manufactured at its Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) facility for the European market from next year, while production for the domestic Japanese market will be the duty of Toyota Motor East Japan. What do you think of an even smaller Lexus crossover?

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