I particularly like how in the LBX the screen does not protrude above the dash.

Test drove both a Yaris Cross Limited edition and the LBX 'Takumi' edition. Road noise was much higher in the Yaris than the LBX and the overall driving experience, handling, going up and down a long windy hill was much nicer in the LBX (I live up a hill). Even tested the UX300h for good measure but the overall driving experience wasn't as refined imo.
Picked up the LBX on Xmas eve a month ago so it was a nice present to myself last year.

I like both cars, but the LBX externally looks much nicer than the Yaris.

My low-spec Yaris Cross AWD, on crossclimate tyres, has got me through the UK snow so far this winter. I didn’t think I could afford to run an AWD car until I found it and am so glad I tried it out. It’s a beast on steep, icy hills - far better than it has any right to be. We’ve had several inches of snow, sometimes followed by freezing rain and ice, and I took it all gently in the car’s snow mode - so far I haven’t even spun a wheel, on hills steep enough that my previous car would sometimes spin a wheel when it had rained (it was also on crossclimate tyres). I’ve needed the hill descent control, which keeps the car to 10kph downhill from a standing start, or - I’ve since found - to the same speed you enter the hill, as long as it’s under about 25kph (if you can confidently go faster than that then of course you no longer really need to use it). The AWD Lexus doesn’t have the snow mode or hill descent, plus is lower to the ground, meaning snow would be up to its bumper more quickly (we can get a foot in half an hour without much warning, so the extra height gives the car longer before it has to plough the top layer of the snow to make progress as it drives). I’d love the Lexus, or even a higher-spec Yaris cross for the surround-camera system, which shows you what’s underneath the car on its top-down view, but the basic AWD Yaris Cross has been enormously useful and I’ve been glad to have it. It’s been fine on the long journeys I’ve used it for, too, and it’s an early one without the extra soundproofing the later cars have. In my part of the UK, one of these on decent all-season tyres is probably your minimum-level car if you want to get home in all weathers. (On a side-note, being able to put the car into EV-only mode was useful in November, to turn the petrol engine off and ease through some of our floods!!)

I disagree with your final conclusion on which car to buy because there is another very realistic option that deserves more weight.
I recently picked up a Toyota Yaris Cross GR Sport here in Sydney on January 13. It was built in Japan a few months ago and shipped over. With almost $4,000 in optional add-ons, I paid $46,000 AUD all up. I have been driving it for just over a week now and honestly love it. I am not experiencing any of the negatives mentioned in some reviews, which I think can be overly biased. There is a reason the Yaris Cross outsold most competitors in Australia by a large margin last year.
To step up to a Lexus LBX Sport (front-wheel drive) in Australia, I would be looking at around $62,000 AUD with comparable add-ons. That is a $16,000 difference, which is not a small gap. In real terms, the Yaris Cross costs about 75% of the LBX while using essentially the same powertrain. Yes, the Lexus offers more luxury, but the question is whether that extra cost is actually justified for most people.
For my use case, it is not. I live close to the city and do almost all my driving within a 10 km radius. I might do one long road trip every year or two. Compared to my old 2014 Camry Hybrid, I do not feel a meaningful loss in performance for the way I drive. In fact, I feel more comfortable in the Yaris from the driver’s seat. The technology, safety systems, and infotainment are far superior to what I had before. I drive gently, and in normal mode, the car performs perfectly. I have not even felt the need to use power mode.
Context matters. I am 61, and for 90% of the year, I am the only person in the car. I simply can not justify paying significantly more for extra space or luxury that I do not need. This is why blanket comparisons can be misleading. The right choice depends on how you drive, where you live, how many people you carry, and what you actually value.
In Australia, the price gap between these two cars is substantial. Going from roughly $42,000 to $58,000 without add-ons, or $46,000 to $62,000 with them, is a serious jump. For many buyers, especially city drivers, the Yaris Cross GR Sport represents far better value. For my needs, it has been an excellent decision.

We had a Yaris cross Excel for 4 years and 33000 miles. Only replaced the 12v battery which has a three year warranty after it failed after being parked for 5 days. The replacement battery from Halfords has a longer warranty!  My wife liked the car more than me. I found it very noisy ,Road noise not engine , on faster roads
We have just changed for an 18 month old LBX. Ride quality is better.  interior quality better. Power difference noticeable. Seemed a lot better car than a 9 month old Yaris cross we were offered  for very little more
It will not be quite as cheap to run but.... Incidentally the LBX tyres are a higher profile then the 50's on the Yaris cross and slightly cheaper although wider!

I have a Yaris cross, I love the easily achievable 60/70 mpg although that drops in colder weather but still 50+ , I do like the LBX but there’s no adjustable boot floor and you have to get the top spec to get the 360 camera which I have in my excel, yes, some owners have experienced battery issues in the Toyota but it is easily managed although I did invest in a portable jump starter just in case, I would still like a Lexus though…

What a brilliant comparison.  Well done.  I always enjoy your focussed, bright and not self indulgent presentations.  The car is the star, but you do well too.

If you have the budget go for the LBX, you won’t regret! Finest interior in a car I’ve ever had! It’s perfect in every way apart from the wireless charger, phone can’t end to slip off it!

Dont forget, the top spec LBX puts you into the mega-tax band, because it tips it over £40k.

I've just bought a 2025 Yaris Cross.
What I didn't like about the Lexus is the position of the media screen.
On the Toyota, the screen is much higher up, and only needs a quick glance to see the satnav.
I don't like taking my eyes off the road to look downwards, so this was a very significant deciding factor for me. I also don't like leather upholstery.

I Drive the Yaris Cross for a year now (Same spec, Color as in the Video) im more than happy with it. Not fancy and does the Job. If it gets dirty in or outside it doesnt hurt that much…I live on the countryside and would be pissed with a fancy version of my car. But the lexus is a nice car, love it in yellow

I've got the LBX. Overall it's a great little car and very nice inside. However, I'd be quite happy not to have the novelty push button door handles. I am forever having to explain to people how to use them and although the operation is simple people just seem to struggle with the concept 😂

I'd prefer the lexus, fantastic car

My best friend bought a Lexus LBX just over a year ago and it is now on its THIRD 12volt battery. Why do car reviewers rarely mention the 12 volt battery problem and the frequency of hybrid cars refusing to start after a period of either not being driven or a period of just short journeys?! Astonishing given the Lexus and Toyota reputation for reliability. A basic expectation of any car is that it will always start!

Much prefer the more angular look of the Yaris. Plus the design and excel trims give quite a few features more.

The Lexus has 136hp, not 126hp 😊

It's annoying to see people that do not understand the main differences between Lexus and Toyota.
Yes, they usually do share the same platform and engines, but when you drive them both... most will think they're are two very different cars.
Why? Because for Lexus some parts are made of Aluminum, the soundproofing is far better, the sound system is superior, the materials' quality is clearly better, the comfort is better (to be expected when you compare the entry luxury positioning vs. the upper mass-market Toyota). And the biggest difference is in the finer tuning, ECU included, giving you a plusher ride.
And such differences are making even more sense when buying second-hand.
For whoever is financially independent, Lexus is the choice (especially when compared to its expensive, unreliable and huge TCO competitors like the Germans).
And Toyota makes sense when compared to their non-Japanese competitors (with far lower reliability and far higher TCO).

Had a few Toyota's in OUR family for years but am now on my second Lexus, the NX350h premium plus and I love it, can't see me moving from Lexus whatsoever.

Drove an LBX as a courtessy car while my UX was being serviced.
The controlls and dash are horrible. I could not live this with car.
I love my UX whose dash and controls are perfect and does everything else well.