When Toyota discontinued the Land Cruiser in the United States for the 2022 model year, many decried the loss of Toyota’s top-shelf SUV. Its Lexus cousin, however, won’t be leaving us so soon — instead, we’re getting a brand new version of the flagship family hauler.
The updated LX is expected to share the global 300-series Land Cruiser’s GA-F platform, which Toyota claims resulted in 440 lbs of weight savings on the Cruiser. Numbers may vary given the Lexus’s luxury appointments, but don’t be surprised if the new LX comes down a weight class from the outgoing model.
The LX 600 is also expected to share the new Cruiser’s twin-turbo V6, making 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. With 3.5 liters of displacement, it’s unclear what (if anything) the 600 in the SUV’s name now means. Power, in kilowatts, doubled? Torque, in newton-meters, rounded to the nearest 100?
The new LX, like the outgoing model, is expected to compete with comically large body-on-frame SUVs like the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, and Infiniti QX80. The Lexus’s turbocharged engine may be aiming for a leg up on the segment’s historically dismal fuel economy, but time (and EPA test cycles) will tell if it’s effective.
Given the teaser’s dusty, unpaved setting, it’s likely Lexus will continue to lean into the off-road prowess of their largest SUVs. The LX and GX are known for matching Jeeps in capability, and the Grand Wagoneer’s famous lack of a Trail Rated badge gives Lexus an opportunity to stake their claim to the luxury off-road market.
The upcoming LX will be fully revealed in a digital event on October 13. Lexus hasn’t confirmed whether the outgoing model’s Nori Green paint will be returning, but they should be warned that I will riot if it doesn’t.