Front and all-wheel-drive editions with plenty of upmarket pizzazz could be the ticket for sub-UX offer landing in March.

PRE-launch promotion has begun for the next Lexus, the smallest and likely the most affordable yet from Toyota’s luxury brand - but for now best detail about what we are exactly getting might come from a sister market.

Though it has a viral campaign saying the LBX, a smart-looking five-door crossover that technically-speaking is an upmarket spin from a popular Toyota, the Yaris Cross, will be here in March, Lexus New Zealand is keeping mum about lineup specifics.

That might be all in vain, however, as the neighbours - who often take the same car as us - are happy to say a lot more.

This week Lexus in Australia it’ll take the car in front- and four-wheel-drive versions, and two trim levels.

However it configures, the model  uses the same M15A-FXE petrol 1.5-litre three-cylinder combustion engine as the Yaris.

However, as result of it getting a more powerful electric motor with a larger battery, there’s additional power and torque - 100kW and 185Nm in total system output. The EV-only driving range also improves.

Lexus NZ is previous comment has said the aim is for LBX to be an entry-level option with aim to deliver Kiwi customers “an accessible path to owning a luxury vehicle.” 

Australia’s range opens with the LBX Luxury, featuring 'NuLuxe' synthetic leather-upholstered powered front seats with heating and driver's memory, 12.3-inch central display, a power tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, 360-degree camera, 18-inch alloy wheels, and torsion beam rear suspension.

That one is front-wheel drive only. To access all-wheel-drive means taking the Sports Luxury, which has a second motor on the rear axle. All-wheel drive models are fitted with a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension.

The Sports Luxury also achieves a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, 'Ultrasuede' and leather-accented seats, and automatic parking.

Lexus is yet to confirm pricing for the LBX, which in being 4190mm long is 30cm smaller than its current baby, the UX, which starts at $59,900 in hybrid UX250h Premium form and tops at fully electric $89,900 UX300e Limited. 

For reference, the five-strong Yaris Cross family kicks off at $33,290 in entry GX and reaches to $45,690, in top Limited Hybrid trim, with two tone paint. 

Lexus here expects the LBX will represent around 15 percent of total Lexus sales.

The inspiration behind the first car since the LFA to feature a three letter name stemmed from the vision of Akio Toyoda, the current chairman and former president and chief executive of Toyota. 

In respect to LBX - that’s shorthand for ‘Lexus Breakthrough X(cross)-over’ - the preference is to describe him as a Lexus ‘master driver’ - the final arbiter of what makes a Lexus a Lexus.

With LBX Toyoda sought to redefine the conventional notion of luxury cars and to go beyond the constraints of compact size to deliver a high-quality driving experience and design. 

The goal was to design a car tailored for the discerning customer, allowing them to relax and feel like their true self during casual drives.

Another reason for LBX is that Lexus has been very keen to have a small car to sell in Europe. This model is being described as the first Lexus specifically designed for that role. 

The Yaris Cross is a handy and well-regarded car, but Lexus says the platform underwent a comprehensive renewal, accompanied by refinements in electrification technology and core engineering characteristics. 

They also re-engineered the engine, adding a balancer shaft in the name of reduced vibration. 

Earlier this year Andrew Davis, vice president of Lexus New Zealand, said the car will embody a ‘Premium Casual’ approach to the crossover market.

“The ‘Premium Casual’ design philosophy establishes a presence and level of refinement that far exceeds its class. The mission was to develop a compact crossover appealing to customers with sophisticated taste, seamlessly integrating into their everyday lives as a casual essential,” he says.

The car diverts from recent Lexus design language. Up front the slim headlights rise towards the outer edges, while the front of the bonnet drops down, giving a wider appearance. The signature spindle grille has been reworked, sitting below a narrow aperture that runs along the lip of the bonnet.