2008 Lexus LX 570 Review
April 29, 2008
ForbesAutos - The Lexus LX 570 a more-upscale version of the Toyota Land Cruiser; like that model, it’s aimed at buyers looking for something more rugged than the typical luxury SUV but with top-drawer exclusivity.
Not the most expressive SUV on the lot, its exterior styling is statesman-like, exuding security and stability from every angle. The truck’s interior is richly trimmed, with myriad safety and convenience features offered.
While the Lexus LX 570 is eminently off-road capable, even the automaker admits that few buyers will ever explore its limits in this regard. While the rest of the SUV market is largely turning toward more pavement-friendly crossovers, the luxury segment remains filled with models like the LX 570 that offer capabilities likely far beyond their affluent owners’ needs. They may not ever have to scale a mountain, but upscale SUV owners apparently like to know that if one were suddenly placed in their paths, they’d be able to scale it with ease.
The Lexus LX 570 packs the same 5.7-liter V8 engine that’s found in the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. It generates strong and smooth acceleration, with sufficient torque for brisk launches and authoritative highway passing. It achieves a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, which is outclassed only by the most extreme heavy-duty full-size domestic trucks. The V8 is paired with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that includes a manual-shift mode and adapts its shift patterns according to the vehicle’s speed and driving conditions. Don’t expect much in the way of fuel economy, however.
Riding on 20-inch wheels and tires, a driver-adjustable Active Variable Suspension alters the stiffness of the Lexus LX 570’s springs to provide a softer ride or added control while driving off-road, carrying a full load, or cruising at highway speeds. An Active Height Control feature allows the driver to lower the vehicle by around two inches for easier ingress and egress when stopped. It also lowers the ride height by nearly an inch at the front and a half-inch in the rear at highway speeds for greater stability, and automatically raises the frame by three inches to maximize ground clearance when low-range gearing is engaged.
The Lexus LX 570’s sophisticated full-time four-wheel-drive system typically sends 40 percent of the engine’s power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear. When front-wheel slippage is detected, it channels as much as 70 percent of the power to the rear axle; when rear slippage is evident, it splits the torque evenly (it can also be locked to provide equal and continuous power to the front and rear axles).
A Crawl Control feature operates like off-road cruise control. When low-range gearing and drive or reverse are selected, the driver can choose among three crawl speeds of roughly one, two, and three mph each. The system automatically controls throttle and braking to maximize the vehicle’s rock-climbing and other demanding off-road abilities so the driver can focus on steering. A Hill-Start Assist Control automatically suppresses the vehicle’s downhill motion on an uphill grade briefly when the driver releases the brake pedal.
What’s more, the Lexus LX 570’s Vehicle Stability Control and four-wheel traction control system work in tandem to afford extra surefootedness both on and off-road. A multi-terrain antilock braking system allows for a variable amount of wheel slippage when necessary to help maximize its performance on loose surfaces. Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist functions are also included for quick and secure stopping on paved roads.
Ten airbags are standard, including rear seat-mounted side airbags and knee-height airbags for the driver and front passenger. A tire-pressure monitoring system features separate readings for each tire, including the spare. Bundled with Adaptive Radar Cruise Control (which is able to maintain both a set speed and distance from the traffic ahead), an optional Pre-Collision System and can anticipate when a crash is imminent and react accordingly. It will preemptively tighten the front seatbelts, prime the Brake Assist system for full stopping force, and even apply the brakes if the driver cannot react quickly enough.
As in the flagship LS sedan, the Lexus LX 570’s leather-clad interior comes loaded with the requisite luxury features, including a power-folding third-row seat, a power-adjustable second row seat, four-zone climate control, and a navigation system with Bluetooth wireless cell-phone connectivity and real-time traffic information. The car’s heater includes a ceramic element that generates instant warmth on a cold day.
Noteworthy options include a new Intuitive Park Assist system that includes wide-view front and side video displays for easier and safer parking; it’s particularly useful for wedging the Lexus LX 570 into tight parking-garage spaces. Also offered are heated rear seats, the Lexus Link telematics system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio array (with hard-drive digital media storage) that rivals the quality of the priciest audiophile home systems.
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