Lexus LBX vs Subaru Forester

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.

The MY26 Subaru Forester packs plenty of punch in terms of standard features, a roomy and functional interior and overall driveability. Sure, it’s not the most exciting vehicle to drive on- or off-road but to get stuck on that is to miss the point entirely. This is a decent all-rounder with a solid background and an AWD system that long ago set the gold standard for vehicles of this type.

In a tough mid-size SUV market segment aimed more at those intent on driving through car parks rather than adventuring through national parks, the Forester offers greater versatility than most and should not be ignored.

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. 

This Forester is 4655mm long (with a 2670mm wheelbase), 1830mm wide and 1730mm high.

The new generation retains more than enough of the previous Forester – blocky profile included – to remain clearly recognisable.

Traditionalists may chafe at the slicker, more citified appearance of this Forester over previous generations but the overall package is inoffensive enough to not elicit any howls of outrage from passers-by on the street.

The Forester’s interior maintains a similar cabin look and feel as before but with a 11.6-inch portrait-oriented multimedia touchscreen dominating up front, a mix of physical and on-screen buttons, as well as soft-touch surfaces and durable plastics.

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 Forester is quite roomy for a mid-size SUV and this is the top-spec variant so there’s leather everywhere.

The interior layout is neat and tidy and lands firmly on the correct side of being practical and familiar, with all controls easy to locate and operate.

The touchscreen offers mostly simple intuitive functionality with infrequent need to cycle through numerous menus and sub-menus to access what you want.

The aforementioned mix of physical and on-screen buttons, as well as soft-touch surfaces and durable plastic are welcome here because, you know... real life.

The front seats offer ample support and the driver is able to dial-in their preferred position via power controls on the eight-way power-adjustable seat (with dual memory). The front passenger has an eight-way power-adjustable seat. Both seats are heated and ventilated.

The 60/40 split folding second-row seats aren’t too shabby either, in terms of comfort and amenities, with a fold-down arm-rest with cupholders and directional air vents etc.

Cargo volume is 496 litres (with rear seat in use) and 1174 litres (with the rear seat down, 1667 litres to ceiling.

The tailgate is powered and hands-free with a kick sensor (apparently). But I never tried that, instead opting for the tailgate-mounted button to open and close it.

The Forester AWD Touring (petrol) is priced at $50,990 MLP while its hybrid sibling is $55,990.

Standard features include an 11.6-inch multimedia touchscreen (with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), 18-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, dual-zone climate, heated front seats and electric folding rear seats as well as a wireless phone charger.

Top-grade additions include a sunroof, low-profile roof rails, a digital driver display, leather-accented seats, a leather auto-shifter, ventilated front seats and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

It also has power-adjustable front seats, sat-nav, auto-dipping and folding door mirrors and a hands-free tailgate.

Exterior paint choices include 'Crystal White Pearl', 'Ice Silver Metallic', 'Magnetite Grey Metallic', 'Crystal Black Silica', 'Crimson Red Pearl', 'Brilliant Bronze Metallic', 'Daybreak Blue Pearl', 'Sapphire Blue Pearl', 'Cashmere Gold Opal', 'Autumn Green Metallic' and 'River Rock Pearl'.

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 Forester has the line-up’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated boxer engine (producing 136kW at 5800rpm and 247Nm at 3700rpm) matched to a constantly variable transmission (CVT), which some people detest, and some people couldn’t give a rat’s whether it’s there or not.

Also onboard is Subaru’s all-wheel drive system, driving modes (including 'Normal', 'Deep snow/Mud', and 'Snow/Dirt') and 'X-Mode' “that constantly monitors the traction available to each wheel and centralises the control of key components including the engine, transmission, drivetrain and brakes to help manage slippery conditions”, according to Subaru.

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.

Official fuel consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle for the Forester is 7.9L/100km and it uses 91RON 'standard' unleaded petrol at a minimum.

On this test, I recorded 8.1L/100km. But fuel consumption was as low as a dash-indicated 1.7L/100km while driving the Forester with adaptive cruise control engaged.

The Forester has a 63-litre fuel tank, so, going by our on-test fuel-use figures you could reasonably expect a driving range of almost 780km from a full tank. However, as with any vehicle, once you’ve loaded the Forester with any real-world burdens (e.g kids, dogs, camping gear, etc) you’ll soon see the fuel consumption increase.

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 Forester feels comfortable and composed on sealed surfaces and offers some degree of dynamism to the driving experience – so in line with previous generations.

It feels more refined, sharper to steer and more responsive than before. There’s ample visibility to the front but a substantial B pillar obscures the driver’s vision back over their right shoulder.

The Boxer engine and CVT work well together, power and torque outputs are more than adequate in this package, and that much-maligned transmission is not intrusive if the Forester is driven with care and common sense.

However, acceleration from a full stop is sluggish.

The suspension set-up – MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones at the rear – yields a firm but not jarring sense of ride and handling.

The 1662kg Forester proved nimble to manoeuvre around the Big Smoke, the suburbs and in the bush (more about that soon) with a neat 10.8m turning circle.

All-wheel drive vehicles are capable of tackling off-road adventures in their own right but, for safety’s sake, AWD drivers should avoid anything beyond well-maintained dirt tracks in dry weather. AWD cars are designed for use on bitumen roads with some dirt or light-duty off-road use.

And so it was with our test of this Forester. On-test off-road terrain equalled firm-packed sand and gravel/dirt bush tracks in dry weather, although we did drive through one shin-deep mudhole with no trouble.

The Forester has a listed 220mm of ground clearance, the suspension held up well over a brief stint on mild corrugations and Subaru AWD proved more than up to the task when things became a little trickier, providing improved grip and traction in slippery conditions that demanded to be driven at very low speeds.

If push comes to shove, it’s capable of more than light off-roading, but the Forester’s ground clearance and off-road angles ultimately limit its off-road capabilities.

The Forester’s 'all season' tyres – Falken Ziex Z001A A/S (225/55 R18 98V) – are fine for light to moderate off-roading but anything more difficult than that and you’ll need to get a set of more aggressive all-terrain tyres. It does have a full-sized spare onboard.

It has maximum towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked trailer), 1800kg (braked) and a maximum towball download of 180kg. GVM is 2223kg; GCM is 4023kg.

Some niggles: The driver awareness system is annoyingly over-reactive.

The Forester has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2024.

It has nine airbags (dual front, dual front side, dual curtain, driver’s knee, far side and front passenger seat cushion), adaptive cruise control, emergency lane-keep and centring (with departure warnings), pre-collision braking, auto emergency steering, a 360-degree view monitor system, and a driver monitoring system which includes a ‘safe stop’ feature that – if the vehicle detects that the driver is non-responsive – will bring the vehicle to a gradual, you guessed it, safe stop.

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.

The MY26 Subaru range is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five-year/75,000km capped price servicing, and 12 months roadside assistance.

A service is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest. After your free “1 Month Health Check and Chat”, cost per service is $347.95 (at the 15,000km/12 month mark), $520.45 (30,000km or 24 months), $393.10 (45,000km or 36 months), $679.30 (60,000km or 48 months) and $358.20 (75,000km or 60 months). Average over the five years is $459.80.

Subaru Australia has more than 140 dealerships across the country with a decent spread over metro and regional areas. Foresters may be serviced at those dealers or by approved mechanics.