Lexus has presented a brand new giant of an SUV. We are introduced to the LX 600, the luxurious Lexus equivalent of the new Toyota Land Cruiser with a heavy railing on its front.
A few months ago we were introduced to the new Land Cruiser, the first truly new Land Cruiser in about 14 years. The new Lexus LX 600 starring in this article is, in fact, the Lexus version of that Land Cruiser. Then we are not talking about the SUV that Toyota is called Land Cruiser in the Netherlands. That is in fact the Land Cruiser Prado on the basis of which Lexus carries the GX. No, it is the largest new Land Cruiser (J300) that Lexus now presents its own version of: the LX 600.
Lexus LX (2021 – )
Is it the first time that Lexus comes with an LX? Well no. The LX that you see in these photos is already the LX of the fourth generation that succeeds the outgoing model presented in 2008. The previous LX was already fitted with a gigantic fence as a maw in 2015, and in fact the imposing front of this LX 600 is not new, although the car certainly attracts attention with it. The design of the LX 600 follows that of its predecessor, although the whole looks a bit more tidy on this new generation.
Lexus LX (2015-2021)
The LX also differs from its Toyota brother at the rear. The approximately 5 meter long SUV has its own taillights that are tied together with a continuous light bar for the first time in both LX and Land Cruiser history. Compared to the Land Cruiser, the LX also has a different tailgate with a sharper demarcated compartment for the license plate and the bumper has also been given its own design. With the previous LX, however, that was a valve that – like the example of a Range Rover – opens in two parts. Almost the entire rest of the coach is one-to-one interchangeable with that of the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Lexus LX600 (2021 – )
On the inside, the similarities between the two top SUVs are much smaller. The LX, built around the GA-F ladder frame, just like the Land Cruiser, has its own dashboard with – apart from the placement of the outer ventilation grilles – no resemblance to that of the Land Cruiser. In the Lexus LX, the design is less angular. We see, among other things, vertical instead of horizontal ventilation grilles in the center console with a 7-inch display in between. Via that screen you can choose the climate control and the driving program, among other things. At the very top of the dashboard we see the 12.3-inch large screen of the infotainmant system and of course behind the steering wheel a digital instrumentation is hidden. Although, of course. In any case, the basic versions of the Land Cruiser are just analog clocks with a display in between. Striking: even the door panels in the LX are completely Lexus-specific.
The outgoing Lexus LX is called LX 570 in the United States, as it is only available with a 5.7 V8. In Russia, among others, the model also exists as LX 450d with – you guessed it – a 4.5 V8 diesel heart. The fact that the new LX is called ‘LX 600’ in this case does not indicate that there is a six liter machine under the hood. The LX 600 ‘just’ gets the 415 hp and 650 Nm strong biturbo 3.5 V6 of the Land Cruiser under the hood, a petrol engine that is always tied to a ten-speed automatic transmission. Why LX600? For the simple reason that LX 350 after LX 570 simply sounds like a decline. In the terrain you should be able to handle the LX just as well as with the Land Cruiser, not only helped by software and hardware developed for this purpose, think of the ‘Back Underfloor View’ camera that also shows what is under the back of the car and the various driving modes that you can choose through s Multi-Terrain Select, but also due to the weight reduction of 200 (!) kilos compared to the previous model. The new base also makes the car a lot stiffer, according to Lexus.
Nice gadget: a fingerprint scanner is hidden in the start button. Nice and safe, if you have put the correct prints in the system beforehand, of course. There is also a special four-seat version called Executive, this variant has extra spacious captain seats from which you can adjust the living situation in the back to your own taste by means of an extra display. There is also a special Offroad version that is just a bit rougher.
Is the LX coming to the Netherlands? That answer is quite simple: no. The RX remains the largest Lexus SUV on the Dutch market.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl