Range Rover rival gets new makeover for 2016 - but does its tough image extend to serious off-road credentials?
Waaaaait before we go further... there's an itch I need to scratch. I've seen that somewhere before... Ah yes... that familiar dejavu feeling:
Okay, that was a bit cheeky but still, it's a good visual reference point to see how much the 4x4 has evolved since its 2014 iteration. Ever since the LX was inducted into the Lexus range in 1995 as a gussied-up Toyota Land Cruiser, you have to admit, you don't see many of these on the roads as you would a Range Rover. Now in its third incarnation since the J200 (Lexus internal codename) came out in 2007 we have every right to expect a raft of changes for 2016 that can give the boffins at Range Rover sleepless nights. Let's get right into it.
Just how big is this car? It's not so much a car as much as it is a house on wheels. But to give you an idea, this behemoth measures 5080mm long by 1980mm wide and is 1865mm tall. I've looked carefully through property classifieds and I assure you, there are flats in London Zone 1 that have a smaller footprint than this.
Can you guess the weight? It tips the scale just under two Toyota Prius' worth of heft. Or, in metric terms, 2,510kg. You know those streets demonstrations people do, where they stand in front of an armoured tank or demolition vehicle to show politicians their disgust that the UK is about to conduct airstrikes on Syria or when they find out that Antartic baby seals are being clubbed to the verge of extinction? Don't try such shenanigans against the Lexus LX 570. If it inadvertently runs over you (which no doubt it will because it's so high the driver can't see mere peasants below), the driver has a better chance of feeling the slight 'wobble' caused by an exploding mine under its carriage than your body.
First up, you see the front grille has been almost chiselled out of stone, incorporating an angularity that first came to light with the Lexus NX, followed by the Lexus RX which we covered here, and now, this: Lexus flagship SUV. The spindle grille remains as polarising as ever but it has to be said, a vehicle meant to take on the prestige of the Range Rover and other 4x4s of similar dizzying heights needs to have presence, and this front fascia indeed gives it character in spades.
The rear end has been redesigned to incorporate the L-finesse LED taillights to standardise the family resemblance with models down the line. 20 inch rims come standard in the US and UK but if you're in certain markets like Malaysia, Lexus has opted to specify even the base Lexus LX 570 model with 21 inch rollers.
The centrestage of the dashboard is a new 12.3 inch Electro-Multi Vision (EMV) through. It displays Lexus Enform entertainment system, which you navigate using the mouse-like Remote Touch Interface mounted on the centre console. Those of you who wonder if a stand-alone display works as well as one with a 'hood' like a Mercedes S-Class should know that Lexus is well ahead of the game, and have treated this screen with anti-glare and anti-reflection coatings.
This screen works in tandem with the multi-information display pinched by the two fixed dials in the instrument binnacle - that's a 4.2 inch TFT display which gives different readings of the vehicle current status and exterior temperature readings. And you should be able to see this displaye through the aperture of the new three-spoke wooden and leather steering wheel which, yes you've guessed it, can be heated to different settings. The rest of the cabin is wrapped in leather or garnished with metallic accents.
Sharp readers will also notice that Lexus has simplified the dashboard layout from the 2014 facelift; there are now fewer buttons and the overall effect looks cleaner, more 'let's-get-to-the-point.' The analogue clock detects GPS signals to ensure they are accurate and precise. Mark Levinson Premium Sound comes courtesy (well, they should at this bracket). 16-channel DSP amplifiers work their magic through 19 speakers which are placed on the dashboard, between pillars, near footwells or on the door cards to produce the most acoustically-correct sound reproduction this side of a banging home theatre.
The Lexus LX 570 is designed as an 8-seater, in a 2+3+3 configuration. Passengers in the second row are not exactly given second-class treatment. The centre armrest folds down to reveal plenty of kit to keep them busy (or annoy the front row passengers) with controls for Enform entertainment suite, air-conditioning temperature controls as well as seat heater and ventilator adjustments. Nice...
You can't, however, say the same for the third row of passengers. As the roof of the vehicle tapers down, backbenchers have significantly less headroom and the seats seem to have been designed for efficient stowage so that it folds as flat as possible than to provide lateral support. But the truth is, it is a rare day the third row will ever be used to seat people. Mostly, the only passengers are shopping bags from Target or Sainsburys. I doubt they'd have much too much to say.
The mill under the hood is a 5.7 litre V8 that churns out... well, depends where you are. American-specced Lexus LX 570 develops 383 horsepowers at 5,600 rpm while Asian models are tuned down to 362 bhp, while torque figures for the American version peaks at 586 Nm at 3,200 rpm while Asian vehicles get only 530 Nm. This powerplant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the six-speed from the pre-facelift (but facelifted) 2014 Lexus LX 570.
It's an exceedingly capable car but let's face it, how many owners take it to the max? The ones I've ever seen are usually found in parking lots and office multi-storeys; never seen out out in the rough. It's not like they don't belong there; but if you can afford a vehicle like this (American prices US$92,485; Malaysian prices RM923,960), you're likely navigating the pages of the financial weekly rather than muddy swamps treacherous jungles.
This is by far the toughest, no-nonsense vehicle Lexus makes. What are your thoughts about it?
Cheers!
All Lexus
Waaaaait before we go further... there's an itch I need to scratch. I've seen that somewhere before... Ah yes... that familiar dejavu feeling:
Okay, that was a bit cheeky but still, it's a good visual reference point to see how much the 4x4 has evolved since its 2014 iteration. Ever since the LX was inducted into the Lexus range in 1995 as a gussied-up Toyota Land Cruiser, you have to admit, you don't see many of these on the roads as you would a Range Rover. Now in its third incarnation since the J200 (Lexus internal codename) came out in 2007 we have every right to expect a raft of changes for 2016 that can give the boffins at Range Rover sleepless nights. Let's get right into it.
Just how big is this car? It's not so much a car as much as it is a house on wheels. But to give you an idea, this behemoth measures 5080mm long by 1980mm wide and is 1865mm tall. I've looked carefully through property classifieds and I assure you, there are flats in London Zone 1 that have a smaller footprint than this.
Can you guess the weight? It tips the scale just under two Toyota Prius' worth of heft. Or, in metric terms, 2,510kg. You know those streets demonstrations people do, where they stand in front of an armoured tank or demolition vehicle to show politicians their disgust that the UK is about to conduct airstrikes on Syria or when they find out that Antartic baby seals are being clubbed to the verge of extinction? Don't try such shenanigans against the Lexus LX 570. If it inadvertently runs over you (which no doubt it will because it's so high the driver can't see mere peasants below), the driver has a better chance of feeling the slight 'wobble' caused by an exploding mine under its carriage than your body.
First up, you see the front grille has been almost chiselled out of stone, incorporating an angularity that first came to light with the Lexus NX, followed by the Lexus RX which we covered here, and now, this: Lexus flagship SUV. The spindle grille remains as polarising as ever but it has to be said, a vehicle meant to take on the prestige of the Range Rover and other 4x4s of similar dizzying heights needs to have presence, and this front fascia indeed gives it character in spades.
The rear end has been redesigned to incorporate the L-finesse LED taillights to standardise the family resemblance with models down the line. 20 inch rims come standard in the US and UK but if you're in certain markets like Malaysia, Lexus has opted to specify even the base Lexus LX 570 model with 21 inch rollers.
The centrestage of the dashboard is a new 12.3 inch Electro-Multi Vision (EMV) through. It displays Lexus Enform entertainment system, which you navigate using the mouse-like Remote Touch Interface mounted on the centre console. Those of you who wonder if a stand-alone display works as well as one with a 'hood' like a Mercedes S-Class should know that Lexus is well ahead of the game, and have treated this screen with anti-glare and anti-reflection coatings.
This screen works in tandem with the multi-information display pinched by the two fixed dials in the instrument binnacle - that's a 4.2 inch TFT display which gives different readings of the vehicle current status and exterior temperature readings. And you should be able to see this displaye through the aperture of the new three-spoke wooden and leather steering wheel which, yes you've guessed it, can be heated to different settings. The rest of the cabin is wrapped in leather or garnished with metallic accents.
Sharp readers will also notice that Lexus has simplified the dashboard layout from the 2014 facelift; there are now fewer buttons and the overall effect looks cleaner, more 'let's-get-to-the-point.' The analogue clock detects GPS signals to ensure they are accurate and precise. Mark Levinson Premium Sound comes courtesy (well, they should at this bracket). 16-channel DSP amplifiers work their magic through 19 speakers which are placed on the dashboard, between pillars, near footwells or on the door cards to produce the most acoustically-correct sound reproduction this side of a banging home theatre.
The Lexus LX 570 is designed as an 8-seater, in a 2+3+3 configuration. Passengers in the second row are not exactly given second-class treatment. The centre armrest folds down to reveal plenty of kit to keep them busy (or annoy the front row passengers) with controls for Enform entertainment suite, air-conditioning temperature controls as well as seat heater and ventilator adjustments. Nice...
You can't, however, say the same for the third row of passengers. As the roof of the vehicle tapers down, backbenchers have significantly less headroom and the seats seem to have been designed for efficient stowage so that it folds as flat as possible than to provide lateral support. But the truth is, it is a rare day the third row will ever be used to seat people. Mostly, the only passengers are shopping bags from Target or Sainsburys. I doubt they'd have much too much to say.
The mill under the hood is a 5.7 litre V8 that churns out... well, depends where you are. American-specced Lexus LX 570 develops 383 horsepowers at 5,600 rpm while Asian models are tuned down to 362 bhp, while torque figures for the American version peaks at 586 Nm at 3,200 rpm while Asian vehicles get only 530 Nm. This powerplant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the six-speed from the pre-facelift (but facelifted) 2014 Lexus LX 570.
It's an exceedingly capable car but let's face it, how many owners take it to the max? The ones I've ever seen are usually found in parking lots and office multi-storeys; never seen out out in the rough. It's not like they don't belong there; but if you can afford a vehicle like this (American prices US$92,485; Malaysian prices RM923,960), you're likely navigating the pages of the financial weekly rather than muddy swamps treacherous jungles.
This is by far the toughest, no-nonsense vehicle Lexus makes. What are your thoughts about it?
Cheers!
All Lexus
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