Do you remember the Lexus CT? Outside of being one of the first few hybrids offered locally by Lexus Philippines, it was also the most affordable model in the lineup.

Fast-forward to today, and we see the same formula repeated with the LBX. The smallest model in the lineup, the most affordable one at P2,558,000, and arguably the one marketed to a younger generation. A gateway model, essentially.

But there’s something more to this petite crossover that will make it appeal to just more than to-be-owners. There’s a reason that Akio Toyoda refers to this car as his “driving buddy.” This all has something to do with how the car drives.

This is the first Lexus to ride on the TNGA-B platform, shared with the XP210 Yaris/Yaris Cross and the GR Yaris. It’s the first Lexus to come with a three-cylinder hybrid drivetrain under the hood. The engineers could have simply taken a Yaris Cross, changed the sheet metal, added copious amounts of insulation and fine leather upholstery, and called it a day, but they didn’t.

Most Toyota hybrid cars are made to be no-nonsense commuters, but the LBX has personality to it. Unlike other hybrids from its mass-market counterpart, it’s tuned with drivability in mind—the Lexus Driving Signature.

When driven normally as a hybrid, it’s a very quiet car. Insulation, typical of a Lexus, is top-notch. When the three-banger fires up, it’s muffled, and the characteristic rough vibrations are suppressed as much as possible.

Floor the throttle and the car shoots forward with a surge of electric torque. You will hear the 1.5-liter M15A-FXE come to life and add more power, and it’s a muted throaty growl instead of the typical drone. Even the eCVT fake-shifts and is tuned with responsiveness in mind.

The steering, while not as heavily weighted as the IS350 F Sport, is communicative enough to give you an idea of what you’re doing, and makes low-speed/tight maneuvers effortless in the city.

The way the car handles caught me off-guard. I was expecting a wafty, boaty feel when turning, but the body roll is well controlled for something that sits 220mm off the ground, thanks to the Vehicle Braking Posture Control system.

Going through the back roads showed me how nimble the car felt in the corners and how eager it was to turn in, even if this is a front-wheel-driven crossover.

Fuel economy sat at a surprising 21.9km/L after some spirited driving through the highways. Weekend traffic also got me 15.6km/L, which can go even higher when driven normally.

Essentially, the only thing stopping Lexus from making this a gentrified GR Yaris (which it kind of did with the LBX Morizo RR) is the car being a crossover with five doors.

There’s a lot to like about the LBX cabin, but you have to remember that the engineers and the designers had to work with space constraints.

Visibility is excellent. If you’re tall, you may find the height adjustment of the driver’s seat lacking as the upper part of my view would be obscured by the roofline, so it’s hard to see things like traffic lights directly above.

A dash layout centered around the concept of tazuna (or reins of a horse) is a joy to be in. The upholstery used is dominantly the very nice-feeling Ultrasuede with bronze contrast stitching, with some leather bits and a trim insert called Tsuyusami, which gives a 3D-like wood-ish feel.

But the most important bit is that there is next to no piano-black at all, save for the control strip under the 9.8-inch infotainment.

While I will dock points off for the climate (and heated seat) controls being on the touchscreen, the software is intuitive and incredibly smooth, even when using wireless Apple CarPlay. Plus, they kept physical controls for the temperature, the auto climate switch, the volume knob, and the defrosters.

The two main USB-C ports and the hazard switch can be found underneath, and a clever storage space holds the 12V outlet and a third USB-C port.

The rest of the tech is great. While we may only have a seven-inch digital driver’s display and six unbranded speakers (no Mark Levinson here), they’re both executed well, with the sound system especially standing out with impressive clarity and bass at its default settings.

Two oddities are the wireless charger and the door handles. The former works well, depending on the size of your phone (and the camera hump).

As for the E-latch system, it can prove to be disorienting to passengers who will get in. I had to frequently get out and assist my family members as explaining would prove futile, so be prepared to do the same for a few weeks until they all get used to it.

The Lexus Safety Sense+ 3 safety suite comes as expected, with the blind spot monitor and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping working exceptionally well. I can report that the adaptive headlights also worked in the city.

While not exactly needed, a 360° camera instead of the sole rear camera is something that would be nice in a car that wears a premium badge front and back.

Finally, the rear bench. While it is fine to sit in, they’re pretty uncomfortable for nearly everyone above 5ft. When sitting behind my driving position, my head was already brushing the headliner with little knee room to spare. The backrest is fixed in a near-upright position, so you have to slouch if you want to recline.

There are two USB-C ports, but no center armrest or climate vents. One could argue that a cabin this small can be cooled easily, but when budget subcompact cars have rear vents, there is no excuse for a premium brand to not have them.

Via a power tailgate, the 60:40 split-folding seat backs can expand the smallish 317L cargo bay, and underneath the false floor are tools and a space-saver spare tire. International models lack these (and have a bit more cargo space as a result), but you don’t see a spare tire in many premium vehicles to begin with.

All of this is packaged in a fine implementation of Lexus’s newest design language, frameless Spindle Grille and all. The petite dimensions still manage to have the same road presence that the car’s larger siblings have, just with a more youthful take.

While the proportions of the 18-inch wheels are fine around the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber (225/55), the design does leave much to be desired in terms of looking premium.

One can conclude that this does come off as a bit feminine, and that its target market would most likely be well-off, single bachelorettes looking for a first car.

That’s not entirely wrong, but the way I see it, this can be a premium daily driver for the enthusiast who wants a subcompact crossover that carries the brand’s direction in an electrified world.