2018 Lexus LX450d first drive review
In some ways the Lexus LS is the LandCruiser you have when you don’t want a LandCruiser.
Or, at least, the luxury off-roader with more flair and exclusivity than a Toyota – and one that isn’t a Range Rover.
Beneath its hulking exterior, the Lexus LX has plenty of LandCruiser genes.
If you choose one with the new LX450d badge on the boot it’ll also come with the grunty 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 that makes a Cruiser tick just nicely.
It’s the first time Lexus has sold a diesel in Australia, a nod to the popularity of the fuel in large off-roaders – and something so many buyers of the LX570 have wanted for so long.
Sure, the LX570 (which is still on sale) has plenty of urge, with more power than the LX450d (270kW versus 200kW).
But the 450d fights back with torque, bringing 650Nm to the fight (versus 530Nm).
No issues with performance, then, even if it is lugging around the best part of 2.7 tonnes.
And, of course, the big appeal with the diesel is fuel use.
While city-focused SUVs and passenger cars are shifting away from diesel, the large SUVs are almost entirely accounted for by oil burners because they typically use between 20 and 30 per cent less fuel.
In the LX450d’s case its claimed 9.5 litres per 100km consumption is a whopping 34 per cent more palatable than that of the LX570.
That it arrives with a price tag that undercuts the petrol-fed LX570 - $134,500 versus $143,160 – is even more impressive.
For that you also get an extra year of warranty compared with a Toyota. You’ll also get the car collected from your home or work or a loan vehicle supplied when it comes time for a check-up.
But there are catches. Because the diesel is a heavier engine, equipment has been removed to ensure the car doesn’t breach its designated weight limit, a total of 3350kg once people, fuel and luggage are added.
So, some things are missing: The sunroof, ventilated front and second row seats, heated steering wheel, rear TV screens and premium Mark Levinson sound system have all been left out.
Some of those are fitted to the more affordable ($120,301) LandCruiser Sahara with the same engine.
Other big ticket items left at the factory include the third row of seats, limiting the LX450d to five occupants, three fewer than the LX570.
The second fuel tank fitted to LandCruisers and the LX570 is also missing, reducing fuel capacity to 93 litres rather than 138 litres.
But the LX does come with a unique-to-Lexus adjustable height suspension system.
When parked, for example, the car lowers about 50mm from its regular setting, making it easier to get in and out of.
Now 5cm may not sound like much, but it makes a big difference, even giving a stationary LX the appearance of being smaller than a LandCruiser (it’s not; they each share doors, roof and their basic structure).
Pop the suspension into its highest setting and it raises 50mm at the front and 60mm at the rear, taking ground clearance close to 280mm.
Combined with a superb full-time four-wheel drive system and excellent traction system – including locking differentials and traction control – it makes for an immensely capable off-roader.
More impressive is how easily it tackles challenging obstacles. A gentle squeeze of the throttle and it’ll clamber up jagged edges or soft sand with ease.
Ultimately, the tyres are likely to be the limiting factor off-road. Enormous 20-inch units are good for on-road – helping create a surprisingly well behaved heavy duty off-roader at speed – but not as well suited to resisting punctures as smaller-diameter tyres with a taller sidewall.
That said, we used them over vast distances on often unforgiving roads and never got a puncture.
On-road, the LX450d exudes luxury.
It’s impressively quiet and the diesel engine comfortably maintains pace, tapping into that prodigious torque through its six-speed auto.
The LX smothers bumps big and small. Its suspension is supple and soft, comfortably disposing of corrugations, dips and cattle grids.
Yet it’s nicely controlled over big undulations, settling the tendency for the high body to lean through bends.
Cruise into town and the four-camera overhead view is a plus, as is its light steering and relaxed demeanour.
The LX450d hasn’t made the top-shelf LandCruiser Sahara redundant – anything but. For many people adventuring or towing a trailer they’ll appreciate the bigger fuel tank and lower cost of admission, not to mention the additional seats and bigger fuel tank. Besides, the LandCruiser name oozes cachet in the bush.
But the Lexus brings more city flair – matched to almost all of the Cruiser’s effortless off-road ability. And it comes with a few extra trinkets for good measure.
2018 Lexus LX450d specifications
On sale: Now
Price: $134,500 plus on-road costs
Engine: 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel
Power: 200kW at 3600rpm
Torque: 650Nm at 1600-2800rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto, four-wheel drive
Fuel use: 9.5L/100km