Lexus LBX vs LDV D90

What's the difference?

Lexus has managed to combine two cars in one. A fast, impossibly fun back-road blaster perfect for weekends on your favourite winding roads, and a competent, compact city SUV that will easily handle urban runabout duties every day of the week.

It’s this duality that struck me the most. I would happily live with the Lexus LBX Morizo RR. 

If you need a bit of space, maybe look elsewhere. But if you’re passionate about dynamic driving, and value comfort and a premium experience, this little rocket is hard to beat.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

Looking for a cheap, powerful diesel SUV with huge cabin space and a humane third row for adults? The D90 is a really sound offering, especially considering the price of entry for this top-spec diesel which should resonate with Aussies a bit better than the petrol version.

It has plenty of issues that could be ironed out, but they’re all so small and not sale-breaking it’s almost annoying how much better the D90 could be with just a little work. Rivals should be looking over their shoulder for what comes next.

The regular LBX is a spunky little car with a lot of road presence. I’ve been a fan of the exterior design since first seeing one in the metal. Short overhangs, nuggety proportions, well designed tail-lights and a pert rear end - it all works for me.

For the Morizo RR, Lexus has wisely exercised some restraint when it comes to exterior flourishes. It is nowhere near as wildly styled as the Yaris GR, for example. And that makes sense. This is, after all, a Lexus. 

It’s a smart move, too. It’s subtle but still has intent. 

The Morizo RR gains styling tweaks unique to the grade including 19-inch forged aluminium wheels, red brake calipers, a different front and rear bumper design, a rear spoiler, air intakes front and rear and a dual exhaust.

Inside, the main differences are the inclusion of red stitching, sports seats, some unique inserts, and the use of synthetic suede on the centre console, dash and doors.

The LBX interior design is functional and premium with nice materials throughout. 

Some colleagues I’ve spoken to like the way the D90 looks. To me, it looks like someone gene-spliced a Hyundai Tucson with a SsangYong Rexton in a lab, then grew it in a stew of peptides and this was the result.

What can’t really be communicated in images is how truly massive the D90 is. At over five metres long, two metres wide and almost two metres tall, the D90 is certifiably huge. Given that’s the case then, it’s admittedly almost admirable that only the side profile makes this thing look a little goofy.

I think LDV has done a pretty good job on the front, and the rear is simple but well resolved for a vehicle that rides on a ladder chassis (just take a look at the Pajero Sport for how ladder-chassis rear designs can get… controversial…).

The wheels, garnishes, and LED headlights are all tastefully applied. It’s not ugly… just confronting… size-wise.

Inside shares some familiar characteristics with sister-brand MG. Look from a distance and it’s all quite nice, get in too close and you’ll see where the corners have been cut.

The first thing I don’t like about the interior is the materials. Apart from the wheel they are all pretty cheap and nasty. It’s a sea of hollow plastics and mixed trims. The faux-wood pattern, which is clearly just a print on a plastic resin is particularly gnarly. Reminds me of some Japanese cars from 20 years ago. It might work for the Chinese audience, but that’s not where the market is in Australia.

On the other hand, you could say “well, what do you expect at this price?” and that is true. Everything is here and works, just don’t expect the D90 to be playing alongside the established players when it comes to fit, finish, or material quality.

The huge screen works to finish the dash, but that darned software is so ugly you’ll wish it didn’t. At least all the major touch-points are ergonomically accessible.

The LBX is a compact little SUV so if you’re after something to fit a family of four, look elsewhere. But if you don’t need the space, it’s a great city car.

Up front it’s easy to find the right driving position thanks to all of the adjustability of the seat and steering wheel.

Those sports seats are supportive and hug the body, but not too much as some of Lexus’ European rivals do. They’re also very comfortable - almost edging firm but never uncomfortable.

The Lexus multimedia system is functional and has an easy-to-navigate menu set-up, but lacks any pizzazz. Better graphics would help with engagement.

Storage wise, there’s a wireless charger slot at the bottom of the centre stack, a cupholder with a narrow slot for another device next to it, and a deep but narrow secure central storage bin with another cupholder.

You might not fit big bottles into the door bins as it’s pretty tight.

I wasn’t sure about Lexus’ one-touch interior and exterior door handles when they first rolled them out, but I now think it adds a classy point of difference to its rivals.

That second seating row is tight, especially for taller folk. I had just enough legroom (but plenty of toe room) sitting behind my 183cm (6'0") driving position, but I wouldn’t want to sit back there for a long road trip. Headroom, however, is ample. My noggin didn’t even scrape the headliner. You’d struggle to fit three adults back there but a couple of kids should be fine.

Amenities include a pair of USB-C ports and two map pockets, but the rear row lacks any adjustable air vents or a fold-down centre arm rest. And the bottle holders in the rear doors won’t fit much at all. 

The rear row folds 60/40 and if you need to haul lots of luggage or shopping, you’ll definitely need to lower that rear row because the boot is small.

Lexus says it can swallow 266 litres, which is tight. There’s no spare wheel of any kind, just a tyre repair kit.

The D90 is as massive on the inside as it is on the outside. I’m talking better space than a minivan, and nothing says that more than the humane third row. At 182cm tall, I not only fit in the rearmost two seats, but I can do so in as much comfort as any other row. It’s staggering. There’s actual airspace for my knees and head back there.

The second row is massive and on rails too, so you can extend the amount of room available to third-rowers – and there’s so much room in the second row, you’ll have space even with the seats moved forward.

My only criticism here is that the giant rear door is far enough forward to make clambering into the third row a little tricky. Once you’re there though there are really no complaints.

The boot is even usable with the third row deployed, with a claimed 343L of space. That should be hatchback-sized, but the measurement is a little deceptive as the space is tall but shallow, meaning it will only allow you to place smaller bags (a few, if you can stack them) with the remaining space.

The boot is otherwise cavernous with a wild 1350L available with the third row stowed flat, or 2382L with the second row stowed. In this configuration, with the front passenger seat slid forward to its furthest position, I was even able to get a 2.4-metre-long benchtop in the back. Truly impressive.

Without buying an actual commercial van then, this could be the cheapest way into such room, especially in a 4x4 bi-turbo diesel SUV. No arguing with that.

Second-row occupants get their own climate control module, USB ports and even a full-sized household power outlet, with more legroom than you could possibly need. My only complaint was that the seat trim seemed a little flat and cheap.

Front occupants get large cupholders in the centre console, a deep armrest box (with no connectivity in it, just a randomly placed DPF cycle switch), pockets in the doors, and an awkward binnacle under the climate controls that houses the single available USB port. My phone didn’t fit in there.

No complaints about leg and headroom in the front either, though, with plenty of adjustability to boot. The driver’s seat offers a commanding view of the road, although it can be a little unsettling to be so far off the ground in corners… more on that in the driving section.

On paper, the seven-seat D90 is immediately quite appealing. At $47,990, it is literally a lot of car for the money. This latest iteration, the bi-turbo diesel, is only available in Executive trim at this price, but you can pinch pennies further by choosing one of the lesser petrol turbo variants.

Regardless, and much like its MG sister brand, LDV is good at making sure that essential spec boxes are ticked.

This includes screens galore as is popular in the Chinese market, including a massive 12-inch multimedia screen and 8.0-inch digital dash.

A screen is only as good as the software that runs on it though, and let me tell you, the D90’s software is not good. A quick flick through the weirdly small menu reveals barebones functionality, terrible resolution and response time, as well as possibly the worst execution of Apple CarPlay I’ve ever seen.

I mean, it doesn’t even use all of that screen real estate! Not only that, but in a recent overhaul to CarPlay, Apple released software to utilise wider displays – so the car’s own software must simply be incapable of supporting it. Inputs also proved laggy, and I had to repeat myself on multiple occasions to get any use out of Siri. Unlike every other car I’ve used, the software in the D90 wouldn’t return to the radio after you hang up or stop talking to Siri. Frustrating.

I’d rather have a far smaller display that actually worked well. The semi-digital dash was functional, although barely did anything that a small dot-matrix display isn’t capable of and had one screen which for my entire week said ‘loading’. I’m still not sure what it was meant to do…

At least it supports Apple CarPlay at all, which is more than could have been said for segment hero, the Toyota LandCruiser.

The D90 does tick some necessary items that are quite good. LED headlights are standard, as are leather seats with eight-way power adjust for the driver, a heated multi-function steering wheel, 19-inch alloy wheels (which still somehow look small on this huge thing), three-zone climate control, eight-speaker audio system, electric tailgate, keyless entry with push-start ignition, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, tyre-pressure monitoring, as well as a fairly substantial safety suite which we’ll explore later in this review.

Great on paper then, the bi-turbo diesel engine is a boon, as is the fact that the D90 rides on a ladder chassis with an electronically-controlled low-range terrain mode for the transmission, too.

You’d expect to pay more – even from Korean and Japanese rivals for this much specification. No matter which way you cut it, the D90 is good value.

Powering the LBX Morizo RR is an excellent 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, which is the same unit found in the Toyota GR Corolla and Yaris hot hatches.

The Lexus loses some power and torque compared with those models so the outputs are 206kW and 390Nm. The Toyota cousins offer 221kW/400Nm each.

This engine is paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission and it has electrically controlled all-wheel drive with a Torsen limited-slip differential.

You can race from zero to 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

The D90 was initially offered in Australia with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, but this 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel makes much more sense, both for towing and long-distance touring.

It’s a four-cylinder offering a healthy 160kW/480Nm. You’ll note that’s pretty close to Ford’s similar 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel, which is currently offered in the Everest…

The diesel also gets its own transmission, an eight-speed torque converter automatic with computer-controlled ‘Terrain Selection 4WD’.

This gives the D90 diesel a max towing capacity of 3100kg braked (or 750kg unbraked) with a max payload of 730kg.

While the hybrid versions of the LBX are known for their fuel efficiency, it’s less of a focus for the Morizo RR performance model.

It has an official combined (urban/extra-urban cycle) fuel figure of 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres, which is more than twice the figure of the hybrid.

CO2 emissions sit at 209g/km and the LBX has a 50-litre fuel tank. You will need to fill up on the expensive stuff though as the Morizo RR requires 98 RON fuel. Theoretical range between fills is around 540km.

The D90 diesel is said to consume 9.1L/100km of diesel on the combined cycle, but ours didn’t score near that with a figure of 12.9L/100km after a week of what I’d consider “combined” testing.

The D90 a big unit, so that number doesn’t seem outrageous, it’s just nowhere near the claim… All D90s have 75-litre fuel tanks.

I had high expectations for the LBX Morizo RR and I’m pleased to say they were met.

What a phenomenally capable little car.

Lexus is at pains to point out that its mechanical cousins - the Toyota GR Corolla and Yaris - are motorsport bred and therefore more raw and hardcore.

The premium brand knows it needs to be able to attract new buyers with a car like this, while also satisfying its loyal base.

Lexus did this by building a hot hatch (okay, it’s an SUV) that you can easily live with day to day.

I spent an enjoyable few hours behind the wheel of the Morizo RR on a stunning Autumn day in Victoria’s Yarra Ranges driving on some incredible roads. The twists, bends, undulations and more showcased how tight this car is.

First up that engine is an absolute gem, and I don’t miss the extra kilowatts found in the Toyota models. There’s very little turbo lag and the LBX picks up pace quickly but in a focused, fun manner.

The engine note is also a delight to behold, especially when you push it hard. Although on coarse chip roads a fair bit of road noise creeps in, to the point that it's boomy.

The transmission is a perfect pairing for the engine, too, offering slick shifts without holding gears unnecessarily. I didn’t miss the manual box found in the Toyotas, either. But the paddle shifters and a true manual mode (it won’t shift unless you flick the paddle) adds to the experience.

The brakes are strong but not too pinchy and the steering is as sharp as you’d hope, while offering just enough weight. 

Then there’s the grip. The all-wheel drive system “automatically distributes the front-rear torque according to road conditions and grip”, according to Toyota.

That AWD grip always inspires confidence during dynamic driving in a car like this and the LBX sticks to the tarmac like nobody's business. Despite some damp sections of road higher up the ranges, no slip was detected. It feels glued to the road.

If that’s not enough, the Lexus surprises with its compliant and even comfortable ride quality. Many hot hatches (or hot SUVs) have a firm ride due to a chassis set-up geared to performance driving. 

Somehow Lexus has ensured the damping settings shield the occupants from the worst bumps. Only deep potholes make their presence felt.

And that’s the beauty of this car. It feels so beautifully engineered, with a clear focus on performance, but it’s not a brutal experience. You never feel like you could easily lose control in this thing. You can punt it into a tight bend and feel confident it will stay the course.

The D90 is easier to drive than it looks… to a degree…

It lacks some polish of its more established rivals, which results in a drive experience that isn’t bad, but occasionally frustrating.

The ride somehow manages to be soft and harsh at the same time. It undulates over larger bumps, while transmitting the worst parts of smaller, sharper ones to the cabin. It speaks to a lack of calibration between the suspension and dampers.

That having been said, the D90 masks its ladder chassis underpinnings well, with little of that typical body-on-frame jiggle that some rivals still struggle with.

The drivetrain is good, but a little unruly. As you’d imagine from the figures, there’s more than enough power on tap, but the transmission tends to have a mind of its own.

It will occasionally lurch between gears, pick the wrong gear, and off-the-line will sometimes be delayed before shunting the D90’s bulk forward with a sudden mountain of torque. It doesn’t sound particularly good either, with the diesel surging through the rev range with industrial crudeness.

By the time the D90 has reached cruising speed though, there’s really not much to complain about, with the D90 milling along with plenty of power in reserve for overtaking. The view of the road is commanding, but you really feel the D90’s high centre of gravity in the corners and under heavy braking. The physics of such a large object are undeniable.

I have to say, LDV has done a fantastic job of the D90’s steering, with a quick, light feel that betrays the SUV’s size. It manages to stray on the right side of lightness though, not being so disconnected that you lose a feeling of where the wheels are pointing. No mean feat in something this shape.

Overall then, the D90 isn’t bad to drive and has some genuinely great characteristics, it just also has a litany of small issues that get in the way of it being truly competitive with segment leaders.

The LDV D90 carries a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating as of 2017, and has a fairly comprehensive active safety suite.

Included on the diesel is auto emergency braking (AEB) with front collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention alert, traffic-sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control.

Not bad for the price, and nice that there’s nothing optional. Expected items include electronic traction, stability, and brake controls, as well as six airbags.

The curtain airbags do extend to the third row, and there’s the bonus of a reversing camera and a tyre-pressure-monitoring system.

There is a full-size steel spare under the boot floor, and the D90 also gets dual ISOFIX and three top-tether child-seat mounting points.

Lexus covers the LBX Morizo RR with its five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and capped-price servicing for five years at a cost of $695 a service.

The schedule for servicing is tight at every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first, so you’ll be at the dealership a bit with this one. These are the same servicing terms as the GR Corolla and Yaris.

Lexus’s 'Encore' owner benefits program includes some cool stuff, too, like a valet parking service at certain venues, and you can even swap your Lexus for a different model for a set amount of time with the On Demand service.

Lexus Encore also offers exclusive access to events and venues, as well as special offers at hotels and restaurants.

LDV covers the D90 with a five-year/130,000km warranty, which is not bad… but falls behind sister brand MG, which offers seven years/unlimited kilometres. At the very least it would be nice to have the unlimited kilometre promise.

Roadside assist is included for the duration of that warranty, but there’s no capped price servicing offered through LDV. The brand gave us indicative pricing of $513.74, $667.15, and $652.64 for the first three annual services. An initial six-monthly 5000km checkup is free.

All D90s need to be serviced once every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.