2009 Lexus LX570: A luxury sized for utility
PETER BLEAKNEY FOR THE TORONTO STAR
The 2,660-kg LX570 is at heart a sumptuous version of Toyota's iconic workhorse, the Land Cruiser.
Admitting affection for a 2,660-kg, V8-powered eight-seat, body-on-frame luxury SUV in these times is somewhat akin to lighting a Brazilian rosewood bonfire on the ice caps while dancing about in a gorilla fur toque.
And yet, I can't help being somewhat impressed with such a supremely well-crafted leviathan as the $79,800 Lexus LX570.
Power comes from a 383 hp 5.7L V8 that generates 403 lb.-ft. of torque at 3600 r.p.m. It is coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter and transmission cooler. Towing capacity is an impressive 3,856 kg.
Put your foot in it, and the V8 sings a mellifluous song that's correctly understated, yet suitably forceful.
After a week of non-aggressive driving, I achieved 15.3 L/100 km (18.5 m.p.g.) – premium fuel required.
My tester sported the $5,600 Premium Package that adds 20-inch wheels (up from 18-inch), heated and air-conditioned front seats, heated middle-row outboard seats, powered rear door, park assist, wide-view front and side monitor system, plus wood and leather wheel and shift knob.
If you desire even plusher hide – Bubinga wood, front cool box, a super-duper 450-watt, 19-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with rear DVD, radar cruise control and Lexus pre-collision system – cough up another $10,550 for the Ultra Premium Package.
The high seating position and low beltline allow for a direct sightline to the front corners. The XXL rear-view mirrors are industrial grade. Shift the full-time AWD into low range and the standard electric/hydraulic adaptive suspension increases ride height 7.6 cm. The system allows each wheel maximum articulation while minimizing pitch and sway angles.
Crawl Control uses engine and braking forces to maintain one of three super-slow speeds (1 km/h, 3 km/h and 5 km/h) for traversing challenging terrain, and, of course, the LX570 is equipped with hill descent control, electronic traction control and stability control.
To most buyers, all this off-road prowess will amount to nothing more that bragging rights. But I was able to negotiate the muck-bowl of an off-road course before it was closed for the day in an LX570.
The truck happily bucked and hammered its way through the course with little drama. I even got to use the "wiggle" technique I learned on a Land Rover trip in Belize (swinging the wheel violently from side to side) to get extra purchase in the muck.
Okay, so the Lexus LX570 can do stuff that will likely never be asked of it. What's it like on the road?
Stately, swift, silent and sybaritic. Sporting? Of course not. The three-stage selectable damper settings range from torpedoed-freighter to pitchy firm. The middle position seems the best, serving up a good ride with reasonable body control.
That said, there is always some side-to-side jostling that gives away the LX570's truck roots. A Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5 it ain't.
But the interior is better appointed than most gentlemen's clubs, and the standard four-zone independent automatic climate control that operates through 28 vents ensures everyone is comfy.
Strangely, this luxo-ute does not have one-touch turn signals or a heated steering wheel – essential in this class of vehicle.
Second row 60/40 seating (power sliding) is commodious, with the third row habitable for two – three in a pinch. The split third row will fold forward but not flush to the floor. Press a button on either side of the cargo area, and each half of this row neatly flips up against the sides, leaving most of the floor space usable for cargo.
What the LX570 offers over its rivals is Lexus presentation coupled with the real-deal off-road ability of the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser. A brilliant execution of a somewhat ridiculous concept.
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