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There are only a few SUVs that can match the road presence of the new Lexus LX500d. Bold, tough, luxurious and unapologetically so. It’s essentially a Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 under the skin and is better attired, feeling more premium without compromisin
I like cars that are unapologetic. Cars that know exactly what they are and are comfortable in their own skin. The best thing about them is that they are very well aware of the strengths they can cash in, and are open about the limitations and boundaries beyond which you cannot push. Now that’s a character which is rare these days, and there are just a few cars out there who still have hold on to it. The car, actually chuck that, the SUV I am talking about today is the new Lexus LX500d, the opulent twin of the mighty Toyota Land Cruiser LC300, and a true-blue body-on-ladder luxury 4x4, which are rare these days.
Big, Butch and dominating! The Lexus LX500d has the quintessential road presence of a proper 4x4 SUV. It is a head turner and wears that ‘make way for me’ attitude on its sleeve. Then, it also gets a lot of attention because of the novelty that comes with the Lexus logo, keeping the public wondering of its identity.
The tall and in your face front end boldly holding the massive satin silver spindle grille flanked by those sleek appearing LED headlights and DRLs form a bold first impression. The piano black contrast on the side curtains and nicely tucked in fog lights, or the muscularly sculpted wide hood with the Land Cruiser inspired powerful dome right at the centre, everything complements the tall and humongous stance of the all-new Lexus LX500d.
That said, what I particularly like in the profile is that it has been kept subtle and classy. Nothing looks overdone, be it the muscular fenders, or the chrome on the window line, or the chunky rear haunches, all of it together looks very proportionate and goes well with the tall stance of the LX500d SUV. I also like the design of those colossal 22-inch alloy wheels, but they will be bothersome when going off-roading.
The tyre profile is good enough for on-road drivability, but when off-roading or encountering really bad roads, one will be in a constant fear of damaging the side walls. The idle thing would be to offer 21-inches as optional for buyers who occasionally drive to their farms or countryside, and those rims shod in a slightly thicker profile all-terrain (A/T) tyres. Would have looked nicer in the profile as well.
Now moving to the rear, I would have liked it to be a bit curvaceous. It’s still huge, but is a bit too boxy and vanilla. A few rounded elements would have added a sexy flavour to the affair. Those LED tail lights too look a bit tiny when seen from a distance.
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Lexus LX 500d |
Dimensions |
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Length |
5100 mm |
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Width |
1990 mm |
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Height |
1885 mm |
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Wheelbase |
2850 mm |
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Wheel Size |
22-inch |
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Ground Clearance |
210 mm (Standard) |
On the inside, the Lexus LX500d feels very luxurious but in an old-school manner! Chunky and thick materials are in abundance, be it the heavily-padded soft-touch upholstery on the dash and doors, massive centre console housing the wide centre armrest opening from both sides for accessing a deep enough chiller, really well-cushioned and good bolstered heavy seats or the generous use of wood inlays, it's conventional luxury all-around. What I really like here is that the cabin of the Lexus LX500d still feels car-like and not tech on wheels.
Having said that, it still has the majority of the premium features covered, helping it to justify that whopping price tag to an extent. The 12.3-inch touchscreen takes centre stage and comes with wireless Apple CarPlay, but for Android Auto one needs to resort to the wire. It’s not the best in the business in terms of user interface or graphical appearance, but still is user friendly and easy to read. The 7-inch touchscreen right below it interests me more. It has the climate concierge menu (climate control) function along with details of all the 4x4 mechanicals, displays the articulation and tilt angles and even shows how much the front wheels are turning. I really like the background of this screen and the way graphics have been executed.
The seats are ultra comfortable giving you just the right kind of support. The under-thigh support is great, the side support holds you in place on turns and the backrest cushioning keeps you comfortable on the longer go. Both the front seats are 16-way power adjustable and come with memory function, and all the four seats are cooled and heated. The 25-speaker Mark & Levinson sound system adds to the experience very engagingly and NVH levels are kept well in-check to keep the overall ambience serene and peaceful.
The only thing I would have liked to be better at is the use of ambient lights, and that despite me not being a big fan of flashy ambient light setup. As for the Lexus LX500d, the cabin lights are a bit too subtle and don’t go very well with the overall dark interior theme. As far as convenience matters, you also have a range of physical buttons on the central console to access most of the frequently needed features and those buttons have nice sophisticated feedback.
As far as the rest of the features are concerned, you have the list right below.
Well space in general at the rear is a matter of concern! The knee room and legroom, both are limited and honestly you just can’t help that in a body-on-ladder 4x4 SUV that incorporates such robust axles and transfer case. Just to fit in all the mechanicals and to give a good enough ramp angle, compromising space is inevitable and the floor height too is pushed high.
That said, the rear seats are sorted in terms of comfort. Just like the front seats, they are well bolstered and cushioned and offer just the support you want. You also have four-zone climate control, so separate climate settings for all the passengers coupled with rear sunblinds to keep the environment cool and likeable. There are 11.9-inch rear entertainment touchscreens to play whatever you want, manage most of the entertainment and ambience settings, and it even supports HDMI for you to connect your playstation and keep rear passengers occupied.
If you’re someone who has a soft corner for old school SUVs and can look beyond its perfections, the Lexus LX500d will grow on you and how. The 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel is a rare breed now and nostalgia hits every time you revv it. The subtle bottom end lag followed by the sudden turbo kick and the power band elevating strongly right up to 4500 rpm on a straight line, it’s all what we fanboys have loved about big-burly SUVs.
In fact, when you’re pottering around in the city at reasonable speed in comfort mode, the diesel growl with every gentle mash on the throttle reminds you of the power reserve lying under the hood, it’s very enticing and will have you grinning. The mid-range is as strong as ever, so managing overtakes is an easy task and despite tipping the scales at a good 2,690 kgs, this behemoth feels fast enough while flooring it on a straight. It comfortably sits on its haunches and just goes.
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LEXUS LX 500d |
SPECIFICATIONS |
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Displacement |
3.3-litre |
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Power Output |
300 bhp @ 4000 rpm |
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Peak Torque |
700 NM @ 1600 – 2600 rpm |
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Transmission |
10-speed A/T |
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0 – 100 kmph |
7.9 seconds |
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Kerb Weight |
2690 kg |
However, show it a turn and it makes you feel every single kilo of its mass. The body rolls get unnerving and you’ll be compelled to let go of the throttle, slowing it down. Typical body-on-ladder character. Still, the good part is that the heavy ladder still keeps the inner wheels grounded and once you get used to the body rolls making peace with it, you can manage decent speed around corners as well. The 22-inches shod in low-profile tyres do help here to an extent.
While the steering feedback is pathetically vague for most of the part, not providing any reassurance at higher speeds, still at decent enough speed they surprisingly hold up slightly better when throwing it around corners or even making a sudden lane change manoeuvre.
The thing to deal with here is centre slack in the steering which is just not confidence inspiring. But the bigger concern is with its braking. While well-judged and planned braking is not an issue, coming to a sudden halt is a challenge given its heavy weight and the driver really needs to cope up with the tail slides while doing so.
While handling is a bit of an Achilles heel for the LX500d, ride quality is sorted. The suspension is biassed on the softer side, still the electronics are responsive enough and the rear axle is rigid enough to manage lateral movements while cornering. What surprised me and pleasantly so, is that vertical movements are well controlled even at higher speeds and it doesn’t toss you up harshly on undulations or bad roads. It’s an area where the Lexus LX500d truly shines and actually gets past its body-on-ladder traits.
First things first, the basics are sorted. It’s a robust body-on-ladder construction coupled with a solid transfer case with 4-High and Low ratios, enough articulation in the wheels to gallop its way out of treacherous terrains, a standard ground clearance of 210 mm which can be further increased by raising the ride height that comes with 4 level adjustment and most importantly enough power under the hood to build the right momentum.
With an approach angle of 21 degree and departure angle of 21.7 degree it can tackle some serious obstacles without rubbing its belly or chin. So be it a proper dune bashing run, a sturdy trail drive or making your way through slushy terrain, the Lexus LX500d can manage most of it. Just that you need to upgrade to tall profile all-terrain tyres for tackling trails and mountains.
https://youtu.be/QvXpQJrerM0
At Rs. 2.82 crore ex-showroom, the Lexus LX500d is an expensive affair and it doesn’t match up to the level of sophistication or plushness rivals like the Range Rover or Germans offer.
However, interested buyers need to understand that it’s a different character. It’s for those who prefer durability and reliability over sophistication. It exudes a well put together built-to-last appeal and will age better even with lower maintenance.
Let’s put it this way, the Lexus LX500d can be a more comfortable and lusher alternative to the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 300d or Land Rover Defender 110, being positioned slightly over them.
It’s for someone who is an Alpha in nature and doesn’t hesitate to take charge and dominate. But at the same time won’t make you uncomfortable. A tough built personality who can still carry a tuxedo well at the party.