Driven: LX 570 is a luxury Lexus tank for the family

Raising a family already comes with its learning curves and complications, but when on the road in a confined space, you can leave those challenges behind.  Lexus has created and refined the ultimate family SUV: The LX 570 is capable of not only keeping your passengers comfortably entertained, but also you the driver confident in your travels.

Equipped with a 5.7-liter V8 and full-time 4-wheel drive, this SUV is a luxury tank taking you anywhere from the off-road trails to a black-tie event.  With functional luxury and the power under the hood to support it, the LX 570 covers all its bases.

Exterior design still has the signature Lexus look, but with a more masculine take.  A more square body compared to the RX series, the LX 570 takes a strong pronounced version of familiar Lexus design elements like the grille designs.  Unlike the other Lexus SUVs, the LX 570’s angular grille comes up higher, making the hood almost invisible from the front.

The enlarged grille meets the triple-beam LED headlamps to add to an aggressive look that overtakes the entire front end and is completed by the beautifully integrated angular LED fog lamps.

Another notable feature is a window design that provides a formal and limo-like look to the SUV’s side-view.

Inside, we find one of the most ridiculous but delightful features — the “cool box.” It’s an integrated and insulated cooler in the console that really takes this SUV to the next level, especially for a resident of the hot desert that is known as Arizona.  A simple $170 add on, the “cool box” is a must-have in my book.

However some features, like the dual-screen DVD rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones, seemed to me to be a bit excessive with a $2,005 price tag.  As durable as they seemed, I think I’d rather have mobile devices like a tablet that could be mounted on the back of the seat but then taken with when not in the car that could easily be replaced.

The built-in DVD setup might be a huge perk to have a family car that doesn’t scream family hauler, but the red leather interior seemed to be taking it a bit too far as well.  It is an upgrade, but with kids and even teens, I wouldn’t trust that red leather to sustain the brutal wear and tear of a family.

With plenty of leg room and cabin space, hauling a family of eight is comfortable, but hauling its cargo might be a bit of a challenge.  With the third row (a new option made available last year) down, there is very limited cargo space.

On the other hand, here is a very convenient three-prong, 120-volt power outlet in the rear driver-side wall, something you don’t see very often.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the infotainment system.  Featuring a 12.3-inch widescreen controlled by a knob located in the center console makes for a very clunky experience.  It was very difficult to change anything while driving and found myself adjusting at stops or prior to travel, which I guess is more safe but inconvenient.  Available as of last year, Amazon Alexa was added, but Apple CarPlay is not and that seems odd considering many competitors are opting in to add more compatibility to Apple users.

Trusting a vehicle’s reliability would be a priority for me when it comes to taking long trips away from home.  Being reliable and capable is even better.  With the 5.7-liter V8, the LX 570 has the power to tow up to 7,000 pounds. The full-time four-wheel drive with four-wheel active traction control automatically responds to changes in road-conditions.

In addition to the four-wheel active traction control, the LX 570 features a Toresen limited-slip center differential and crawl control mode for those off-road challenges.

Drivability in the city isn’t compromised with all these off-road features, but it does feel like you’re driving a big truck with a slow and steady wins the race driving mentality every minute of the drive.  The four-wheel power assisted ventilate disc brakes combined with the adaptive variable suspension activated with a turn of a dial makes the drive quality amazingly smooth for such a heavily equipped vehicle.

Functional luxury at its peak, the LX 570 is the ultimate family adventure SUV with modern styling.  The only unappealing aspect of this luxury tank is its fuel economy — 13 mpg in the city, 18 highway, at a combined 15 EPA rating on premium fuel.

With such numbers, you might see this tank cruising the malls more often than the trails.

See the previous 2019 Lexus LC 500 review.

2019 Lexus LX570

Vehicle type: Eight–passenger, five-door SUV, full-time 4-wheel drive
Base price: $90,830 Price as tested: $99,710
Engine: 5.7-liter V8, 383 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, 403 pound-feet of torque at 2,200 rpm.  Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 112.2 inches Overall length/width: 200 inches / 78 inches
Curb weight: 6,000 pounds (Three-row)
EPA mileage estimates: 13 city / 18 highway / 15 combined
Assembled in: Aichi, Japan