What is it?
A Toyota LandCruiser with a luxury upgrade. That means it’s a genuinely ‘go-anywhere’ off-roader, even if it has a level of comfort and pampering you don’t typically associate with a heavy-duty four-wheel drive.
The LX is a step above anything the German luxury brands offer in terms of its off-road prowess, and few can match its sheer size; even the Land Rover Defender can’t match its sheer size. So it will have plenty of appeal for those looking for a big, imposing and capable luxury vehicle.
Lexus doesn’t overtly advertise the connections between the LX and LandCruiser, for obvious reasons, but it should give you peace-of-mind if you want to get its wheels dirty.
READ MORE: Toyota LandCruiser review
What’s under the bonnet?
This is one area where there’s a very big difference between the LX and the LandCruiser, because unlike the diesel-only LC300, the LX600 is powered by a new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.
Making 305kW of power and 650Nm of torque this engine has more than enough grunt to haul along this very large SUV. There’s a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel also available (LX 500d) which makes 227kW/700Nm, which is probably better suited to those who want longer adventures.
Obviously the diesel returns a better fuel economy figure, 8.9L/100km compared to 12.1 for the petrol engine, but with a 110-litre fuel tank even the LX 600 has plenty of driving range.
How does it handle?
While it has all the fancy off-road tech, including Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-Terrain Monitor and Crawl Control, most LX will live in the urban jungle. While not as sharp or quite as polished as some of its European competition, the LX rides comfortably and is relatively easy to navigate through the city.
It may take you some time to get completely comfortable with its generous dimensions, but once you do you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to live with.
And you’ll never worry about speed bumps or potholes again, the LX soaks up those hits with ease.
Where would you most like to drive it?
For all of its off-road capability, it just doesn’t feel right to take something riding on shiny alloy wheels (it comes standard 20-inch rims with 22-inch versions an optional extra) across rocky or muddy terrain that will only damage this luxury vehicle.
But ultimately that’s the key selling point of the LX, that it can do those kinds of rugged adventures that you really wouldn’t want to do in any other luxury SUV.
What’s the interior like?
Naturally it’s a very spacious cabin, with the option to have seven seats in the range, but we tested the Sports Luxury variant that comes with a five-seat layout.
There’s a notable step up in luxury and quality compared to the LandCruiser, which is needed. The Sports Luxury came loaded with creature comforts, including heated and ventilated front seats, a cool box in the centre console and dual rear seat entertainment – the kind of details that make a car feel special.
However, the overall design and presentation ultimately isn’t up to the same standard you’ll find in Lexus’ European rivals, like Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz.
How much does the Lexus LX600 cost?
The range starts at $160,561, just above the LandCruiser line-up ends at $145,876. The LX600 Sports Luxury we tested is priced from $177,561.
Would I buy one?
In reality there really isn’t much direct competition for the LX 600. There’s plenty of big, luxurious SUVs you can buy today but for something with this level of off-road capability and size you’re looking at a Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz GLS. Of that group there’s only one I’d really feel comfortable taking on a remote road trip.
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