The 2022 Lexus LX 600 Is America’s Luxury Land Cruiser

Presumably like many of you, we were more than a little disappointed when Toyota revealed the all-new 300-Series Land Cruiser wouldn’t be coming to the United States, and that 2021 would be the last year for the iconic off-roader in America. But, like the devil, the truth lies in the details: while the carmaker may have made clear that the Land Cruiser name won’t go on here (at least, for now), they made no such promises about the Lexus LX — the more luxurious versions that sells better here, anyway.

Enter: the 2022 Lexus LX 600 — a.k.a. the Land Cruiser 300 Deluxe.

If you’re familiar with the latest Land Crusher’s specs, those of the new Lexus shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Power comes from a twin-turbo V6 connected to a 10-speed automatic, much like the all-new 2022 Tundra. The 3.5-liter turbocharged motor spits out 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, 26 more ponies and 76 more pound-feet than its predecessor; the 2022 LX also weighs in at an impressive 441 pounds less than the outgoing LX 570, so between the new powertrain and the lighter body, this new Lexus should be far more brisk than the one it’s replacing.

Lexus

Even if few drivers actually wind up taking advantage of it, off-road capability is a big part of what sets the Lexus LX apart from other full-size luxury SUVs, so it’s no surprise this beast still packs a full suite of rock-crawling, terrain-conquering features. The active suspension can be raised and lowered for added ground clearance, the full-time four-wheel-drive still packs high and low ranges, and an array of different drive modes can be selected for different types of road (or lack thereof) surface. There’s also an array of off-road cameras and five-speed off-road cruise control, in case you like to lean on tech a little more when venturing off the beaten path.

On-road ride quality should be improved significantly, as well — in particular if you opt for the new F Sport trim level, which becomes the sole LX 600 to offer a limited-slip differential for the rear axle.

Lexus

The interior has received a much-needed upgrade, as well. The infotainment system is a vast improvement over the old model’s setup, which didn’t even offer Apple CarPlay; the new one can do so wirelessly, or pair wirelessly with Google-based phones using Android Auto. The top touchscreen stretches 12.3 inches between diagonal corners, while the one below goes 7.0 inches.

Interior accommodations should be even more comfortable than before — especially for buyers who opt for the new top-shelf Ultra Luxury version, seen below. The Ultra Luxury comes in four-seat configuration and offers exclusive cushions and headrests to better cosset the body, a footrest for the rear passenger’s-side rider, added air vents for the second row and an added screen — everything you’d want for a killer Uber ride home from the airport.

Lexus

Expect to see the 2022 LX 600 at Lexus dealerships in the United States in early 2022. Pricing hasn’t been announced just yet, but we’d bet the base model will start within spitting distance of the current version’s $86,930 base price, with the prices climbing as you walk up the trim level ladder through Premium, Luxury, F Sport and Ultra Luxury — with the latter most likely well above the $100,000 mark.

Lexus

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