The 2022 New Lexus LX 600 Interior - One of the best luxury off-roader
8The 2022 Lexus LX 600 Is Here for a Land Cruiser-Starved America
One of the best luxury off-roaders returns with a gaping maw and a twin-turbo V-6. Many were disappointed to learn that the 300-Series Toyota Land Cruiser wouldn't come to the U.S. Sure, the old 200-series wasn't exactly a best seller, but it was an incredibly capable, near-bulletproof luxury off-roader. Thankfully, however, we will get an LC300 in the U.S. in the form of this, the 2022 Lexus LX 600.
Lexus has sold the Land Cruiser-based LX since 1995, and now it returns for a fourth generation. Based on the same body-on-frame GA-F platform that underpins the LC300 and the new Tundra, the new LX 600 sports a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 making 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The engine is related to the unit in the new Tundra and the Lexus LS500 and it's paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via a two-speed transfer case.
Switching to the new GA-F architecture enabled a weight savings of 441 pounds compared to the old LX 570, with an increase in body rigidity. As before, the LX 600 uses Lexus' Active Height Control (AHC) suspension system, which uses hydraulics for ride height adjustment. There are four ride height settings—Low (for passenger access), Normal, High 1, and High 2. A new version of Multi-Terrain Select is here too, as is a low-speed Crawl Control mode, which is a sort of cruise control for off-roading.
Lexus notes that the 112-inch wheelbase is carried over from before, and approach, breakover, and departure angles are also maintained. So that means a 25-degree approach, 23-degree breakover, and 20-degree departure angle when the truck is in its normal ride height. Lexus hasn't provided numbers for the LX's higher suspension settings. The new F-Sport model also adds a Torsen limited-slip differential at the rear axle.
The interior takes a big step forward from the aging LX 570 with a new dual-screen infotainment setup and a digital gauge cluster. Lexus is also introducing an Ultra Luxury version of the LX 600, with a cavernous back seat and all sorts of luxury toys for the rear passengers. It appears Lexus is mounting an attack on high-end off-roaders like the Range Rover Autobiography.
There's still a lot we don't know about the LX 600, most notably price, though for reference, the 2021 LX 570 costs $88,275. We're also hoping there's a more hardcore version of this new LX, previewed by last year's J201 concept. With the absence of the Land Cruiser here in the U.S., and massive popularity of overlanding, there is an untapped market.
The 2022 LX 600 will arrive in dealers early next year. We can't wait.