It's a lot of fun
Avenues Editor Liam Stretch joined Lexus in Central Otago to put the new Lexus LBX MORIZO RR to the test.
Setting off from Gibbston Valley, just outside of Queenstown, under the bright Central sun, it was clear that the new Lexus LBX MORIZO RR was something special.
This model’s predecessor is the LBX, a small luxury SUV introduced by Lexus earlier this year. But the MORIZO RR takes this day-to-day car to a whole new level with a hefty dose of performance. It’s thanks to Akio Toyoda, aka Master Driver Morizo, and Chairman of Toyota.
There’s a reason I think New Zealand is one of only three countries to receive this model, joining Japan, with Australia seeing theirs arrive in 2025 – it just seems like Lexus makes cars for New Zealand.
Perhaps it’s the geographical similarities between its home country and ours, or maybe the makers have a soft spot for us Kiwis. Every time I’ve driven one, I feel relaxed, comfortable, safe, and, most importantly, joyous.
As we ascended the Crown Range, this feeling of being ‘at home’ was clear. Its turbocharged three-cylinder engine purrs gently – and roars at times – while the automatic paddle-shift gearbox effortlessly responds to your touch, giving you a tingle as you shift up. With front and rear stabilisers, impressive suspension, disc brakes, and sport tyres, your grip and control are optimised for both safety and performance. The impressive tech backs this up, too – with hazard detection and collision prevention systems, emergency steering assist, and seven airbags.
The model comes in five two-toned colourways, each with an Ebony black painted roof and A-pillar: White Nova, Graphite Black, Emotional Red, Sonic Shade, and Cobalt.
But for me, it’s the finer details that stand out, and these are Lexus’s strongpoint. Based on what they call Omotenashi, the art of hospitality, this sport model’s interior is signature Lexus, with suede and the tidiest stitching you’ll ever see.
The plush leather seats have a bucket-seat feel to them, hugging you as you navigate the twists and turns of the Crown Range.
With a 9.8-inch high-definition touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, my co-driver’s house music playlist was suitably showcased. And I was relieved when I forgot my charging cable, as the car includes a spot for wireless charging.
It wouldn’t have been right if we didn’t truly put the MORIZO RR to the test. At Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, we let it roar. Lexus LBX MORIZO RR Chief Designer Kunihiko Endo said that racing driver Masahiro Sasaki was integral in the car’s development at Shimoyama (the Lexus Technical Centre) and various other circuits. This means that all of its kit is at home on the race track as it might be on the road and has been finely honed for performance. On the full international circuit in Cromwell, it stayed glued, cornered like a champ, and left me – a first-time track driver – feeling at ease and just a little giddy with a grin that didn’t recede for hours.
As the day on the track wound up, and the MORIZO RR had truly shown me its version of Omotenashi, I found myself with a new appreciation for the innovation and care that had gone into this car – it’s made a car lover out of me.