The new, larger and stronger Lexus LX offers a first-class luxury experience while maintaining a rugged attitude
Model testing
Lexus LX 600 and LX 500d
The new Lexus LX is more visually impactful than an eclipse, with twin-turbo V6 petrol or diesel powertrain options, and a strong trapezoidal chassis foundation donated by the ubiquitous Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, making a strong statement of intent. Lexus' new-generation flagship SUV, which boasts a significant boost in luxury and technology, is looking to outdo its weight. Priced between $148,800 and $210,800 (plus on-road fees), the new model is fighting for the Europeans – but can it really challenge range Rover and the company?
Luxury bets
The all-new 2022 Lexus LX is a large, arrogant, full-size luxury SUV – and the bluff makes sense. mostly. Boasting more bio-comfort and technology than ever before, it is a huge leap forward for its predecessors.
It's unmatched by rivals in Germany and the UK in every respect, but the push at the high end is remarkable, and it's easy to spot in the cabin using high-quality materials – think super soft leather seats, plush carpets and cut-out wood grain trims.
The muscular Lexus LX's genetic connection to the wildly popular Toyota LandCruiser 300 series naturally inflates its ego even further. It's a very powerful SUV, a real fender.
Nationwide launch driving spanning hundreds of kilometers of road and off-road shows that the Japanese automaker aspires to greater success and has three interior layouts — seven-seat, five-seat or four-seat business class seats — it's newfound confidence and upstream won't be overlooked.
Prices also rose northward, from the regular Lexus LX (starting at $148,800) to the Sport Deluxe (starting at $165,800), F Sport (starting at $171,800) and ultra Luxury (starting at $210,800) variants.
The latter two model grades are new and already account for a third of all their LX orders in Australia.
But even more modest models have impressive equipment levels, including LED headlights and taillights, 20-inch alloy rims (and a full-size spare tire underhang), a 12.3-inch and 7.0-inch dual-screen infotainment setup, plus an 8.0-inch multi-information driver display and a color head-up display.
The upgraded model has a fingerprint sensor on the start button, which is very beautiful, can be connected to the memory function of the seat and steering wheel, and can store up to 10 fingerprints. Other highlights include a new NANOE X air purification system that apparently moisturizes skin and hair.
There's a digital interior mirror, heated and power front seats with exceptional leather quality, and an excellent 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system — the largest number of speakers Ever deployed by Lexus. It's a great sound system, make no mistake about it.
Adaptive and height-adjustable suspension is standard throughout the range, as is the full-time all-wheel drive system with Towson lockable central differential and dual-gear transfer case, with low-speed ratio drives for proper rock jumps.
The entry-level Lexus LX 600 and LX 500d seven-seater models come with an enhanced package, a $5,500 option, and 22-inch alloy wheels, large glass sunroofs, and hands-free electric tailgates.
Two engines are available: twin-turbo V6 diesel or V6 gasoline, which adds $3500 to the asking price, along with a 30-litre auxiliary fuel tank on top of the 80-liter main airbag.
The higher-spec Sports Luxury and F Sport diesel-powered models are also equipped with a dual-tank setup, which Lexus believes will achieve a range of 1447 kilometers.
If you'd love to buy it as soon as possible, but haven't ordered yet, you'll be waiting for some time; the 400 units allocated throughout the year are already sold out.
The Lexus LX comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometer warranty, comparable to Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover, but superior to BMW's three-year warranty.
Membership in the Lexus Encore Platinum Owner Benefits Program is also part of the deal. The three-year subscription includes four annual eight-day Lexus car loans for interstate travel and even travel around New Zealand.
After-sales promotion also includes a three-year cap service with a total price of $3,570. Service intervals are a bit uncertain at six months or 10,000 kilometers, costing $595 each, which means vehicles are out of service at least twice a year.
High-tech blockbuster
The 2022 Lexus LX excels in safety and technology, with 10 airbags as standard on all models, while the Ultra Luxury flagship model features 12 airbags via rear seat cushion airbags.
There is a complete semi-autonomous driving system, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, and automatic steering with lane-tracking assist, which works well in gentle highway corners but struggles a bit on narrower corners.
Considering the LX's large size and huge weight – between 2.6 and 2.7 tonnes, depending on the model class – it feels secure and safe on the road, while features such as automatic high beams, road sign recognition and 360-degree cameras have also been improved or commonly used to automate functions.
When fatigue begins, intersection steering assist, emergency steering assist, and cornering deceleration come in handy, and are combined with off-road systems such as crawl control with steering assist that will brake the inner rear wheels to improve the turning circle on unsealed surfaces.
The three LED screens in the cockpit don't have the pompous feel of some of their luxury competitors, but the main central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch unit, features ultra-sharp visuals and an intuitive menu system. This is a significant improvement over the brand's polarized and cumbersome remote touch system.
Below the large screen is a smaller 7.0-inch touchscreen that feels a bit contrived, especially considering that most of the controls that are accessible there have physical buttons such as climate, driving mode, and off-road controls.
However, it can display useful off-road system information, such as suspension driving height levels.
The 8.0-inch digital driver display isn't as big or complex as a Mercedes-Benz SUV, but it's easy to read and has reasonable driving information. Color head-up displays also project important driving information onto the windshield.
Native sat nav is excellent, with digital radios as well as cordless phone chargers and USB-C ports on all three rows of seats there. A single USB-A port on the front is the only way to connect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
V6 of your choice
While there are no hybrid systems yet — all-round 325kW and 790Nm impacts are expected soon — turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines are more powerful and better fuel efficient than ever before.
In addition to sharing the TNGA-F body-frame platform that underpins the Toyota LandCruiser 300 series, the 2022 Lexus LX inherits the LC300's powerful 3.3-liter twin-turbo diesel V6 engine, code-named F33A-FTV.
The 3346cc dispenser delivers a very convenient 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm at 1600-2600rpm, surpassing the output of the previous turbo diesel V8 while reducing fuel consumption.
Lexus claims that diesel uses about 8.9 liters/100 km in the combined city/highway driving cycle, and while our tests show a figure close to 12 litres/100 km, it's still an impressive result for heavy luxury cruisers.
The diesel engine is a very easy-to-use engine that offers excellent low-rev thrust, and if you are planning to tow heavy loads, although both engines have a towing capacity of 3500 kg, this would be a wise choice.
Much has been said about the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, largely because buyers of the Australian Toyota LandCruiser 300 series have been denied access to it. It's a shame because it pairs perfectly with the new 10-speed automatic transmission while offering better improvements, throttle response and acceleration.
The F35A-FTS twin-turbo intercooled V6 delivers 305kW at 5200rpm and 650Nm at 2000-3600rpm, and while it's 50Nm less torque than diesel, you won't know. It's faster to 100 km/h – 7.0 seconds vs 8.0 seconds – and the 3445cc six-cylinder engine provides a more attractive driving experience.
The gasoline V6 runs at 10 rpm at 10 rpm at 105 km/h, and Lexus claims it will drink juice at 12.1 l/100 km/ h. Our test showed 15.9L/100km. Either way, it's more thirsty than diesel and requires 95 octane gasoline.
So far, around 60% of Australian buyers have opted for petrol engines, and after our first drive, we believe the petrol V6 and Lexus LX are more harmonious.
The Lexus 2022 Lexus LX creates a sophisticated luxury SUV experience with a quiet cabin that produces minimal wind noise even at 100 km/h, a remarkable feat considering its flat brick design.
The tire noise is minimal, and both engines are inconspicuous during cruising.
For the most part, the new LX is a very comfortable SUV, with a lightweight steering that makes it feel much smaller than you might think of at 5.1 meters in length, especially in urban situations, as evidenced by driving through hobart's narrow downtown streets.
Driving is effortless in most cases, but its enormous mass is powerless, which can be felt by sweeping across corners of country roads, and even in the most dynamic Sport+ driving mode, adaptive suspension often struggles to suppress body roll.
The steering reaction is a bit slow, the vehicle doesn't like to change direction quickly, and the nose floats around like an airship in a storm; the BMW X7 certainly has nothing to worry about in this regard.
That said, for such a high trapezoidal chassis rig, the double cross-arm front suspension and the four-link rigid rear axle provide admirable driving power and are dexterous enough for most uses.
Even on 22-inch rollers, ride comfort is best described as soft and smooth. The chassis wobbled and wobbled slightly at a slower pace, and as it snaked along the chopped patchwork of city roads, the slight reverberations resonated with the frame and body.
Ultimately, the Lexus LX's rugged foundation doesn't exactly match the SUV's refined and automotive-like hard-shell chassis, which most large luxury SUVs build on, but its legacy of the trapezoidal frame platform it shares with Toyota LandCruiser has its benefits.
On gravel and dirt roads, Lexus is superb. It drove smoothly through ruts and potholes as if they didn't exist. Deeper puddles are also barely documented. The treatment on an unsealed surface is safe and predictable; its confidence is enormous.
Pushing Lexus off-road, it continues to impress, eating almost anything you throw at it. Adaptive suspension with ride height adjustment ranges from 200 mm (slightly below to improve entry/exit) to up to 303 mm, ensuring it can traverse a variety of terrain within a reasonable range. Those 22-inch wheels aren't made for rough stuff.
Unlike most luxury SUVs that use air suspension to adjust the ride height, the Lexus LX changes the hydraulic pressure in the shock absorbers (which can be extended or compressed) to adjust the vehicle height and spring strength.
We did several steep rock climbs and tested the low-range (4L) drive, and the LX absolutely wandered through it. It's very confident in low-ratio mode with maximum travel height, and you have ramp descent control with adjustable speed crawl control and an intuitive multi-terrain selection system based on the dial, which makes slippery, cobblestone, steep descents effortless.
The new LX tackles off-road trails with ease and ability, everything is in a luxurious environment, and while the huge bonnet obscures your view and makes the front wheels difficult to place, off-road cameras do a great job of adding an extra pair of eyes underneath and on the sides of the vehicle.
LX also got the world's first rear underfloor view claimed by Lexus.
At the end of the day, the Lexus LX is unlikely to be off-road very often, and the 22-inch alloy wheels aren't designed for challenging fire and jungle tracks. However, it is very reassuring to know that it has the necessary capabilities.
It's also a practical vehicle, and we've spent most of our time in the second row of passengers with plenty of space and excellent comfort in the seven-seater entry-level model, as well as reasonable space and easy access to the third row by folding and flipping seats.
With dual USB-C ports, four-zone climate control (with central and top-mounted vents), sun blinds and folding armrests with cup holders to keep passengers happy, if you really want the ultimate experience, the Lexus LX Ultra Luxury quad comes with Business Class reclining and massage seats, and the left seat is equipped with upholstered chairs.
Cargo capacity becomes narrow when all seats are in place in the seven-seater model, with only 174 litres of luggage space, but the electric folding third row of seats opens up the useful 982 litres and the manually operated second row of seats expands to 1871 litres - row seat folding flat.
After 14 long years, it's no surprise that the all-new 2022 Lexus LX has been significantly improved over its predecessor, but its surprisingly high level of luxury will draw attention and may appeal to buyers who have never considered Lexus before.
The range of capabilities of the luxury Lexus flagship SUV is arguably far greater than that of most of its competitors, and in this regard gives it the right to boast, while the choice of gasoline and diesel engines is another big advantage.
Buyers of range Rover are unlikely to rush to trade their British chariots, but the new LX is one of the most striking models we've seen from Lexus recently and will largely change the way people think about British chariots. Japanese brand.
2022 Lexus LX 600
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 305kW/650Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel oil: 12.1L/100km (ADR combination)
CO2: 275g/km (ADR combo)
2022 Lexus LX 500d
Engine: 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Output: 227kW/700Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel oil: 8.9L/100km (ADR combo)
CO2: 235g/km (ADR combo)
Security Level: Not tested