The Lexus LX600 doesn't looks much different than its LX570 predecessor.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Clearly, Lexus believes it’s in good shape with its flagship full-size SUV. The LX600, which starts at more than $100,000, is all new for 2022, yet probably only existing owners and dedicated car-spotters will immediately see the difference from its LX570 predecessor – at least, until they get behind the wheel.
Three previous generations of the LX were essentially Toyota Land Cruisers that had been dipped in gilt and layered with leather. For 2022, both vehicles have migrated to the GA-F platform first seen on the 2022 Tundra pickup. That makes the LX600 as new as new gets. Along with the new frame, suspension and steering, a 409-horsepower twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 and 10-speed transmission replace the previous LX570′s 383-horsepower 5.7-litre V8 and eight-speed transmission.
Surprisingly, Lexus doesn’t offer the hybrid version of the V6 that’s available on the Tundra. Even so, the combination of smaller engine, more gear ratios and a 200-kilogram weight loss have reduced fuel consumption by 25 per cent. As if buyers of full-size SUVs care.
The seat behind the driver loses almost three inches of legroom, but the VIP on the other side can tilt the front passenger seat forward to gain stretch room and deploy the ottoman behind it.Supplied
One thing that hasn’t changed is the ability (not that you would, but you could) to go off-road. Gear includes height-adjustable suspension, a dual-range transfer case, and off-road assistants such as downhill-ascent control, cameras and multiple terrain modes. Of course, it’s not exactly a Wrangler Rubicon, but when we wanted to get to a trailhead at the top of a particularly steep and rocky track, we were the only hikers to drive all the way there. Everyone else, including two Wrangler drivers, parked lower down.
Also unchanged is the LX’s relatively short wheelbase and overall length. That’s probably an advantage both off-road and in congested cities, but it leaves the LX’s rear cabin looking cozy compared with its full-size SUV peers.
Still, what the interior space may lack in “quantity” it makes up in quality, richly furnished and impeccably assembled. There are dual high-definition touch screens and a 25-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound audio package is available.
The LX600 is available in four trims, priced between $106,950 and $151,200 (for the Executive VIP version).
Those prices are comparable with European alternatives like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but significantly more than the domestic competition and the Infiniti QX80. Arguably none of the rivals can match the Lexus reputation for quality and reliability, and for what it’s worth, the LX600 would likely outperform all the opposition off-road (a dual-range transfer case isn’t even on option on the Europeans). Yet despite retaining a live-axle rear suspension, the LX600 also contrives to combine a serene, controlled ride with unexpectedly responsive handling.
The 2022 Lexus LX600 comes with a 409-horsepower twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 that replaces the previous generation's 383-horsepower 5.7-litre V8. The new version uses 25-per-cent less fuel.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
- Base price/as tested: $106,950/$151,700
- Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
- Transmission/drive: 10-speed automatic/dual-range all-wheel drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 14.2 city/10.8 highway
- Alternatives: BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover
Looks
Depending on your world view, you’ll either love or loathe the LX600′s big, ostentatious shape, featuring (in Lexus’s own words) “a cab-backward design and stout torso” accented by a massive chrome grille and up-to-22-inch wheels.
Interior
The default seat count in an LX600 is seven – two, three and two – with a third row that remains tight but now folds flat into the floor. However, there were only four seats on our Executive VIP test vehicle. That may seem like less Lexus for more money, but the reduced seat count won’t matter to the chauffeur-driven passengers who are the target audience: The second-row seats are sumptuous massaging armchairs, each with independent climate control. Paradoxically, the seat behind the driver loses almost three inches of legroom, but the VIP on the other side can, at the push of a button, slide and tilt the (presumably unoccupied) front passenger seat forward to gain stretch room and deploy the ottoman behind it. The rear seats are four-way adjustable on the left and six-way on the right.
The cockpit is impeccably finished and looks relatively traditional despite the presence of three screens.Supplied
Meanwhile the chauffeur can enjoy 10-way power seat adjustment. The cockpit is impeccably finished and looks relatively traditional despite the presence of three screens: a gauge cluster that looks a lot like analog gauges, albeit with a digital speedometer; a 12.3-inch free-standing horizontal display for navigation, infotainment and the multi-terrain monitor; and a seven-inch display integrated into the centre stack for climate control and off-road status display. There’s plenty of hard-button redundancy and, mercifully, Lexus’s annoying touchpad control has been dropped.
Performance
Lighter and more powerful, the LX600 is quicker than the old LX570. Its claimed acceleration time to 100 kilometres an hour of 6.9 seconds indicates adequate acceleration, but independent tests say most rivals are quicker. Subjectively, the 10-speed transmission is seamless, while the engine’s gruff soundtrack hews more to the LX’s truck genes than to the silken refinement you might expect of a Lexus. We were more smitten with the LX’s chassis, at least when equipped with Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension. The LX600 feels surprisingly nimble, with tight, nicely weighted steering. Dare we say it was even fun to drive on British Columbia’s Sea to Sky highway (and the F Sport model promises to be even more so). We were less smitten with the heavy, soft feel of the brake pedal in hard stops.
Technology
Compared with most vehicles, the LX600 is well equipped with connectivity, infotainment and driver-assist technologies. But it stops short of the true hands-free driving (on compatible roads) offered by some competitors. The Executive VIP tester has wireless phone charging only in the second row (other trims have one up front).
Cargo
Regardless of how you fold the seats, even the three-row models have the lowest cargo volumes in the segment. The Executive VIP has even less space behind the second row (1,160 litres versus 1,300), and you can’t flatten those seats for more space. The tow rating is 8,000 pounds.
The Executive VIP has even less space behind the second row (1,160 litres versus 1,300), and you can’t flatten those seats for more space.Supplied
The verdict
Most alternatives are faster and roomier, but the LX delivers a special blend of paved-road grace and off-road grit, all wrapped in the promise of Lexus quality, reliability and durability.
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