Over-the-top luxury in a size-large package
• At 2,644 feet, the mountain called Le Massif — which loosely translates to “the massive one” — could just as well refer to the vehicle we’re driving.
First introduced in 1995, the Lexus LX was basically a Toyota Land Cruiser for people with a lot of money. Deep- pocketed buyers looking for a luxurious yet capable utility vehicle were getting some serious off- road creds with their swank.
Now in its third generation, the LX 570 has undergone several revisions, but it’s still a Land Cruiser at its core. It’s one of the few true SUVs remaining on the market, with a genuine truck- based reinforced ladder frame, Torsen locking differential, a crawl-control system and nine inches of ground clearance.
Externally, only the door skins remain unchanged. Everything else—from headlight to tail lamp, sheet metal to grille — has been redesigned. Beauty being subjective, I’ll leave you to decide whether that’s a good thing. In my opinion, it’s slightly better looking than the Infiniti QX80, but there’s no getting around the fact that this is one gigantic chunk of steel, with the face of a trash compactor. If you’re a basketball star, aging gang banger or Vegas high-roller, here’s your truck.
Vertical LED s punctuate the gnashing mandibles of its spindle grille like gun slits, and the vast expanse of slashed and carved sheet metal rides on optional 21-inch split-spoke wheels. It’s High Brutalism in motion; once you get over the sheer presence of this thing and climb inside, you’re greeted with the sort of dated opulence associated with high-end casinos and mob- owned hotels. Rich, parchment leather slathered over every surface? Check. Rare “Bubinga” African Rosewood trim, polished to a high-gloss shine? Check. Huge colour display that could pass for an apartment- sized flatscreen TV? Check.
Relax into the plump, fully adjustable, automatically activated heated or chilled seats and you start to enjoy the LX 570, just for its over- the- top luxury gone large. I let out a deep sigh at the steering wheel’s toasty warmth and the ability to get the lumbar support just right. Second- row passengers can also warm (or cool) their buns, and slide forward or backward while they enjoy their own personal 11.6- inch entertainment screen. There’s LED ambient lighting throughout the painstakingly wrought cabin, and overhead lights are activated by touch sensors.
Aside from all the requisite luxury technology, such as 19- speaker Mark Levinson audio system, wireless smartphone charging and Siri Eyes Free, there’s a full suite of onboard safety systems. They feature 360 degrees of radarbased sensor awareness and include pedestrian detection, lane- departure warning with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, intelligent high-beam control and a pre- collision warning system that preloads, or even initiates, braking and tightens the seatbelts.
It’s easy to be lulled into a deep sense of contentment by this luxe-barge. But there’s one niggling factor in i ts sybaritic comfort: the older and ergonomically simpler switch-gear has been replaced with the Lexus Remote Touch interface. Not only does it take up too much of the centre console’s valuable real estate — Where do I put my keys? My snacks? My sunglasses? — but it is, by far, one of the most convoluted examples of electronic redundancy and is also a potential source of driver distraction.
Instead of a simple touch screen to navigate the system, there is a mouse- type button that is hypersensitive and tends to jump around the screen, especially if you’re trying to operate it with one hand on the steering wheel.
If you select a button to split the screen, you would fully expect to hit the same one to bring it back, right? Nope. Recovering a single- screen view entails shuffling through screens until you eventually stumble upon the right command. Or you give up.
If you’re a fan of leviathan luxury cruisers, the LX 570 is solid, serene and generally quiet as a tomb. Step on the gas and the big V8’s rumble does intrude into the cabin, but it isn’t unpleasant. The 5.7-litre engine is a carry-over, rated at 383 horsepower and 403 pound- feet of torque. There’s a new eight- speed automatic transmission, introduced as part of a futile quest to bring the gas consumption down. Official fuel ratings are 18.1 L/ 100 km in the city and 13.1 on the highway. Ouch.
Multiple drive modes let you choose between Normal, Comfort, Sport S and Sport S+, all of which change the characteristics of engine, transmission, steering and suspension. Choose Comfort and the ride is soft and wallowing, but Sport S and Sport S+ tighten up the handling considerably and it becomes almost fun to drive.
There’s room for eight on board and the third-row seats fold up oddly to the side, increasing rear cargo space from 259 L to 1,257 L. What’s more, the LX 570 has a maximum tow rating of 7,000 lbs. ( 3,175 kilograms), which is equal to many light- duty pickup trucks.
There are roomier luxury SUVs ( such as the MercedesBenz GLS- Class), more powerful ones ( including the Cadillac Escalade) and prettier ones ( just about all of them, save for the Infiniti QX80). But if you’re in the market for a giant SUV with plenty of bling that’s at home on both the Rubicon and the Las Vegas Strip, bring $ 108,470 and seven of your friends, and have a serious look at the 2016 Lexus LX 570.