Lexus LX 500d 2022 Review

At $147,991 plus on-road costs, the entry-level seven-seat 2022 Lexus LX 500d sits well below rival diesel-powered versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the incoming updated BMW X7, but stands above the Audi Q7 in both price and power.

Yes, Lexus asks a fair bit of money for the new-generation LX, but it offers a fair bit too.

In a sumptuous leather-clad interior there are things like an orchestral 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with four-way power lumbar adjustment, electric steering wheel adjustment, power-folding and reclining third-row seats, four-zone climate control with separate adjustments for rear-seat passengers, and three high-res LCD screens including a 12.3-inch main display, a 7.0-inch lower display and an 8.0-inch multi-information display.

There’s also a colour head-up display that’s standard across the LX range, plus wireless phone charging and a multiplicity of USB-C ports.

The Lexus LX 500d rides on a variable-height hydraulic-shocker-based active suspension supported by 20-inch alloy wheels wearing 265/60R20 tyres on all corners.

Buyers wanting a bit more luxe can specify an optional enhancement pack with 22-inch wheels, a sunroof and foot-gesture-opening tailgate for an extra $5500.

Lexus talks big about the enhanced safety of the new 2022 Lexus LX and, to be fair, the hardware is pretty comprehensive.

There are 10 airbags and many of the driver assist features you’d expect – autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and (daytime-only) cyclist detection, radar/camera cruise control, lane departure control/lane trace assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

But the safety tech suite runs much deeper than that.

All versions come with technologies such as intersection turn assist, which keeps an eye out for approaching objects when a right-hand turn is being executed, emergency steering assist that lends a hand in an ‘emergency manoeuvre’, road sign detection, a useful cleaning function for the rear camera and the Toyota group’s curve-speed reduction system.

Somewhat disarmingly, the latter backs off the speed if even a slight bend in the road is detected. But, fortunately, it’s adjustable.

A bird’s-eye view camera system helps mitigate the LX’s sheer size, while at a standstill it scans for oncoming traffic from behind to alert exiting passengers.

For off-roading – something the Lexus LX with its dual-range transmission is equipped to tackle – there are things like Multi Terrain Select, Multi Terrain Monitor and crawl control which helps maintain speed via manipulation of the power output and braking in tricky conditions.

There’s also a ‘turn assist’ function to tighten the off-road turning circle by manipulating the rear brakes in a way that “increases response to the driver’s steering inputs”. It works, but it’s all bit of a ‘go-figure’.

The new Lexus LX has not been tested by ANCAP, but the related Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series has earned a maximum five-star safety rating from the independent crash test authority.

The 2022 Lexus LX 500d uses the new 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 found in the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, delivering 227kW of power and a generous 700Nm of torque at a pretty low 1600rpm.

Tipping the scales at nearly 2.7 tonnes, the LX runs on the same basic structure as the LC300, employing off-road-ready independent front and live-axle rear suspension, occupying plenty of road space and compensating with a large interior that looks after both passengers and cargo with some generosity.

As a point of difference to the LandCruiser in Australia (for now), the Lexus also offers a 305kW/650Nm 5.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 in the LX 600.

The diesel is a smooth, quiet customer. It’s barely heard churning away under the expansive LX bonnet, delivering enough power to make the substantial kerb weight seem basically inconsequential.

Lexus tells us the LX 500d will reach 100km/h from zero in eight seconds, which, though not quite as rapid as its German counterparts, is quick enough for such a big vehicle. The petrol LX is 1.0sec quicker.

The LX’s 10-speed automatic gearbox is sweetly smooth and a big advance over the previous model’s six-speeder. It lends an air of dignified luxury that makes one forget that this is a full-time four-wheel drive wagon that can also double as a fundamentally go-anywhere off-roader.

Lexus claims combined-cycle fuel consumption of 8.9L/100km for the LX 500d, which most owners would rarely see. On test in a range of conditions – excluding any off-roading – we saw a pretty consistent and what we considered real-life indicative 11.7L/100km.

The LX’s 80-litre fuel capacity is less than the previous model’s 93 litres, but on test we had no concerns about its potential cruising range.

The 2022 Lexus LX 500d will take five passengers easily, and an extra two in the third row not so easily.

Admittedly, once the rearmost passengers are in place it’s all comfortable enough, though the usual caveats on space and comfort apply.

It’s nice that the third-row seats fold quickly, easily and electrically into position, but not so nice that access to the rear via heavy, folding second-row seat hardware is not very user-friendly – and a little tight on torso-manoeuvring space into the bargain.

It’s mostly easy to forget all that when you are cruising with speed and majesty down the open road in the hushed cabin, where engine and other extraneous noises are muted to almost nothing.

There are no complaints about the driving position, nor responses to the accelerator or absorption of road bumps, although there’s some giveaway in the electric steering which reminds of the absolute weight being dealt with here.

With its adaptive, auto-levelling suspension the LX rides lower, leans less than before and is proficient – for a more-than-two-and-a-half-tonne 4WD – at tackling the bends.

But it will never feel as deft as a BMW X7 or Audi Q8. In the LX’s favour in terms of security on the road is the underlying confidence inspired by the full-time AWD system with its locking Torsen centre differential.

Stressing its workhorse capabilities, the Lexus LX retains the same 3.5-tonne maximum towing capacity as previously and, with a maximum 1871-litre load capacity, will take heaps of luggage. The spare wheel, hanging outside under the boot, is a full-sizer.

Warranty is basically industry-standard at five years/unlimited kilometres, but Lexus does ask that servicing be carried out every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

The sweetener is that capped-price servicing applies for three years at $595 for the first six workshop visits.

There’s 24-hour roadside assist available at extra cost via what Lexus calls its two-tier, three-year Encore program.

The top version, Platinum, allows owners to borrow a vehicle from the Lexus fleet four times during membership for up to eight days at a time. Valet passes are also provided for selected Westfield shopping centres and at Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping centre.

Garish face aside, the 2022 Lexus LX 500d – which looks suitably restrained for a full-size luxury SUV, once you get past the front-end – is a pretty impressive contender in an impressively populated segment.

This is a category where not only Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi come out to play, but names like Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and, of course, Range Rover – at admittedly elevated price levels – are also in the scrum.

For sheer opulence, the LX 500d may not be at the same levels as the prime SUV aristocracy, but there’s never any suggestion that it’s compromised for quality, comfort, technology or safety. Or even presentation.

And with that front-end styling, the second-generation Lexus LX is unlikely to ever go unnoticed.

How much does the 2022 Lexus LX 500d cost?
Price: $147,991 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Output: 227kW/700Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 235g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested