Lexus LX (2023) Review
FAST FACTS
Model: Lexus LX 600 F Sport
Price: R2 553 600 (November 2023)
Engine: 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 petrol
Power/Torque: 305 kW and 650 Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
0-100 kph: 6.58 seconds (tested)
Fuel consumption: 11.3 L/100 km (claimed)
Luggage/Utility space: 1 109 litres
Lexus LX Price and After-Sales Support
Lexus LX 600 F Sport R2 553 600
Every Lexus LX derivative is sold with a standard 7-year/100 000 km warranty and -maintenance plan.
Verdict
LX models have such long lifecycles that the leap from the 3rd- to the current-gen SUV seems massive; in reality, it’s more a case of evolution than revolution (it’s still a ladder-frame-based vehicle), but thanks to technological advancements (inside and mechanically) and well documented structural gains, the 4th-gen model incorporates enhancements in virtually every facet that you can touch, feel and experience.
The switch from a naturally aspirated V8 to a twin-turbo V6 has not made the LX that much more fuel-efficient, but considering what kind of vehicle it is and its clientele, that’s not a cardinal sin. The cabin is luxurious, modern and hushed – it creates the impression of being made to last, which is still important.
Should you buy one? That’s a difficult question to answer. Look, if you desire a large family SUV with considerable off-road capability, you may as well purchase the Toyota-badged version of this model (stock availability permitting, of course) and have change left to keep its gargantuan fuel tank filled up.
However, if you opt for the Lexus, you’ll bask in the knowledge that your effortlessly luxurious juggernaut offers the same capability and performance as the Toyota, but with much more exclusivity and, therefore, prestige. We think the turbodiesel-powered non-F-Sport derivative is probably the pick of the range.
Will most buyers be willing to live with the drawbacks of the LX’s ladder-frame underpinnings (such as compromised ride quality, an uninvolving driving experience and less-than-ideal interior packaging), considering that its continental rivals, with their monocoque bodies, offer better on-road refinement? Probably, but those who are disinclined to ever drive on gravel roads, let alone go 4x4ing, might not…
Ah, but there is another way of benefitting from a 7-year/105 000 km warranty and maintenance plan (backed by the Japanese premium marque’s excellent after-sales service) from behind the ‘wheel of a luxurious Lexus SUV. Although it’s not nearly as bold or glamorous as the LX, we rate the RX as one of the SA new-vehicle market’s biggest surprises of 2023.







