Lexus LX 570 Review

Want a large luxury SUV that can handle off-road terrain better than the road? Need more seats than a Range Rover but find the Toyota badge too plebeian? Enter the Lexus LX 570. It’s essentially a redressed Toyota Land Cruiser with a badge you won’t need to hide upon entrance into your local country club.

Like the Toyota Land Cruiser, the exceptional value the LX570 offers is its remarkable reliability. Few SUVs, let alone luxury SUVs, can claim consistent lifespans of twenty years and over 200,000 miles. The consequence is phenomenal resale value. It’s not uncommon to see a five-year-old LX models fetching forty or fifty thousand dollars, half its retail value.

Meanwhile, competitors, especially Range Rovers, lose roughly half their value in just three years. If you’re looking for a luxury SUV that retains its value and won’t let you down, the LX 570 is in a class of its own.

This SUV isn’t light, it weighs over 3 tons. To motivate this beast, lots of power is required. Lexus supplies a 5,663cc V8 that makes 383 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 40lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. To supply that power to the wheels, a stellar 8-speed automatic offers silky smooth shifts. Of course, it’s also full time 4 wheel drive with a sturdy locking differential to climb rock faces or substantially steep driveways. Though those power figures appear high, the 6,200 pounds of heft leave this gargantuan

Of course, it’s also full time 4 wheel drive with a sturdy locking differential to climb rock faces or substantially steep driveways. Though those power figures appear high, the 6,200 pounds of heft leave this gargantuan flat-footed most of the time.

It takes over 7 seconds to reach sixty, eternity when compared with the larger Escalade’s 5.6 seconds. The Escalade, or any of its other quicker competitors, don’t have the same off-road prowess. The Lx 570 can go anywhere the Toyota Land Cruiser can go, pretty much anywhere.

However, we’re keenly aware that many prospective owners probably never leave the suburbs, let alone take their SUVs down difficult trails. They may tow big toys like boats and the big Lexus is rated to tow 7,000 pounds. It can tow but the task is done much better by rivaling SUVs like the Lincoln Navigator, Escalade, or even Infiniti QX80.

The LX 570 isn’t particularly athletic but makes up for it with one of softest, most supple rides around. The adaptive air suspension rivals that of the Range Rover’s and will be much less of a headache in long-term ownership. Driving the LX 570 is not an unpleasant experience but the body-on-frame design is showing its age and it isn’t as easy to live with as some competitors.

Probably the strongest selling point for this SUV beside its phenomenal reliability, the plush cabin coddles up to eight occupants in luxury.

The standard leather seats are some of the most comfortable around with generous bolstering and power lumbar support. The driver possesses a commanding view of the road from their perch and visibility is excellent all the way around.

The view inside pleases the eye with four different real wood trims available, complemented by hand stitched real leather trim throughout. A 12.3-inch infotainment system freshens up the interior and offers all the functions you could ever want or need, besides Apple CarPlay or Android Auto which still have yet to debut in any Toyota or Lexus vehicles. Fortunately, Siri Eyes Free is included.

The infotainment system is controlled by an advanced mouse-like controller that can be distracting to use. Optional add-ons include a Heads Up Display and a surreal Mark Levinson 19-speaker sound system for which we’d shell out the extra cash.

The optional rear-seat entertainment system is superior, with giant dual 11.6-inch monitors that are easily visible from even the third row. The second row is a 3 seat bench with an above average middle seat that even gets its own headrest.

Access to the third row is easy and adults won’t be too cramped but it’s better left to the kiddos. The third-row power folds but doesn’t fold flat which limits cargo capacity to 41 cubic feet behind the second row and 83.1 with rear rows folded, ranking well below the class average.

Overall, the Lexus offers a plush cabin with an excellent seating capacity in a much more driver-friendly package than an Escalade or Navigator.

The most obvious differences from the Land Cruise on which the LX is based are on the outside. Though it shares a similar silhouette, the Lexus design touches add the flair worthy of its hefty price tag. A huge chrome grille stretches from the hood to the bumper.

On either side, there are jewel LED headlights with LED running lights and LED fog lights below them, fixed to vents that we assume improve the aerodynamics of this large SUV. The side profile is nearly indistinguishable from the Land Cruiser except for the unique running boards and mirrors. The rear fascia features prominent LED tail lights with a much more modern design than the box-shaped Land Cruisers'.

A roof spoiler and rear mud flaps let you know this SUV means serious business. The flagship SUV sits on 20-inch “five-spoke” alloy wheels, 21-inch split ten-spoke wheels are optional, and, in our opinion, fit the luxe Lexus better.

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash tested this large luxury SUV. We can only assume the nearly 6 figure price tag proves too costly. The Australia New Car Assessment Program, Australia’s NHTSA equivalent, tested the Toyota Land Cruiser which underpins the Lexus LX. They offer a phenomenal 5-star rating. The LX features a standard integrated suite of safety technology. Lexus Enform Safety Connect is a GPS enabled roadside assistance system. 

If you’re in an accident or any other emergency, you can use the system to receive help when you need it most. The subscription is free for the first ten years of ownership. An Advanced Multi-View Monitor includes a rearview monitor, 360-degree monitor, and multi-terrain monitor that monitors the conditions beneath the SUV when off-roading.

The infotainment screen has a split screen that can display all these monitors at once if so desired. A ten airbag system is sure to keep passengers safe in the event of a collision. The full-time

The full-time four-wheel drive with active traction control and Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential ensure the SUV retains grip on all roads in all conditions. Though it hasn’t been officially crash tested by the authoritative organizations, we think the Lexus LX performs admirably in the safety category.

Since it’s based on the Toyota Land Cruiser, perhaps the most reliable and durable vehicle of all time, the Lexus LX is a remarkably reliable SUV. It receives one of the highest JD Power predicted reliability ratings, a 4.5 out of 5.

One can expect to have very few problems, perhaps the strongest argument against buying Range Rover for the same money. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration record for this SUV is flawless.

We had to go all the way back to the 2013 model to find a complaint, well two complaints to be precise. One was for a spontaneously exploding sunroof, actually a more common problem than you’d expect with all modern sunroofs and not exclusive to this SUV. A second owner complains of a passenger airbag sensor that fails to sense an occupant. That’s it. No other complaints in the last five years.

There have been some Technical Service Bulletins issued for the LX over the past few years but most pertain to pre-delivery protocols for dealers (Lexus doesn’t sell too many of these, so they tend to sit). The only concerning ones pertain to poor connectivity issues. Bluetooth pairing may be an issue when the vehicle is first started. The HomeLink universal transceiver may be difficult to program. Lastly, iMessage text messages won’t appear on the multimedia display.

These are minor issues when compared with many competitors, which often face serious problems after a few years of ownership. The Lexus is engineered to last and holds its value exceptionally well as a result.

It’s not uncommon to see 10-year-old examples with well over a hundred thousand miles fetching over $30,000 dollars. In contrast, a ten-year-old Range Rover with similar miles might go for ten thousand or less. Reliability is ultimately this SUV’s greatest strength despite the phrase “reliable luxury SUV” usually referred to as an oxymoron.

Most of the reasons one would choose a Lexus LX over the eye-catching aesthetics and opulent interior of rivals like the Range Rover or Escalade are mostly value driven. With this consumer in mind, we’ll offer an interesting alternative: the INFINITI QX80. Its base price is a staggering $25,000 dollars less, though the plush Limited trim can reach $89,000, the Lexus’ base price.

Both feature thirsty big V8s but QX80’s makes 17 more horsepower and 10 more lb-ft of torque. It’s also more efficient with an EPA rating of 14 miles per gallon city and 20 miles per gallon highway to the LX’s 13 and 18. The QX80 is also rated to tow 8,500 lbs, 1,500 more than the Lexus.

The LX includes more safety features standard, including lane departure warning, forward automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control. They’re optional in the QX80, but ticking those boxes still costs less than the Lexus. The interior in the QX80 is quite classy and feature-packed but it’s not on the level of the Lexus.

Where the Lexus really distinguishes itself, however, is off-road. The Lexus comes with a litany of features that make it the ultimate off-road luxe yacht. It’s a sheik worthy SUV. The QX80 cannot compete and is better left on the road. Both SUVs score admirably in reliability, a rarity among luxury brands.

If you’re looking for the best value and stick to paved roads, the QX80 offers phenomenal value. If you want to buy an SUV that’s as capable as it is reliable, all while offering superior refinement, there is no substitute for the Lexus LX. Except for the Toyota Land Cruiser, but the Toyota version doesn’t have the same swagger.

The Lexus LX 570 only has one trim level and is powered by a nonaspirated 5.7 Liter V8 that makes 383 horsepower and 403 lb-ft of torque. The engine features four cams and four valves per cylinder with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence. An independent, height-adjustable double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs, electronically controlled shock absorbers, and stabilizer bar keep the front wheels planted. At the rear a four-link, height adjustable suspension system with coil springs, electronically controlled shock absorbers, and stabilizer bar absorb rough roads and trails alike. To stop this behemoth, there are four-piston caliper 13.9 inch ventilated front disc brakes and 13.5 inch ventilated rear disc brakes. A four-sensor, four-channel multi-terrain anti lock braking system intelligently manages stopping power along with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake assist. The 20 inch x 8.5 inch five-spoke wheels with 285/50R20 mud and snow rated tires never lose their grip and offer strong ride quality. An advanced engine speed sensing, progressive power-assisted rack-and-pinion Variable Gear-Ratio Steering system provides precise turning input. An eight-speed sequential-shift automatic electronically controlled transmission provides power to the full time four-wheel drive with Torsen limited-slip differential.

On the inside, an incredibly advances 12.3 inch infotainment system is standard and includes voice-activated navigation with tons of features. Enform App Suite is standard and used your compatible smartphone to stream music, check scores, book reservations, or manage your portfolio. Enform Service Connect is there to help you when you need it, Lexus’ version of OnStar. Lexus Enform Remote is a mobile app that allows you to lock and unlock your doors, locate your vehicle, and even start your Lexus, helpful if you’ve misplaced your keys. The standard HD Radio includes iTunes tagging to easily find songs you hear on the radio. The SmartAccess key allows you to unlock your doors and start your SUV without the keys ever leaving your pocket.

The Luxury Package costs $1,190 and adds heated and ventilated first and second-row seating with semi-aniline perforated leather trim, available in exclusive colors.

The Dual Screen Rear Seat entertainment system has the ability to display two different video sources on either screen and includes a DVD player, HDMI input, wireless remote, wireless headphones, and an AC power outlet for $2,005.

A color heads-up display is available for $900, as is a heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel for $150, a Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound Audio System for $2350, Qi-compatible wireless device charger for $75, a Cool Box for $170, and 21 inch split-10-spoke alloy wheels with dark gray and machined finish for $745.