The new Toyota Land Cruiser was debuted worldwide earlier this year and received a lot of mixed reactions regarding its looks, especially from Pakistani car enthusiasts. However, we reckon that its fancier, more sophisticated twin — the Lexus LX600 — will not receive negative reactions for its striking new look after finally being unveiled.
The off-road luxury SUV is based on the same ladder-frame chassis as the latest Toyota Tundra and the 300-series Toyota Land Cruiser, meaning that it is still a proper off-road SUV and not just a fancy crossover, which is a great relief, especially for off-road enthusiasts.
Although the basic recipe has been maintained, the LX600 is still a step up from its predecessor in numerous ways. Here is everything that is ‘new’ in the new LX600.
Design
The LX600 has retained most of the styling cues from the outgoing LX570, including the board front fascia that sports a similar modern and sharp-looking pair of headlights, an even more prominent and imposing front grille, and a slightly modernized bonnet design.
The design around the side is similar except for a few subtle changes like flared fenders, a thicker D-pillar with smaller side windows, chrome trim around the windows, newly designed side mirrors, and (not so subtle) 22-inch alloy wheels.
After looking at the 300-series Land Cruiser, car lovers were worried that the new LX SUV would have the same ugly, boxy-looking tail-end, but Lexus has been smart to keep the rear windshield a forward lean, resulting in a handsome look. Complementing it are the new taillights that are all-LED and joined with a red light strip that runs across the entire width of the tailgate. The rear spoiler also adds to the attractiveness of the new LX600.
Interior
The interior of the LX570 was well equipped but dated due to its design. Fortunately, Lexus has full-limousine with the new LX600, loaded with a myriad of high-end tech features and a luxurious look-and-feel.
As is a hallmark of all new cars, the LX600 is fitted with multiple screens that control various interior functions. The dash design is sleek and smart and is complemented by the flowing center console design. The interior is wrapped in high-quality materials, and with Lexus-level reliability, it is sure to remain in great condition throughout its life.
The LX600 can also be equipped with three-row seating, or the ‘Ultra Luxury’ pack that provides two captain’s chairs in the back that are reclinable, heated, ventilated, and have the massaging feature as well. This package also offers a touch-based center control unit, a car fridge, independent fully automated climate control, and a ton of other features.
Performance
In terms of performance, the LX600 and the Land Cruiser 300 are fairly identical. Like the Land Cruiser, the most significant change is that Toyota has finally ditched the massive 5.7-liter V8 fuel guzzler in favor of a smaller, more fuel-efficient, more environment-friendly, yet more powerful lineup of turbocharged V6 engines.
The LX600 will feature a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine that makes a healthy 409 hp and 650 Nm of torque, which is significantly more than the previous V8 engine. The new powertrain is mated to the latest 10-speed automatic transmission. Plus, the 4×4 feature is available as the standard across the entire variant range of the vehicle.
The rest of the mechanicals including suspension, brakes, chassis, etc. is similar to the Land Cruiser 300, with a slightly different tune on them for a more compliant and road-friendly performance.
Features
As the latest generation SUV, the new LX600 is fitted with the following advanced elements, including, but not limited to:
- Lane departure warning
- Automatic headlights
- Adaptive cruise control
- Collision warning
- Lane keep assist
- Road sign assist
- Crawl Control
- Hill Descent Control
- Hill Start Assist
- Multi-Terrain Select (modulates the SUV’s performance to adapt to a particular surface)
- Multi-Terrain Monitor (allows the driver to assess the terrain obstacles through a front-mounted camera)
Market Debut and Price
The LX600 will be launched initially only in North American markets in the first quarter of the 2022 calendar year. It is also being speculated that the SUV will have a starting price of $90,000, which places it right next to some of the most premium vehicles in the market.
However, regardless of the huge price tag, the LX600 is still one of the favorites in the automotive community due to its capability, reliability, and added technology, and luxury with which its popularity is only likely to go up.
