New from the tires up, the flagship 2022 Lexus LX 600 luxury SUV replaces the previous generation that was around for, get this, almost 15 years. An absolute eternity in car years. Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser, the gussied-up LX’s mission was to add a layer of Lexus luxury to the legendary tough Toyota. There’s a new Land Cruiser in other markets, and hence this fresh LX. It’s still body-on-frame, it will still likely get you across the Sahara unscathed, and as would be expected, the newbie sees big leaps in refinement, power, technology, and comfort. And grille size.
The 2022 Lexus LX 600 starts at $106,950 in Canada. This tester sports the $13,650 F Sport package that adds 22-inch wheels, semi-aniline leather, ventilated second row seats, 25-speaker Mark Levinson audio, limited slip rear differential, and more. The LX is as imposing as ever, shunning the 2023 Land Rover’s chic runway styling for traditional upright, don’t-mess-with-me, my-grille-is-bigger-than-your-grille approach. Although in F Sport trim the ”spindle” grille is black, so less in yer face.
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
The LX 600’s cabin is a step up from the aging LX 570’s interior. It’s a blend of the old and new, embracing digital tech while still offering up an array of easy-to-use analogue controls. A new touchscreen interface replaces Lexus’ much-maligned mouse-like controller of yore, but strangely, there’s no split screen function. It’s also a long reach away, and with no tuning knob, scrolling through radio stations is impossible. The menu structure makes accessing audio functions an exercise in frustration — almost forgivable considering the excellent sound of the Mark Levinson system.
There are some real throw-backs in here — the old-fashioned PRND shift lever, a puny sunroof, a small crowded digital info display within the central speedo, and a plastic fuel cap release lever hidden in the lower dash. Of course, everything is built to the expected Lexus standard, but it already feels old in here. Why doesn’t this flagship Lexus get the excellent next-gen infotainment system introduced in the 2022 Lexus NX compact crossover?
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
A large panel of analogue controls for HVAC and off-road systems sits ahead of an old-fashioned PRND shift lever. With the Climate Concierge button, set a temp and the LX does its best to keep you comfy, adjusting seat heat or cooling, steering wheel heat, and ambient temp as needed. The smaller screen above the HVAC buttons displays climate and off-roading functions, and there’s a big Drive Mode dial that calls up six modes — Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+, for when feeling extra sporty I guess, and a customizable mode.
This body-on-frame SUV has decades of off-road cred in its portfolio, and the tradition continues. The MTS button (multi terrain select) has the LX optimizing its systems for the chosen terrain, there’s a button to access hill decent and low-speed crawl function, and next to that a rotary controller for high or low range. On the console we have buttons for centre differential lock and air suspension ride height adjustment.
I didn’t do any off-roading in my week with this gargantuan luxo-barge (who will?), but it’s safe to assume bragging rights are fully intact.
The old model’s split rear tailgate is replaced with a standard powered tailgate with kick sensor, and the third-row seat now folds flat into the floor, as opposed to folding up to the sides which hampered cargo space. Third row passenger space and access are pretty tight compared to some of the LX’s longer wheelbase rivals — think Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GL, and BMW X7.
The LX 600’s big story is under the hood. The old LX 570 ran with a 5.7L V8. Does this mean the new 600 model gets a 6-litre V8? Nope. Motivation comes from a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 that, while not kicking out a premium V8 rumble, does kick out more power and torque — 410 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, and that’s up 26 and 76 respectively over the old V8. It’s hooked to a smart shifting 10-speed auto. With a hefty slug of turbo torque arriving low in the rev range, the big LX moves out effortlessly from just about any speed.
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
The LX 600 is about 200 kg lighter than the old model, and with this smaller more efficient engine, combined fuel economy improves over the LX 570 to the tune of 12.7 L/100 km vs 16.9. Additionally, towing capacity jumps from 7,000 lbs to 8,000 lbs.
Once hoisted up into the gorgeous red leather chair, there’s a commanding view down the road. The V6 is smooth, powerful, and quiet, and the 10-speed auto slurs the gears imperceptibly. Ride quality is up too, but tuck into a corner and there’s a lot of body roll. The LX 600 is tall and tippy, and while it does its best to hide the fact that it’s a body-on-frame truck with a live rear axle, the occasional structural quiver and ponderous handling are dead giveaways. Selecting Sport mitigates some of the nautical tendencies, but the ride never feels fully settled.
2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport Photo by Peter Bleakney
There’s no question this new LX is leagues ahead of the old model, and don’t get me wrong, it is a mighty convincing piece of luxury off-road kit. But compared with the reimagined 2023 Range Rover, arguably its main rival, the Lexus LX 600 feels somewhat prehistoric. The Rangie has a beautifully rendered interior, is vastly superior on the road and will likely get you stuck just as far away from civilization as the Lexus.
Fans of the Toyota Land Cruiser will be quick to point out note that Range Rover has had a somewhat tenuous relationship with reliability, while your Lexus LX 600 will, come Armageddon, likely be sharing what’s left of our planet with the cockroaches and Keith Richards. This legendary resilience is reflected in LX resale values. But will buyers of top-tier luxury SUVs, who don’t plan on tackling the remotest corners of the earth, be happy with a tippy, not particularly handsome rig with a pre-dated interior? As tough as the LX 600 is, its biggest threat comes from the pretty-boy Range Rover.
Keyword: SUV Review: 2022 Lexus LX 600 F Sport