Lexus LX 570 Sports Luxury 2008 Review

What we liked
>> Loses nothing in offroad ability by being a Lexus
>> Very plush and quiet ride
>> Surprisingly nimble for its bulk

Not so much
>> Fuel consumption
>> Switchgear placement could be improved
>> Third-row seat not accommodating for such a large vehicle

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
The Lexus LX 570 has been introduced to Australia some months following the local launch of the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series, the SUV that nominally provides the basis for the Lexus.

For the luxury importer, the LX 570 marks a number of biggests, bests and firsts. It's the biggest and heaviest (yet safest) Lexus to be sold here, with the most powerful climate control system and it boasts the most powerful engine. It's also probably the most tested: 1.5 million km of durability testing and 31,000 hours of engine bench testing, plus 45,000 open-and-close test cycles for the tailgate.

This 'relentless pursuit' is the inevitable necessity of chasing a broader market -- and that particularly applies to snatching market share from at least a couple of German manufacturers, as well as one archetypal British marque.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Lexus has structured the LX 570 range in two levels, Prestige and the flagship, Sports Luxury. The former is priced at $136,700 and the latter $151,700.

Standard features for the Prestige grade include: 18-inch alloy wheels, Torsen centre differential, 10 airbags, self-levelling HID headlights with Adaptive Front-light System, Crawl Control, electro-hydro-pneumatic suspension featuring Adaptive Variable Suspension and Active Height Control, Multi-Terrain ABS.

Over and above the Prestige grade's specification, the Sports Luxury comes equipped with a Blind-Spot monitoring system, providing coverage of the front and passenger side of the vehicle. This system can display the two different views independently or together on the same screen. The front wide-view camera operates until speed rises above 12km/h. These two cameras are in addition to the reversing camera that is also standard on the Prestige grade.

In addition to the Blind-Spot monitoring system, the Sports Luxury grade is fitted with a rear-seat entertainment system, front and second-row seat heating, a toolbox, roof rails with cross-bars and wood/leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear shifter.

A radar transceiver in the Sports Luxury grade monitors the range between objects ahead for the Active Cruise Control system and the Pre-Crash safety system, both of which are standard with the flagship.

MECHANICAL
In a broad sense, the LX 570 is a fairly conventional package. The V8 engine is mounted longitudinally and drives through a constant four-wheel drive system featuring a dual-range transfer system.

Once buyers approach the price level Lexus is asking for the LX 570, even the trad offroaders come with features sophisticated almost to the point of leading-edge. In detail therefore, the LX tempers its fundamentally conventional nature with up-to-date features such as a six-speed automatic transmission, variable valve timing on both inlet and exhaust for the all-alloy DOHC V8 petrol engine, hydro-pneumatic dampers front and rear, electric switching for the dual-range transfer -- and a plethora of electronic brake-based dynamic control systems.

The 5.7-litre V8 develops 270kW of power at 5600rpm and 530Nm of torque at 3200rpm. Lexus claims the LX 570 will record a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 14.8L/100km, but that's probably more like an open-road [Ed: downhill!] figure in practice. According to the company's own estimates, the 5.7-litre engine develops 59 per cent more power than the LX 470, but is eight per cent more economical.

An artificial intelligence shift-control system works in the background, adapting the shift points to suit the 'bio-feedback' from the driver. Fourth gear is a direct-drive ratio and the two higher gears are both overdriven.

Front suspension is independent, with double wishbones and coil springs. As mentioned above, the dampers are hydro-pneumatic and provide the variable damping rates and lift capability for the Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension facilities.

At the rear, it's that combination of old and new tech once more, with a live axle suspended by coil springs and located laterally by a Panhard rod, falling into the category of 'something old' and the hydro-pneumatic dampers taking up the cudgels of 'something new'.

Rack and pinion steering features Variable Gear Ratio Steering and, requires 3.8 turns lock to lock. The turning circle measures 11.8m.

Ventilated disc brakes have been specified all around, with four-piston calipers at the front and single-piston calipers at the rear. The rotors measure 340 x 32mm at the front and 345 x 18mm at the rear.

Reliant at least in part on the braking system for dynamic control, multi-terrain ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Active Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control, Electronic Brake Control, Hill-start Assist Control and Crawl Control are all fitted as standard to both grades of the LX 570.

The LX's 18.0x8JJ alloys are matched to 285/60 R18 tyres.

Dimensions are 4990mm length, 1970mm width, 1020mm height, 2850mm wheelbase and 225mm ground clearance. Kerb mass is 2740kg for a gross vehicle mass of 3300kg. The fuel tank will hold 138 litres of the recommended 98RON unleaded (The vehicle is "tuned" for the high-octane unleaded, but will "run" on 91 RON, says Lexus).

PACKAGING
Few would describe the LX 570 as small, but once away from the narrow driveways and parking spots of suburbia, the Lexus is an easy car to manoeuvre. That's helped by the reverse parking camera and acoustic park distance control system fitted as standard.

For the money, the three-seat capacity of the standard third-row seat in the Lexus makes it virtually unique. What adds further exclusivity is the power operation of the third-row seat. Lexus advises that the seating has been developed in accordance with international standard AM50, to ensure that all eight seating positions will accommodate six-foot (182cm) tall occupants.

In the vehicles on test, it was simple enough to place one's feet under the second row seat but there was still less than acceptable room for average-sized adults to stretch out. In practice, you would not subject adults to long penitence in the third row.

That's to be expected, to some degree. Third-row seats are usually reserved for children and teenagers. By contrast, the LX 570's head and legroom were very good in the first and second rows. Even with the front seats back far enough for the comfort of the front-seat occupants, there was still plenty of room for those in the second-row seating.

All eight seat positions are power-adjustable and both the first and second rows are also heated.

Lexus claims that the cabin is 175mm longer than the cabin of the LX 470, despite the newer model being just 100mm longer in overall length than the superseded vehicle.

SAFETY
Possibly stung by mounting criticism of SUVs for their poor field of vision, leading to tragic accidents involving children, Lexus has specified the Blind-spot monitoring system for the high-end LX 570 Sports Luxury, but arguably, the entry-level LX 570 Prestige would benefit from this technology also. Reversing camera and park sensors are standard on both models.

There's a lot of safety features incorporated in the LX 570's design. 10 airbags -- including Roll-Sensing Curtain Shield airbags -- and active headrests for the front seats are complemented by careful design of the bonnet, front quarter panels and cowl to reduce the severity of injury to pedestrians.

Despite being built on a full chassis, Lexus says the LX 570 is designed to crumple as do monocoque designs. It claims the chassis has been engineered to bend with impacts at pre-determined rates that dovetail with the body's crumple rates.

Inside the cabin, the roof-pillar garnishes and the headlining have been specifically developed to minimise head trauma.

COMPETITORS
Lexus considers that, of all the vehicles available in the luxury SUV segment, just the Range Rover would provide any real competition to the LX 570. The company's logic is that only the Range Rover is a real offroad vehicle in the same mould as the Lexus.

As you would expect, Lexus claims that the supercharged Range Rover Vogue, by the time it's specified with the same level of equipment, would be close to $200,000 to purchase -- almost $50,000 more than the LX 570 Sports Luxury. It's also a five-seater, rather than offering the eight seats that the Lexus does.

We'd consider the Mercedes-Benz GL 500 a real competitor for the LX 570. The big Benz does have 'real' offroad ability, despite what Lexus may opine (or overlook).
The GL 500 is priced from $148,500, which undercuts the price of the LX 570 Sports Luxury and matches it for 18-inch alloys and torque (530Nm), but betters the Lexus for power (285kW) and transmission (seven-speed automatic).

That said many of the features that are standard in the LX 570 Sports Luxury and even, in some cases, the Prestige variant remain options on the GL. These include heated and ventilated front seats, electrically folding third-row seat, rear-seat entertainment system, heated second-row seating, side running boards and keyless entry and starting.

There are a couple of option packs for the GL 500 that provide value to buyers. Priced at $8000, the Luxury Package includes memory functions for the driver's seat, steering column and mirrors; premium climate control with overhead vents for the second and third-row seating; full leather upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, electro-chromatic mirrors (exterior and interior), electrically folding mirrors and chrome trim for the roof rails and waistline.

The other option pack is the Premium Package -- priced at $4850 and comprising heated and ventilated front seats, Distronic cruise control and keyless entry and starting.

Given that Lexus freely admits just 20 per cent of LX 470 buyers ever take their vehicles offroad (but over 90 per cent use them to tow), there seems to be a little more latitude for 'non-competitive' luxury SUVs to compete with the LX 570. However, vehicles such as the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90 are seven-seaters and basically lack the sheer output of the 5.7-litre V8 fitted to the Lexus. At least until Audi's V12 TDI Q7 arrives...

ON THE ROAD
Although the LX 570 looks very much like the LandCruiser 200 series, of the external panels, only the doors are common to both vehicles.

And that's symptomatic of the LX 570's 'problem'. The LandCruiser appears to have 95 per cent of the Lexus's virtues for about 60 per cent of the price. Only as you investigate the LX 570 more closely do you see the depth of talent and creativity that has been blended in the creation of this vehicle -- and the high level of care that separates the LX 570 from the LandCruiser.

However, in being demonstrably different from the LandCruiser, the LX 570 is not necessarily always better. Even with the hydro-pneumatic suspension set to sport mode for on-road use, the LX wasn't as responsive in the steering as LC200 and there was more initial understeer -- even more again in Comfort mode.

The 5.7-litre V8 was strong right across the rev range, but frankly didn't feel significantly faster in acceleration than either the petrol or diesel V8s in the LC200.

Coupled to the LX 570's V8, the six-speed transmission proved an adept unit, although it was occasionally slow to change gear, even in sequential-shift mode. To its credit, the transmission, particularly in L4, would hold lower gears slightly longer than the driver might expect.

That's a good thing, because you want to leave it in Drive for slippery conditions when a higher gear might help with traction and the engine would run out of revs in a lower gear at the same time the traction is headed south. But conversely, you don't want the transmission shifting up too soon on a grade when traction isn't a problem.

Changing from high range to low range requires a little time to accomplish. The system won't let you select the other range and proceed immediately unless the entire drivetrain is relieved of any load. That means auto trans in neutral, not Park, Reverse or Drive -- but unlike some 4WDs, it doesn't matter which way the front wheels are pointing.

Lexus has set up the LX 570 to prevent changing ranges 'on the fly'. At least one journalist on the launch experienced problems when they attempted to shift from high to low range while moving -- the result was a transfer case jammed between the two ranges.

The drive program was not particularly challenging for a vehicle that should be (in theory) more competent offroad than the LC200, but Lexus did set us up with a trench and some moguls to prove the vehicle's ability in the rough. On the basis of that brief section, the LX 570's approach, departure and break-over angles were good and the ground clearance was never any cause for concern.

While the LX 570 was quiet at all times, the amount of care undertaken by Lexus during the vehicle's development to ensure it was particularly quiet on dirt stood out.

Wind noise was somewhat more prevalent at open road speeds and the vehicle's respectable drag coefficient of 0.35Cd does come at the expense of stability in cross winds.

From the driver's seat, minor instrument placement occasionally led to difficulty in locating switches -- such as the tripmeter reset, obscured by the spoke of steering wheel on the right and the diff lock and other switches in a cluster obscured by the spoke on the left. Otherwise, there were no significant issues with comfort and ergonomics.

Lexus has furnished an exemplary offroader for buyers in the luxury SUV segment. If there's one fly in the ointment, it's this: how will Lexus steer buyers clear of the LandCruiser? The LX 570 has much to offer and appears to have the wood on the Range Rover Vogue and the Mercedes GL 500 for value, but is it really $60,000 better than the Toyota on which it is based?

That's a question for individual buyers to answer -- and it basically boils down to your disposable income and whether you can afford to buy the extra capability of the Lexus.

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