The Toyota GR Yaris is one of the coolest cars on sale today. Yet, in a world of crossover dominance, the Yaris is underappreciated — purchased in number far below what it deserves. So, in order to treat the most people to the most fun, Toyota kitted out the Lexus LBX crossover with all the GR Yaris’s running gear to make the Morizo RR edition.
Lexus previously teased the LBX Morizo RR back at Tokyo Auto Salon this past January, where keen-eyed viewers might have noticed that the car looked pretty ready for production. Now, it’s finally here, with some extra goodies that even the GR Yaris doesn’t have.
The Morizo RR, named for Akio Toyoda’s racing moniker, starts out by adopting the full set of GR Yaris running gear: Engine, transmission (both manual and automatic), all-wheel-drive system. Lexus also makes mention of upgraded brakes, though it doesn’t explicitly say they’re lifted straight from the Yaris. The company is also very proud to say that you can get the calipers in yellow.
Of course, this being a Lexus, simply jacking a GR Yaris up on stilts isn’t quite what buyers are expecting. Lexus claims that both cabin noise and vibration have been reduced from the GR, in order to meet the more exacting standards of the brand’s luxury clientele. Whether that makes the car any less interesting to drive is open.
Unfortunately, the LBX Morizo RR remains Japan-only, like the standard LBX. Expect to see a few of these dotting the roads in 2049, though, driven by oddball enthusiasts who have a taste for the cars that aren’t quite the one everyone loves. Y’know, Jalops.
