GR Yaris-engine LBX Morizo RR revealed as Lexus’ first hot SUV

Unveiled just over 12 months ago as its smallest model below the UX, Lexus has used the LBX as platform for its ever dedicated first performance SUV in the shape of the LBX Morizo RR.

Shown at the beginning of this year as a concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the Morizo RR takes its designations from the racing alias of Lexus parent company Toyota’s Chairman and former President, Akio Toyoda, though it remains unknown as to the RR reference that normally denotes a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive.

Little changed from the concept, the production Morizo RR rides on the same TNGA-B platform as the standard LBX, itself spun-off of the European-market Toyota Yaris Cross, albeit with a 15 mm increase in width and 10 mm reduction in height as the sole dimensional changes.

Its wheelbase and overall length therefore being unchanged from the normal LBX, the Morizo RR’s exterior difference require no second take as apart from the design of the 19-inch alloy wheels shared with the GR Yaris, Lexus has slightly lowered the overall ride height and fitted a new damper system called Response Enhancing Damping Structure (REDS).

A first for any Toyota or Lexus model, the system takes prominence on the front suspension arms with the aim of improving dampening and performance, without impacting on the ride regardless of the surface.

Along with a redesigned front bumper complete with side vents said to help with cooling, Lexus has replaced the black cladding on the wings with colour-coded items, the standard Spindle Grille with a chrome F Sport-inspired part and the door sills with sportier items as per the width increase.

At the rear, the bumper has been redesigned with vertical faux inlets on either side, while the exhaust outlets now move to either side in addition to being separated with new diffuser.

Inside, the changes are subtler but still easy to spot in guise of alloy pedals, sport seats with Alcantara inserts and red stitching, and a series of colours of options only 100 units will be privy to as part of the Bespoke Build customisation programme that equally involves yellow brake calipers.

Taking biggest prominence is the LBX Morizo RR’s powertrain. Hinted by the mentioned alloy wheels, the standard issue hybrid powerplant makes way for the same 1.6-litre turbocharged G16E-GTS engine that powers the GR Yaris and the GR Corolla.

Producing the same 224kW/400Nm, the unit, in another LBX comes, comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the option being the new eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission that premiered on the facelift GR Yaris at the beginning of the year.

The usage of the transmission and engine automatically resulting in the LBX Morizo RR utilising the GR-Four all-wheel-drive system, the claimed top speed wasn’t disclosed, though 0-100 km/h, seemingly regardless of the ‘box, requires 5.2 seconds.

Nowhere but Japan

Going on-sale in August priced from ¥6 500 000 (R753 871) with the Bespoke Build priced at ¥7 200 000 (R835 058), the LBX Morizo RR has been reserved exclusively for Japan and as such, won’t be offered in any other market.

In standard guise, the LBX equally remains an unknown entity after Lexus confirmed to The Citizen last year that “it cannot confirm at this stage whether or not the LBX will be introduced locally”.

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