Lexus LBX

Lexus challenges the notion that there is insufficient demand for plush small cars

Price £35,605 Power 134bhp Torque na 0-60mph 8.4sec 30-70mph 8.4sec Fuel economy 52.7mpg CO2 emissions 103g/km 70-Omph 47.2m

Why couldn't you have a small luxury car? If you're not burdened with a lot of people or stuff to carry, you might still want something with high-end interior materials, sound insulation and ride comfort, while also enjoying the zippiness and easy manoeuvrability of a compact car.

It sounds like an obvious idea, but it's one that very few manufacturers have ever put into practice, and fewer still have been able to make a commercial success of.

Only Mini has really been able to convince sufficient numbers of buyers to pay more for a small car. The first generation of Audi AI did quite well, but the second generation struggled to repeat that success and is now unlikely to be renewed for a third run. The Audi Q2 has equally failed to set the sales charts on fire. Vauxhall tried to convince us it was a premium manufacturer for a short minute with the Adam, but few people bought either the claim or the car.

The modern-day Toyota Motor Company is bold and won't be deterred, so it has come up with the Lexus LBX. Loosely based on the Toyota Yaris Cross, the LBX isn't just a see-what-happens experiment. LBX informally stands for Lexus Breakthrough Crossover and the model is the first Lexus to be developed specifically with European tastes in mind. As such, Lexus hopes it will appeal to younger buyers than most of its cars, targeting 6000 UK sales a year.

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING