Lexus LX: 3rd Generation

MyRide managed to snag one of the incredibly rare Lexus LX 570's just long enough to film this video review:

A nice overview, to be sure. I've grown into a huge fan of the new look LX. More than anything, the absolute cocoon it provides is a significant upgrade, it's more like a luxury tank than an SUV.

Mother Proof, a site that reviews cars from a mother's point of view, has posted a review of the Lexus LX 570:

The sheer number of buttons that greeted me on that first drive was also a bit overwhelming; I thought I might need pilot training just to get it home. I was sorely disappointed to find that not one of the switches inside was capable of brewing my morning latte.

Once the initial aesthetic command and control shock wore off, I came to enjoy almost everything about the Lexus LX 570. Things I’ll miss most are the climate-controlled seats, front and side-view cameras and the automatic-folding third-row seats. The heated and cooled seats came in handy when we had 80-degree weather one day and a spring snowstorm the next. The front-mounted camera took a little getting used to, but it made me feel quite spy-like when I was able to easily park this rig in a tiny spot at the mall.

I enjoy these functional kinds of reviews, with very little to no focus on engine-size/0-60 times, they're a nice foil to the more technical breakdowns. The slice-of-life perspective is refreshing.

Four Wheeler magazine recently tested the Lexus LX 570, and it's an interesting read for anyone thinking about the LX as more than just a giant on-road cruiser:

The really big news, however, can be found beneath the framerails, where an all-new independent A-arm front/four-link rear suspension system utilizes Lexus-exclusive computer-managed hydraulics to lift and lower the vehicle as much as 3 inches on demand...and to re-tune spring rates and shock damping on the fly...The new system is said to reduce body lean by as much as 30 percent at road speeds via diagonally linked shock chambers...the new suspension struck us as far more responsive, and much quicker to react, to undulating terrain at trail speeds than the older (and still quite good) electromechanical Kinetic Dynamic system it replaces.

Despite our best efforts to cross up the new LX on some steep and deep-rutted two-tracks, it was much more difficult for us to lift a tire off the ground than we would've guessed for a vehicle of this type.

Seems like the latest version of the LX is more than capable of keeping its established off-road prowess. There was one thing that really stood out in the review, and it was in regards to the noise of the new Crawl-Control feature:

As with the Land Cruiser, the Crawl Control ultra-low speed-holding system is loud and rattly, and it'll shake the seat of your pants (but thankfully not the well-isolated steering). It also, however, indisputably works, so just think of it as the automotive equivalent of one of those Magic Finger thingies you used to find in many of America's finest motels, and enjoy the occasional lower-back massage while you're crawling.

Not content to present information on the Lexus LX 570 in a normal sort of way, The Driver's Seat decided to spice up their video with an overwhelming amount of text and strobe effects:

I actually had to turn away while watching, though I stuck it out just to hear what Charles Hubbard had to say.

Save for the short appearance by Charles Hubbard of Lexus College, this Bumper2Bumper TV video profile of the Lexus LX 570 doesn't really have much to it, except for one thing -- it shows that this vehicle looks absolutely spectacular in movement (around 45 seconds in, to be precise):

I think my devotion to the LX 470 made me lukewarm to the LX 570, but between this little glimpse and the videos released by Lexus, I'm definitely starting to come around.

The Auto Network has posted up the full LX 570 presentation given by Lexus to the press in late 2007, and it's a incredible collection of facts and information, detailing every aspect of the vehicle, from its technical specifications to its marketing plan.

The first part is a general overview of the LX 570, presented by Nancy Fein, VP of Customer Service:

The second part is a presentation by Charles Hubbard, and is a highly detailed 20 minute technical breakdown of the new SUV, including a demonstration of the Crawl Control feature. (The sound's a little low so be sure to turn up your speakers):

Part three examines the LX 570's marketing plan, including analysis of the SUV's prospective customers:

Lastly, is a short Question & Answer period, which also suffers from low sound volume:

I came away feeling much more informed on the new SUV, and found Charles Hubbard's presentation to be an excellent display of the LX 570's capabilities.