Redesigned SUV confident, controlled

Living large can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s traveling or eating at nice restaurants or having a big house or your dream vehicle, living large is part of many people’s vision. And with times being what they are (inflation and high gas prices), the cost for living large has gone up.

Living large is tougher, but not impossible. That’s where a vehicle like the Lexus LX comes in. When it comes to living large, this full-size luxury SUV excels at it.

Redesigned for the 2022 model year, the LX gets significant changes all around including new looks inside and outside, along with a new engine and a much-needed improved infotainment system.

My tester was the LX 600 F-Sport. With the F-Sport appearance package, the new-look LX 600 has impressive aesthetics. Noticeably improved is the grille. It has a mesh-like pattern, but with a black gloss finish. Chromed out it might be too garish; with the black gloss finish, it is more elegant. Triple-beam LED headlamps and LED taillights are new additions to this SUV and there’s roof rails that add to both the appearance, but also the usefulness of this vehicle.

Gone is the gluttonous V8 engine, making the powertrain more efficient and more inline with the industry. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with four-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission has 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. This brand-new transmission is outstanding in the way it shifts and offers no noticeable turbo lags. Acceleration is quick, but also smooth. The overall ride quality is what you’d expect from a luxury vehicle.

Overall, the performance of the LX is confident, controlled and conservative.

This isn’t an SUV that’s going to evoke the goosebumps, but rather make you feel refined. And that’s truly the intent of this SUV. For a vehicle with a curb weight exceeding 5,600 pounds, the LX feels agile. And worries over the smaller V6 engine making it feel sluggish are unfounded. Having spent a week driving this behemoth, I can say it drives smaller than it actually is.

Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside

2022 Lexus LX 600 F-Sport

Price/As tested price................................................ $101,000/$106,240

Mileage.......................................... 17 mpg/city; 22 mpg/hwy

Engine............................................. 3.5-liter turbocharged V6

Horsepower................................. 409 hp/479 lbs./ft.

Transmission................................. 10-speed automatic

Drive Wheels................ Four-wheel drive

Final Assembly Point................ Aichi, Japan