The Lexus LX is an opulent full-size SUV constructed on a truck chassis and imbued with the off-road prowess of the Toyota Land Cruiser, which is longer obtainable throughout the US. It’s powered by a 409-horsepower twin-turbo V6 backed up by a 10-speed automated transmission and four-wheel drive. It performs within the an identical part as rivals identical to the Cadillac Escalade and BMW X7, nevertheless its off-road prowess makes it additional just like the more expensive Land Rover Range Rover. It’s accessible in 4 trims, along with an F Sport trim and the Extraordinarily Luxurious trim, which ditches the third row of seating and swaps the second-row bench seat for a pair of captains chairs.
If one thing, the LX sits correctly between one factor identical to the BMW X7 and the Range Rover. The X7 is an opulent journey nevertheless presents solely delicate off-roading functionality, whereas the Range Rover presents very good off-road functionality that’s there additional for bragging rights than one thing. The Lexus LX is designed to ship comfort and magnificence for people who moreover want or need rugged off-road functionality. That’s the reason we didn’t hesitate to position it by way of its paces throughout the mud and snow, and try to find out how the F Sport designation fits in.
Trend: All Lexus
Whereas the Lexus LX 600 depends on the model new Toyota Land Cruiser, the mannequin is definitively Lexus. The current period was all-new in 2022, and on prime of the Customary, Premium, and Luxurious trims, there’s the F Sport, which we had been despatched for analysis. The apparent variations between the three major trims and the F Sport are model-specific entrance fascia and rear bumper designs, and a chrome grille physique with a mesh design fairly than the frameless influence of the three-dimensional floating bars design. All Lexus LX trims embrace 22-inch wheels, nevertheless the F Sport’s are distinctive strong aluminum gadgets with a Darkish Gray Metalllic finish.
Drivetrain: No Further V8
The V8 was modified by a 3.4-liter V6 twin-turbo for 2022, delivering 409 hp and 479 lb-ft to the all-wheel-drive system by way of a smooth-yet-direct ten-speed transmission. The transmission moreover has a low setting for when points get troublesome off-road. Lexus’s electronically managed braking system helps on and off-road effectivity, as do the full of life peak administration and adaptive variable suspension strategies for the suspension, nevertheless these aren’t included on all the trims and solely the full of life peak administration could also be added to the F Sport. The F Sport trim useful properties a Torsen limited-slip differential on the rear, and can get F Sport-tuned suspension, a rear stabilizer bar, and effectivity dampers.
The torque from the twin-turbo V6 comes early and for longer throughout the power band over the sooner V8, which offers an extra diploma of refinement and administration over the engine. For a heavy SUV, the LX inside cause quick, nevertheless the magnificence proper right here is throughout the smoothness of the huge, heavy drivetrain and the range of availability of the ability.
Inside: Not Up To Par
That’s the place the Lexus LX loses elements over the rivals. Not in the case of comfort – the LX has splendidly comfortable, ten-way-adjustable seats up entrance, and assemble top quality seems fully Lexus, nevertheless the provides seem barely skinny, and there’s a drop in top quality throughout the third row. That’s not a dealbreaker, nevertheless what’s to us is how large of a mess the design is inside. Whereas two screens convey an entire lot of practicality, one for infotainment and one for drive options, it seems to be like identical to the infotainment show display is an afterthought slapped on prime of a previous-generation infotainment system. Happily, the horrible touchpad administration for the infotainment is gone from the center console, nevertheless there’s nonetheless a mess of buttons unfold spherical throughout the coronary heart.
The infotainment system is Lexus’s Google-based software program program and works successfully enough on the generous 14-inch show display. You probably can identify up the voice assistant with “Hey, Lexus,” however it certainly usually responds to random speech from contained within the cabin. The gauge cluster present will also be just too small for a automotive throughout the LX’s class.
Whereas the within of the model new period brings additional house inside, the third row is kind of comically cramped. With the third row up, cargo space is equally tight. The one motive we are going to contemplate the place the third row would actually be useful is the occasional school run when together with kids to the journey. The second row has a great deal of room for large adults, along with legroom.
The F Sport will get its private inside touches and colors, which we actually really feel are jarring and don’t go nicely with the automotive’s mannequin. This consists of Hadori aluminum trim over the wood accents in several fashions. The within on the frequent trims seems to be like a lot better, and further muted colors pull points collectively correctly.
On The Freeway: All Regarding the Suspension
Almost about journey top quality, the suspension setup on the LX is close to good journey top quality. It’s all about consistency. Whereas it doesn’t magically make any avenue ground glass {{smooth}}, it does magical points with high-frequency damping – as in a badly textured ground that you just simply’re working over at 50-70 mph. The wheels and tires is maybe chattering away beneath the chassis, nevertheless you don’t actually really feel the overwhelming majority of it. Then, when points get bumpy, the suspension takes all of the sting off of it. And that’s no matter 22-inch wheels and reduce profile tires, and a additional aggressive setup on the F Sport mannequin.
The drivetrain offers to the refinement and offers all the automotive an authorities actually really feel. The model new platform is additional rigid along with lighter, which helps lead to increased physique administration (working with the suspension), which implies a lot much less lean throughout the corners. There’s a satisfying lack of avenue noise, and the steering is more healthy now for low-speed maneuvering in parking heaps. There was a fuss made regarding the 2022 model’s suspension being too delicate or too jittery. This reviewer didn’t drive the 2022 model, so we assume Lexus made some adjustments on the down-low.
F Sport Why?
We’re sure Lexus has completed its homework and is conscious of people will buy the F Sport trim, however it certainly baffles us. Constructive, the throttle turns into snappier, the suspension and chassis stiffens up, and the LSD offers stability pushing out of corners, however it certainly’s a truck-based SUV that weighs nearly 6,000 kilos. No amount of engineering magic will make it a pleasure to hustle down a once more avenue whereas retaining its off-road functionality. It is not even notably fast in a straight line. It is likely to be pleasurable to push it spherical a bit on a mud observe, nevertheless as soon as extra, it’s hefty and rides tall.
What we might understand is a additional hardcore off-road mannequin with a steeper technique and departure angles, and Toyota’s hybrid V6 powertrain found as an chance on the model new Tundra. Which will make a whole lot additional sense.
Off The Freeway: A Cosy Bruiser
Bust the LX off the concrete and tarmac and onto a mud observe, and the suspension doesn’t bat an eyelid. We had been so enamored we picked a hearth avenue and hit it at ten mph increments to aim to find the aim the place it stopped feeling like we had been on the road nonetheless. We wanted to stop at 60 mph as there have been bends, and we had been on filth and didn’t want to tell Lexus we had crashed a car. What we did work out is that sooner is more healthy to profit from that wonderful high-frequency damping.
However, 40 mph shouldn’t be suggestion throughout the snow, on the very least on the stock tires and no chains, nevertheless the all-wheel-drive system saved all of the issues fixed on the roads spherical Large Bear Mountain in California. We found a a lot larger drawback, though.
We took a path up a mountain near Idylwild after the snow, nevertheless forgot how extreme it went up. The stock tires on the LX 600 are Dunlop Grandtreks, which might be hard-wearing all-season tires with a lean in the direction of diminished rolling resistance. That’s to say, they don’t seem to be devoted off-road tires nevertheless do generate respectable grip on dry filth. They don’t seem to be ideally suited when you’re going up a mountain and start discovering snow, slush, and grime. However, the LX’s sheer off-road functionality managed to overrun the tires and push up by way of deep muddy ruts and plough by way of prolonged, deep puddles with out shedding momentum. Most importantly, saving us the embarrassment of attending to get pulled out by a additional appropriately shoed off-roader on the mountain.
Even on inappropriate tires, the LX feels unstoppable in opposed conditions. We’re uncertain we might take it rock-crawling with that grille and the suspiciously low-looking technique angle, though.
Complete: A Specific Buy
The Lexus LX at current begins at $90,660, with the F Sport climbing to $104,870, along with trip spot and coping with. That’s nearing Range Rover territory, which begins at $106,500. Within the occasion you are looking for a pure luxurious journey, the Range Rover is king. It drips with mannequin inside and outdoors, rides fantastically, and its tech is great. For those who want to spend slightly much less, there’s the BMW X7 for $77,850. For those who want the entire body-on-frame truck-like SUV experience and a hefty standing picture, the Cadillac Escalade begins at barely under $80k.
However, if you need your luxurious barge to be rugged and know it’ll probably be used off-road in less-than-perfect local weather, the LX fits that description fully. Merely steer clear of the F Sport model, because it’s wholly pointless.