Toyota Prius V vs Lexus LBX

What's the difference?

I could use three words to describe this car: Toyota, family, hybrid… A fourth word comes to mind, which begins with 'b' and ends in 'oring'…

That might seem harsh, but this isn’t what I’d describe as an aspirational purchase. If you do aspire to a Prius V, though, you’re probably either a hardcore Toyota fan, someone who has a large family, or someone who likes hybrids.

But then again, if you are a potential Toyota Prius V buyer, you could also be one of the smarter examples of our species. While only about 3000 Aussies have chosen a Prius V since it went on sale in 2012, it’s a very, very clever option for family buyers who want to do their bit for the environment, not to mention their own hip pocket.

The Prius V is the most affordable seven-seat hybrid vehicle on the market, and in terms of price, it competes with mainstream models like the Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail. But what about space? Practicality? Performance? Let’s take a deeper look, shall we?

If you’re after a small performance-focused hatch or small SUV, there’s no shortage of solid offerings from semi-premium and premium brands like Audi, BMW, Cupra, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and more.

Another high-end brand dipping its toes in the segment is Lexus. Yes, Lexus. The Japanese luxury brand that’s famous for reliable and comfortable cars like the ES and RX.

It might be surprising that Lexus could build something like the LBX Morizo RR, but let’s not forget the many go-fast models in its back catalogue - the LFA supercar, the LC coupe and drop-top, IS F and GS F sedans and the RC F coupe.

At the urging of famed Toyota Motor Corporation (Lexus’ parent company) Chairman Akio Toyoda, Lexus has birthed a firecracker based on its humble, yet fun, LBX small SUV.

Akio has had a hand in developing the Morizo RR as well. Hence the name. Akio is head road tester for the carmaking giant, and a seasoned racer in his spare time. He uses the ‘Morizo’ alias when racing. The ‘RR’ stands for ‘rookie racer’. 

Using the same powertrain found in Toyota’s GR Yaris and Corolla hot hatch cousins, the LBX has a lot of promise. But has Lexus done enough to bother those largely European rivals?