Lexus has revealed the new generation of its flagship SUV, the LX. Underpinned by the same TNGA-F body-on-frame architecture, the new Lexus LX is a more luxurious and opulent version of the new Land Cruiser.
The upright, boxy stance and prominent squared-out wheel arches are all shared design elements with the Land Cruiser 300, though Lexus has added enough unique touches for the LX to stand out. The flat and high nose is dominated by a huge Lexus grille, which is flanked by sleek LED headlamps. The front bumper features gaping air dams and the bonnet is aggressively sculpted.
Along the sides, while the window line too is similar for the most part, the LX gets a revised design for the rear quarter windows. The LX also sits on larger 22-inch alloy wheels. The rear is characterised by LED tail-lights connected by a light bar, ‘Lexus’ spelled out on the tailgate.
The cabin too shares some basics with the new LC300, though Lexus has done a lot to help the new LX stand out. The LX’s dashboard is dominated by a twin-screen set-up — an upper, free-standing 12.3-inch screen that functions as the infotainment system and display for the 360 degree camera, and a lower 7.0-inch screen that shows various off-road data and climate control functions. The lower display is flanked by vertical air-con vents, with Lexus having revised the entire centre console layout. Just like the Land Cruiser, the LX’s starter button also has a fingerprint scanner.
The biggest upgrade to the cabin though is the new four-seat layout available on the new Ultra Luxury variant with individual rear seats able to recline by up to 48 degrees. Rear occupants sitting behind the co-driver also get the boss mode to move the front seat forward for greater space and a fold-out leg-rest for added comfort. The seats are separated by a full-length centre console housing a central touchscreen that controls various in car functions. As always, the LX continues to be available with the more standard 5- and 7-seat layouts as well.
Under the hood, the new Lexus LX gets new six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine options — a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol and a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine. The former produces 415hp and 650Nm and the latter produces 305hp and 700Nm, making them more powerful than the previous-gen V8 engines.
Both engines come mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, sending drive to all four wheels. Underpinned by the TNGA-F platform, the LX carries forward all the off-road upgrades from the Land Cruiser 300. It gets electronic locking differential at both ends, adaptive suspension that changes ride height based on the terrain, and multi-terrain modes — auto, dirt, sand, mud, deep snow and rock — that alter various parameters of the vehicle. It also gets crawl control that allows you to change the vehicle’s crawling speed without throttle inputs.
Also new to the LX line-up is an F-Sport variant that gets mechanical upgrades aside from cosmetic updates. Apart from visual updates such as darkened 22-inch alloys and mesh-finished grille, the F-Sport gets a retuned suspension with a rear stabiliser bar, and a Torsen limited slip differential at the rear for greater traction.
The Japanese domestic market (JDM) also gets a version of the LX. Called the LX Off-road, the region-specific model gets upgraded hardware such as three locking differentials with cosmetic elements such as darkened 18-inch wheels, and blacked-out elements, including the wheel arch cladding, to give it a more rough-and-ready look.
