2016 Lexus LX 570

The 2016 Lexus LX 570 is available in one well-equipped trim level, starting at $88,880. The full-time four-wheel drive full size SUV is powered by a V8 and a new-for-the-model-year eight-speed automatic transmission. Standard feature highlights include:

• Navigation system with 12.3-inch display
• The Lexus Enform App Suite
• The Lexus Enform Remote mobile app that allows the driver to remotely start the engine, lock doors, check fuel levels and more from a smartphone
• Customizable leather-trimmed seating and storage
• A four-zone climate-control system
• Class-4 towing hitch receiver
• Twenty-inch wheels
• Power moonroof
• Panoramic view monitor

The 2016 Lexus LX 570 is equipped with a 383-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The full-time four-wheel drive system utilizes the LX 570’s 403 pound-feet of torque to tow up to 7,000 pounds.

• Acceleration is quite brisk considering that the LX 570 weighs 6,000 pounds. Zero to sixty zips by in 7.3 seconds, which can be quite exhilarating.
• The LX 570 is just as at home parked in front of a swanky restaurant as it is slogging through the mud and over large rocks in a hostile off-road environment. It employs an adaptive variable suspension and four-wheel active height control to easily conquer the back terrain and then effortlessly glide down the freeway with the comfort of a high-end luxury sedan.

Standard mechanical features include:

• Crawl mode with turn assist
• Drive mode select
• Multi-terrain select
• Smart stop technology
• And trailer sway control

• Although it feels like a sedan when cruising in a straight line, handling is not exactly like a sedan's. That said, the LX 570 does just fine considering it is a full-size body-on-frame beast. It is simply important to remember that the 570 is a heavy monster that doesn’t reward careless driving.
• Fuel economy is dismal. Even with the new eight-speed automatic in play, the LX 570 is rated at 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway
• Making the fuel economy even worse is the fact that the LX 570 requires premium unleaded.

If there is such a thing as a “land yacht” the 2016 Lexus LX 570 might be the defining vehicle. With a spacious leather-and-wood trimmed interior that exudes quality, the cabin's fit and finish are what you would expect from a vehicle that can easily reach close to $100,000 when equipped with available options.

• Seating is comfortable, especially in the first two rows.
• The refresh for 2016 introduced a massive 12.3-inch infotainment display, which often becomes the centerpiece for the LX 570's family-friendly cabin.
• Also new this year are four wood-trim options, Matte Walnut, Linear Dark Mocha, Linear Espresso, and Dark Brown Walnut.

• The soft leather-trimmed interior betrays the rugged dual purpose of the LX 570. The door panels are especially prone to scratching and tears, something that may not serve the Lexus well if you are planning on taking it off road frequently.
• The third-row seating doesn’t fold into the floor; rather, it rotates sideways taking away potential cargo space.
• The high seating position makes the gigantic cabin feel smaller than it really is.

I was able to take the LX 570 for a short off-road adventure and I can attest to the fact that the Lexus lives up to the marketing as a true off road vehicle that doubles as a lovely urban cruiser.

Thirteen miles per gallon looks bad on paper, but worse at the pump. In my driving around town I never actually saw the 13 mpgs -- my average was more in the 12 range. I did fare better than expected on the highway, though, meeting the EPA’s 18 mpg and raising it by one to nineteen.

The 2016 Lexus LX 570 is a big, beautiful, body-on-frame SUV that pays homage to the things that made the original SUVs so likable. With excellent no-gimmicks power, incredible towing capacity, and a luxurious interior that offers excellent utility, the LX 570 is a capable off-roader for people who want the Lexus reputation with four massive 20-inch tires.

Don’t forget to take the premium-slurping gas requirements into account when shopping, although if you regularly have more than five people that you cart around, the mighty LX 570 may prove more valuable than a few extra dollars at the pump.