If the new Toyota LandCruiser floats your boat but isn’t quite luxurious enough to tempt the dollars out of your wallet, there might be a solution for you: the 2022 Lexus LX
Due to arrive in Australia some time in 2022, local specifications, pricing and drivetrain options have yet to be confirmed.
Although Toyota has invested in giving the LX more visual differentiation, it’s still clearly based on the 300 Series LandCruiser.
Up front there are new headlights, a bold new interpretation of the Lexus spindle grille, a unique bonnet and, of course, different bumpers.
The side profile comes with different alloy wheel designs, and a new rear quarter window sporting a more angular design. The tailgate is less upright, and the tail-lights and bumpers are also unique.
On the inside, everything looks familiar but almost everything is actually subtly different, with the LX featuring its own dashboard and interior door panels.
Rising out of the dash is a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment that’s housed in a unique skateboard-style section, including a Lexus-exclusive starter button with built-in fingerprint reader.
Directly below is a LX-only 7.0-inch secondary touchscreen that’s primarily for the Multi-Terrain Select system, but also features additional settings for the climate control setup.
Top-shelf models are fitted with a 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, while more pedestrian models make do with just 10 speakers.
Buyers can choose between a two-row/five-seat or three-row/seven-seat layout, with the latter featuring an “auto arrange” switch to lay all the seats flat, and a “walk-in” mode that electronically folds the second row to make entry into the last row easier.
There’s also a new VIP spec with seating for just four people, with the second row featuring luxurious captain’s chairs separated by a centre console housing a touchscreen for the climate control and infotainment systems.
The rear seats can be reclined up to 48 degrees, and comfort for those in the back can be further enhanced by sliding and titling the front passenger seat forward and deploying the built-in foot rest.
For those who want a dash of extra on-road performance, there’s now an F Sport option complete with 22-inch wheels, thicker seat bolsters, sportier shocks, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, rear stabiliser bar, retuned steering, and adaptive suspension.
Under the bonnet, the LX600 is powered by the same 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that’s the backbone of the LandCruiser range across the Middle East. Output is unchanged at 305kW and 650Nm.
If the outgoing 200 Series models are anything to go by, the LX may be the only way Australians get to enjoy a petrol engine in a LandCruiser chassis.
For those who value fuel economy or have any desire to go off-road, the LX500d is probably a better bet. The 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine cranks out 227kW and 700Nm just like it does in the LandCruiser.
Both engines are hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive system.
There’s no word on the much-rumoured hybrid model, but it could feature the same 3.5-litre V6 hybrid system that’s optional on the new Tundra pickup truck.
Rated at 326kW and 790Nm, the i-Force Max drivetrain eschews Toyota’s familiar e-CVT setup for an electric motor built into the 10-speed automatic transmission.
The LX uses the same GA-F body-on-frame architecture as the LandCruiser, and rides on wheels that range between 20 and 22 inches depending on model.
Off-road aids include crawl control, downhill assist, Multi-Terrain Select, which offers the driver six driving modes (Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow and Rock), and a Multi-Terrain Monitor with cameras mounted at the front, rear and under the wing mirrors.
There’s no mention of the electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (e-KDSS), so this off-roading feature may be restricted to the LandCruiser.
The on-road safety list includes autonomous emergency braking with day and night pedestrian and cyclist detection, oncoming vehicle detection during turns, emergency steering assist, radar-guided cruise control, dynamic high beams, and road sign recognition.
MORE: Everything Lexus LX
