Lexus LBX trademarked, new Yaris Cross-based SUV?

There may be a new and even smaller Lexus crossover to slot under the UX, and that car might just be the rumoured Lexus LBX. The automaker has filed a European trademark for the name ‘Lexus LBX’, and more recently did the same in Isreal.

So far, the name hasn’t been trademarked in the US, indicating that the small crossover – likely one based on the Toyota Yaris Cross – could be sold specifically in selected markets. It has been rumoured for some time that Lexus is planning on making a Yaris Cross-based car, so perhaps this has some weight to it.

Those familiar to the brand will know that Lexus isn’t one to use three letters for a production car, so the LBX is likely going to be a concept car. Several others have suggested that the LBX could simply be for its new-generation in-car entertainment system, seeing that Lexus trademarked the name for “automobiles and structural parts thereof,” but a concept car makes more sense to us.

Just to recap, the Toyota Yaris Cross is essentially a high-riding version of the regular Yaris hatchback, measuring 4,180 mm long, 1,765 mm wide and 1,560 mm tall. Propulsion is provided by the Toyota Hybrid System II (THS II), which is an electrified M15A Dynamic Force 1.5 litre engine that’s paired with a continuously variable transmission.

Output figures have yet to be released, but it’s estimated to deliver around 116 PS and can be had in front-wheel-drive or E-Four (electric four-wheel-drive) configurations. There’s also a non-hybrid option for other markets, including the option of a six-speed manual gearbox.

GALLERY: 2020 Toyota Yaris Cross