Cargazing
By Derek Price
If you want the new-generation Land Cruiser, you’re out of luck. Toyota decided not to sell it in the United States.
If you’ve got enough funds, though, you can buy it in a slightly different guise as the Lexus LX 600. While it isn’t being sold with a Toyota badge anymore, the LX is essentially the all-new global Land Cruiser wrapped up in a shinier package.
This fresh LX, the flagship of Lexus’ SUV lineup, is designed with the same mission in mind as the old one: traveling off-road in supreme comfort. It actually looks and feels like a contemporary vehicle, though, something the outgoing model couldn’t claim with a straight face.
On the looks side, the LX carries the same kind of oversized, villainous visage that’s so popular on today’s large SUVs. Whether that’s good or bad is a matter of personal taste, but it doesn’t shy away from controversy with a grill that seems big enough to swallow a Mack Truck.
The back end is more subdued and understated compared to the front, but the biggest visual “wow” factor comes when you open the doors and take a very high step inside.
A sleek, beautifully designed interior has the tailored, bespoke look of a private jet. It’s a night-and-day difference compared to the decade-old feel of last year’s model.
The Lexus LX is the only way Americans can get their hands on the newest global Toyota Land Cruiser platform. This off-road SUV has been completely redesigned to for wider appeal.
Part of that is because of the sumptuous material choices and easy-to-understand controls that finally dump some of the frustrating things, such as touchpads, that Lexus bafflingly clung to for so many years.
Part of it also comes from technology that’s legitimately good, including little design details that help it seem more friendly than most luxury cars.
When you give the LX voice controls, for example, it doesn’t abruptly cut off the sound system while you’re talking. The music can keep playing while you interact with the car or through your smartphone.
The center console can be chilled to keep drinks cold, which isn’t particularly innovative on high-end SUVs. But the lid to the cooler is hinged in a way that lets you open it from either the driver’s or passenger’s side, an ingenious touch.
Performance is strong from its 409-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which feels just as indulgent as the wonderful V8 did in the outgoing model. My hope is that the new engine will have the same legendary reliability and durability as the old one, but only time will tell.
There are two new grades in the LX lineup.
One is the F SPORT grade, which I think makes very little sense but I suspect will sell like hotcakes. It has a limited-slip differential, sporty design touches and seats that provide lateral grip in turns, all things that make perfect sense for a sports car and — as I see it — zero sense in an off-road SUV. Today’s buyers seem to like that sort of thing. Go figure.
The new Ultra Luxury grade comes with two reclining back seats with digital controls and a whopping 43 inches of leg room for relaxation on the road.
Even as a skeptic, though, I’ve got to admit my F SPORT tester handled exceptionally well for a huge SUV. Its adaptive suspension does a fantastic job controlling body roll in corners while still sopping up imperfections on the highway. There’s a dramatic difference between its sport settings and comfort settings, letting you pick the kind of driving experience you want at any given moment.
The second new grade makes more sense to me but probably won’t sell in big numbers: the new Ultra Luxury model. It’s designed to provide a VIP experience for back-seat passengers, including reclining seats with 43 inches of leg space. Who wouldn’t want to be whisked around in a soft, comfy recliner?
The Ultra Luxury grade carries a price premium of $39,100 over the base LX 600, which already isn’t cheap.
Pricing starts at $88,245 for the LX 600. The Premium model with an adaptive suspension starts at $96,345, while the F SPORT model with sportier handling is priced from $102,345.
The Luxury trim offers semi-aniline leather and an excellent Mark Levinson sound system for $104,345, while the Ultra Luxury grade with its VIP back seat is priced at $127,345.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2022 Lexus LX 600 F SPORT ($101,000). Options: Active height control ($1,300), Mark Levinson sound system ($2,660). Price as tested (including $1,345 destination charge): $106,305
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 200.2 in.
Width: 78.4 in.
Height: 74.6 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 (409 hp, 479 lbs. ft.)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel Economy: 17 city, 22 highway
RATINGS
Style: 7
Performance: 9
Price: 5
Handling: 6
Ride: 10
Comfort: 10
Quality: 10
Overall: 9
Why buy it?
It’s a thoroughly modern reimagining of the Toyota Land Cruiser through a glossy Lexus lens. It mixes outstanding off-road capability with contemporary design and technology.