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This can’t be a Lexus, I thought. This is a hatchback, for crying out loud. A little wagon.

All of these thoughts about the new-for-2002 Lexus IS 300 SportCross are blasphemous — at least as far as the folks at Lexus are concerned.

In the automaker’s own words: “The 2002 IS 300 SportCross is more than a sedan but less than a full wagon (the “cross”). At the same time, it retains all the performance of the IS 300 sedan (the “sport”). … (The) design team knew that traditional hatchback styling is too often linked with entry-level vehicles.”

In fact, the Lexus folks go on and on explaining what went into building — and naming — this new vehicle that’s about as far removed from the Lexus LS 430 luxury sedan as the Volkswagen New Beetle is from a Lincoln Town Car.

A bad thing, you say? Hardly.

The trick is getting through all the don’t-go-there semantics and enjoying the vehicle for what it does for you — sporty hatchback, sport-wagon, sporty sedan with wagon-hatchback-thingy stuck on the back.

This much is for sure: It scoots.

At 3,400 pounds and driven by a 3-liter, in-line-6 power plant rated at 215 horsepower, timidity is not an issue with the SportCross. Rush-hour drivers intent on making mincemeat of my seemingly innocent-looking wag… er, crossover vehicle found that out in a hurry.

The SportCross bolted like a scalded cat and smoothly laid down the speed all the way through the five-speed automatic gearbox. It was an old-school rush as the comparatively small SportCross is rear-wheel driven.

The test model even offered the option of a semi-manual mode, with upshifts and downshifts managed through buttons on the steering wheel — technology straight from top-flight international auto racing series. Nothing like imagining you’re Formula One world driving champion Michael Schumacher as you whip through the Marconi curve on lunch hour. It’s a genuine pocket rocket. In fact, acceleration tests done by Motor Trend magazine showed SportCross times within an eye blink of those turned in by the Lexus IS 300 compact sport sedan.

The cargo area of the SportCross is a study in getting more out of less. Walking up to the vehicle, one gets the impression that two large suitcases would leave room for little else.

Not even close. The rear seat is a 60-40 split configuration that can be folded. With a slightly longer roofline than a typical five-door hatchback and a liftgate that yawns open and out of harm’s way, the SportCross can be a surprisingly able hauler.

It won’t handle 4-by-8 sheets of plywood, but the SportCross interior will swallow up odd-shaped items such as a mountain bike, a baby stroller, skis or a ladder.

Did I mention luxury? It’s a Lexus. It should go without saying.

Standard features include automatic climate control, leather-trimmed steering wheel, auto-dimming driver’s side exterior mirror, auto-dimming rearview mi rror with compass, 240-watt AM-FM/cassette/CD (an in-dash changer that holds six discs) sound system with nine speakers, and a first-aid kit.

My SportCross was additionally dressed up with a $1,845 interior package that included power front seats, a $2,000 navigation system (easy to figure out, thankfully), a $500 power moonroof, a $390 limited-slip differential, $440 heated seats and a special cargo mat for $58.

So, what’s your guess on the bottom line? Maybe $55,000? Or $50,000? Certainly $45,000 minimum, right?

Try $38,083 — a veritable steal for Lexus luxury, performance and reliability. For its part, Lexus has more-direct motives with the SportCross package and pricing — competition against BMW’s popular 3 Series.

Gripes are few, with the primary one being that SportCross definitely gets lost among the sport-utility giants on the road. Beep the horn before blowing off an SUV; you won’t regret it. Why does the speedometer show only multiples of 20 hate trying to visually find a needle hovering between 60 and 80 mph. And it makes passengers nervous to see me staring at the dash as opposed to the road. And a cup of coffee in the center console and an apple underneath the fold-down center armrest pretty much fills the storage capacity between the front seats.

But SportCross might be the perfect vehicle for the buyer looking to practice a little self-indulgence but craving just a modest serving of utility — with a respectable fuel economy rating of 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway.

Those who do serious hauling of cargo and humans on a regular basis will probably find, however, that the little Lexus is not enough car for your requirements.

That’s OK. Just don’t call it a wagon.

2002 Lexus IS 300 SportCross

at a glance

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, rear-drive, five-door, luxury/performance crossover vehicle.

Base price: $32,305 (as tested, $38,083).

Engine: 3-liter in-line 6 with 215 horsepower at 5,800 revolutions per minute and 218 pounds/foot torque at 3,800 rpm.

EPA fuel economy: 18 miles per gallon city; 25 mpg highway.

Transmission: Electronic five-speed automatic with clutchless manual-shifting feature.

Steering: Power rack and pinion with speed-sensitive feature.

Brakes: Power four-wheel with anti-lock and electronic brake distribution.

Suspension type: Four-wheel independent with double wishbone and A-shape upper arm on front; double wishbone with L-shaped upper arm on rear.

Interior volume: 89.2 cubic feet (passenger area).

Trunk volume: 21.8 cubic feet.

Fuel tank: 17.5 gallons.

Curb weight: 3,410 pounds.

Front track: 58.9 inches.

Rear track: 58.1 inches.

Height: 56.7 inches.

Length: 177 inches.

Wheelbase: 105.1 inches.

Width: 67.9 inches.

Tires: P215/45ZR17 on front; P225/45ZR17 on rear.

Port of entry: Los Angeles.