2022 Lexus LX600 Ultra Luxury review

What sits above the “king off the highway” within the Toyota royal household? That’d be the Lexus LX.

The most recent Lexus LX rides on the identical TNGA-Ok chassis because the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Sequence, but it surely’s extra completely different than ever from its stronger promoting, much less luxurious sibling.

For one, consumers can select between petrol and diesel energy within the Lexus. There are extra screens inside, together with extra leather-based than even the LandCruiser Sahara ZX – and there’s no getting across the reality there’s extra grille, extra chrome, and extra presence about it from the surface.

Not Supplied — 2022 Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious Credit score: CarExpert

Sitting atop the vary is the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious. Gone is the rear bench, changed with a pair of airline-style recliners, and our tester was completed in a surprising shade of inexperienced paint mixed with pumpkin spice-coloured leather-based.

That is an off-roader that’s each bit at residence on the imply streets of Brighton as it’s tackling the Birdsville observe, then.

It’s not essentially the place your cash ought to go within the Lexus LX vary, although.

How a lot does the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious value?

The Lexus LX vary kicks off at $148,800 earlier than on-road prices, making it round $10,000 dearer than the range-topping Toyota LandCruiser Sahara ZX.

The LX600 Extremely Luxurious is a barely completely different proposition although, with a beginning value of $210,800 earlier than on-roads. It’s a whopping $35,500 dearer than the LX600 F Sport sitting beneath it within the vary, though it’s not precisely preventing in a phase chock with rivals.

You’ll pay $197,700 earlier than on-roads for a brand new BMW X7 M60i, which packs twin-turbo V8 petrol energy and 7 seats, however lacks the Lexus’ concentrate on off-roading, whereas the Extremely Luxurious sits between the range-topping 450 and AMG 63 variants of the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

The Vary Rover line-up kicks off simply north of $220,000 earlier than on-roads, and the least costly Autobiography variant is nudging $300,000 earlier than on-roads and choices.

What’s the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious like on the within?

Right here’s hoping you want pumpkin. The “Sunflare” end accessible on the Extremely Luxurious is distinctive, but it surely’s not going to be for everybody.

Color apart, the entrance of the LX600 is critically plush. The driving place is commanding, sitting you comfortably above individuals in dual-cab utes and household crossovers, and the seats themselves supply an ideal mix of pillowy softness and help for lengthy journeys.

Lexus does pretty leather-based throughout its vary, however the trim within the LX600 Extremely Luxurious is further supple and waxy. The steering wheel is gorgeous, and primarily every thing you contact – regardless of how low down or hidden – feels costly.

There are some quirks, although. The very fact there’s no wi-fi telephone charger is disappointing, and the secondary display on the dashboard (for local weather and off-road modes) feels prefer it’s there simply because, slightly than truly bettering the person expertise.

Sitting atop the dashboard is a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which represents an enormous step ahead from the touchpad-based setup within the final LX. It’s additionally a lot nicer than the blocky, primary system within the associated LC300.

With crisp graphics and a logical menu construction, it drags Lexus nearer to the Germans than ever earlier than.

We additionally know the over-the-air updates work; once we collected the automotive Apple CarPlay was wired, and once we returned it an replace had added wi-fi functionality.

The motive force is confronted with a digital instrument pod mimicking the dials from the LFA, albeit with out the cool mechanical sliding ring that beforehand featured.

It doesn’t transfer the sport ahead, given the dearth of mapping or a lot in the way in which of personalisation, but it surely’ll immediately make earlier house owners really feel proper at residence.

Cupboard space is a blended bag. There’s no completely glad slot for an outsized telephone, however the cupholders are the appropriate dimension, and the cool field beneath the central armrest is a LandCruiser and LX staple.

The door pockets are large, and the glovebox is large enough to carry a Nullabor’s price of snacks.

Rear seat consolation is the whole focus of the LX600 Extremely Luxurious, however the second row isn’t the 100 per cent residence run you would possibly anticipate.

There’s no scarcity of buttons to press or features to regulate, and for teenagers or quick adults they’re wonderful.

The centre rear seat is gone, changed by a console housing a touchscreen management unit, USB-C chargers, a wi-fi telephone charger, and additional storage, and the headrests are residence to 11.6-inch screens.

You’ll have to BYO machine and plug in utilizing HDMI to truly make correct use of these rear screens, so be certain that the children pack their PS5. The times of the in-car DVD participant are effectively and really behind us.

Honours for one of the best seat in the home go to the left-rear seat.

Prod the touchscreen between the rear seats and the passenger seat folds, revealing an ottoman and sufficient legroom for even the typical NBA participant to get snug.

The LX600 is at its finest with one passenger sat within the left-rear seat. Legs stretched, massagers working your aching muscle mass, and seat heaters serving to lull you to sleep, it’s a beautiful place to spend time.

4-up, although, it’s not fairly as spectacular. We match two shorter adults behind average-sized entrance occupants superb, but when your driver is tall there’s not precisely surplus legroom again there – and legroom is a key a part of the enchantment in vehicles for chauffeurs.

It’s additionally price noting the reclining Extremely Luxurious seats eat into boot house.

Somewhat than the 1109 litres within the common LX, the four-seater will take 767L. The second row doesn’t fold, both, so loading lengthy gadgets will probably be a problem.

There’s nonetheless greater than sufficient house for a number of huge journey luggage or the weekly store, however this isn’t as versatile as the broader vary.

When you’re a chauffeur, it’ll most likely be greater than superb. When you’re eager to load in children and bikes, you’d be higher served wanting elsewhere.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

In contrast to the diesel-only Toyota LandCruiser, the Lexus LX is obtainable with petrol energy.

Our LX600 tester featured a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6, making 305kW of energy and 650Nm of torque. It’s mated with a 10-speed automated transmission, and a full-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range switch case.

Off-road options embody a Multi-Terrain Choose system with drivetrain modes (together with Auto, Dust, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow and Rock), and lively peak management suspension with Regular, Excessive 1 and Excessive 2 settings.

A Multi-Terrain Monitor makes use of 4 cameras that can assist you place the automotive in case you’re off the overwhelmed path. There’s additionally an automatic Crawl Management function for assist throughout treacherous moments.

Claimed gasoline financial system is 12.1 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle. The LX600 has a 110L gasoline tank, and drinks 95 RON premium unleaded.

How does the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious drive?

Australians are likely to want diesel energy of their huge off-roaders, however the petrol within the LX600 makes a powerful case for itself – clean, quiet, and impressively punchy, it looks like the right match for the Extremely Luxurious.

Some small-displacement turbocharged engines have a second of lag, earlier than surging ahead when the revs hit a sure mark and the enhance kicks in. Peak torque comes on faucet at simply 2000rpm, however the way in which the enhance builds and the throttle calibration imply it by no means feels disjointed or closely turbocharged.

The engine feels linear on fixed throttle inputs, providing you with again precisely what you ask for slightly than lurching ahead because the turbochargers kick in. Which means it’s simpler to handle in site visitors, and a greater companion when it is advisable to exactly dole out the engine’s torque on tight off-road trails.

The identical is true of the brand new twin-turbo diesel V6 within the associated Toyota LandCruiser 300 (and LX500d); clearly somebody at Toyota head workplace is aware of what they’re doing.

In regular driving you’ll barely discover the 10-speed automated, which shuffles unobtrusively via the ratios on gentle throttle inputs.

It may take a second to kick down one, two, three gears if you want a shot of efficiency at quick discover, however there’s sufficient torque on faucet that lightly leaning on the throttle and letting the automotive keep in-gear is mostly sufficient to get the massive Lexus going.

Regardless of its kerb weight of 2660kg, the 100km/h dash takes simply 7.0 seconds. Put your foot down onerous and that feels fully plausible; the LX squats and hauls within the horizon a lot quicker than actually must be doable.

It’s not a sports activities automotive although, Lexus has prioritised trip consolation above all else right here. With the air suspension set to its default mode, the automotive simply wafts over damaged roads like they aren’t even there.

Potholes, pace bumps, driveways… they simply disappear beneath the Extremely Luxurious’s large wheels. It feels a bit too indifferent and floaty in Consolation mode, Sport corporations issues up barely.

At no level does the LX really feel like something apart from a large, heavy four-wheel drive, however the trade-off is a degree of general consolation that’s powerful to match.

The suspension is able to elevating two steps larger than the usual setting, or one decrease for simpler loading and entry. It options auto-levelling, so placing a load within the rear gained’t see you driving together with the nostril pointing on the sky.

In contrast to the LandCruiser, the LX includes a rack-assisted electrical energy steering system that enables for a correct lane-centring perform on the freeway. Somewhat than braking if you drift in the direction of the white traces, it’s capable of actively preserve you between them by making use of steering at freeway speeds.

Mixed with the sleek radar cruise management, it makes the LX600 able to taking an additional load off the driving force on lengthy freeway hauls.

Refinement is deeply spectacular at 110km/h. Barely any exterior noise sneaks into the cabin, the engine hums away barely above idle, and the trip is magic carpet clean.

Off-road, the LX600 will go locations few luxurious four-wheel drives in need of a Vary Rover or G-Wagen might dream of. With a central locking differential, a correct low-range switch case, height-adjustable suspension, and a variety of digital aids to maintain the automotive transferring in the appropriate path.

Just like the LandCruiser, it waltzed via our exams – take a look at the video above to see it in motion. Whether or not the typical proprietor will take their $210,000 four-wheel drive into the wilderness is one other query.

What do you get?

LX500d and LX600 highlights:

20-inch alloy wheels
Tri-beam LED headlights
Adaptive high-beam
7 seats
12.3-inch central touchscreen
Satellite tv for pc navigation
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
DAB+ radio
Wi-fi telephone charging
7.0-inch decrease display
8.0-inch digital driver show
Head-up show
“Hey Lexus” pure speech recognition
25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
4-zone local weather management
Leather-based upholstery
10-way energy driver’s seat
8-way energy entrance passenger seat
Heated entrance seats
‘Shimamoku’ wooden trim
Encompass-view cameras
Multi-terrain monitor
Lexus Linked Providers

The Enhancement Pack ($5500) provides 22-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, and a hands-free tailgate with kick sensor.

LX500d and LX600 Sports activities Luxurious add:

(Over base mannequin with Enhancement Pack)

22-inch cast alloy wheels
5 seats
Ventilated entrance seats
Heated, ventilated second-row seats
Heated steering wheel
Centre console cooler field
Digital rear-view mirror
Smooth-close doorways
Fingerprint identification push-button begin
Premium leather-accented seats
‘Takanoha’ ornamentation – wooden veneer
Twin 11.6-inch rear-seat leisure system

LX500d and LX600 F Sport acquire:

(Over base mannequin with Enhancement Pack)

22-inch cast alloy wheels
Darkened alloy wheels
Heated steering wheel
Ventilated entrance seats
Heated, ventilated second-row seats
Centre console cooler field
Digital rear-view mirror
Smooth-close doorways
Fingerprint ID push-button begin
Blacked-out mesh grille
Hadori aluminium ornamentation
Aluminium pedals and scuff plates
Perforated F Sport seats with added bolstering
Unique Flare Pink inside trim possibility
Torsen limited-slip differential rear
Adaptive Variable Suspension
Efficiency dampers

LX600 Extremely Luxurious provides:

Rear captain’s chairs
Distinctive rear centre console

Is the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious secure?

The Lexus LX hasn’t but been crash examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. The associated LandCruiser earned a five-star score earlier in 2021.

Normal security gear consists of:

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
Parking Help Brake incl. impediment, automobile detection
Blind-spot monitoring
Adaptive cruise management
Lane Tracing Help
Visitors signal recognition
Emergency steering help

How a lot does the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious value to run?

The Lexus LX is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Homeowners additionally get entry to the Lexus Encore Platinum possession program.

The LX600 comes with three years of capped-price servicing. Upkeep is required each six months or 10,000 kilometres, and every of the primary six providers value $595.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Lexus LX600 Extremely Luxurious

It’s simple to see the enchantment of the Lexus LX basically, however the Extremely Luxurious feels geared toward a really particular crowd.

The rear seats are spectacular however don’t have the identical quantity of legroom you get in a luxurious individuals mover or limousine, and the actual fact it’s constructed on a ladder body with a full gamut of off-road package means it is going to all the time be inherently compromised on-road.

If you would like the most important, finest household truck Toyota and Lexus have to supply, the LX600 Extremely Luxurious is the four-wheel drive for you. Likewise in case you’re a chauffeur taking over a very rugged faculty run, there’s little or no on earth that’ll do what the LX will.

However if you wish to finest Lexus LX for hauling a household and their package round, the LX600 F Sport is a greater wager.