2022 Lexus LX 600 Moves Into This Decade With New Engine, New Styling And Serious Off-Road Kit

The time has arrived — here's everything that's new!

2022 Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury
Behold, the bold new face of the 2022 Lexus LX 600 “Ultra Luxury”. (Images: Lexus)

We may not get the Land Cruiser, but at least the Lexus LX 600 is finally here!

The last time we saw an “all-new” Lexus LX was in the long-ago times of 2007, so it’s a huge deal that this new model has arrived. Not only because we have to go without its Toyota Land Cruiser sibling in the U.S. this time around, but because there are a host of major changes worth discussing. Lexus itself opened its statement with “Good things come to those who wait” — pretty on the nose, there.

2022 Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury

Right off the bat, the 2022 Lexus LX distinguishes itself with fresh styling, though Lexus’ flagship retains the same 112-inch wheelbase and larger-than-life presence as the previous generations. The new, top-end “Ultra Luxury” model packs a three-dimensional, seven-bar spindle grille as the center point of the new fascia. From the front clip back rearward, the new LX looks familiar to the old car, save for a slight change to the side profile with more muscular lines, creases and bulges to the old LX 570.

Around the back, the 2022 Lexus LX 600 brings in more dramatic changes, many of which we spotted on the camouflaged pre-production unit. Those slimmer LED taillights are a new feature, stretching across the power liftgate, as is fashionable in modern designs. Like the new NX crossover, “LEXUS” scripting replaces the traditional Lexus logo across the tailgate. New 22-inch wheels are also part of the package, with different styles across the car’s five trim levels — Standard, Premium, Luxury, F Sport and Ultra Luxury.

2022 Lexus LX 600 F Sport

Yep, the 2022 Lexus LX 600 is getting an “F Sport” trim, too.

“F Sport Performance” is a mantra Lexus intends to expand out across its entire range, and that includes the LX. Its styling cues broadly match the brand’s other models, down to the blacked out trim and mesh spindle grille. It gets its own 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, sportier seats, and a barrage of F Sport badges both inside and out. The 2022 Lexus LX 600 F Sport, for its part, gets Ultra White as an exclusive color, as well as a Circuit Red for the interior, if either of those options pique your interest.

So long, V8 — hello twin-turbo V6

The new 300 Series Toyota Land Cruiser hinted what was coming for the luxurious LX — including a brand new engine. The old-school 5.7-liter V8 will rumble off into the sunset, and this new SUV gets a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 in its place. Fortunately, it still packs 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, just like on the Land Cruiser. In place of the outgoing 8-speed, the new LX also gets Toyota’s DirectShift-10AT 10-speed automatic transmission.

Coupled to a 441-pound weight loss from the old LX 570, this new version ought to manage at least slightly better fuel economy. Official figures aren’t public just yet, but any improvement on the 14 MPG rating we used to see is a welcome one. Like the Land Cruiser, the 2022 Lexus LX 600 rides on the same TNGA-F body-on-frame platform. However, it’s worth noting that the clearance, wheelbase, approach/breakover/departure angles, and water fording capability have not changed from the last-generation LX.

Thanks to structural changes, Lexus says this new model is 20% more rigid than before, despite being lighter. The automaker has not published full technical specs, but the reduced weight should put the LX 600 somewhere in the 5,500-pound range. Lexus also shifted this new car to electric power steering, though it does still have the same adjustable hydraulic suspension as before. F Sport models get a Torsen limited-slip differential, differently tuned front and rear dampers, and a rear stabilizer bar to improve cornering.

For those of you asking, “What about the hybrid?” — Lexus made no official confirmation of the so-called “750h” model just yet. For now, the LX 600 is the one to get, if you’re looking to buy a new LX soon.

2022 Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury — interior

Interior and off-road kit

It may be a new generation, but we still expect the Lexus LX 600 to come packed with plenty of off-road gear. If anything, Lexus just added onto that kit, with all the hardware you remember from the LX 570 still present. That means you still get Active Height Control with four settings (one lower setting for entry/exit and two higher settings for off-road, in addition to the normal ride height). Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control and Multi-Terrain Select are still present. With the redesigned center stack, you select between the on-road drive modes and the off-road drive modes through bespoke buttons. From there, you then use the “mode select” knob to dial in how you want the LX setup for the appropriate conditions.

A new Multi-Terrain Monitor joins the lineup, though, using four cameras to give the driver a better view around the vehicle. All those images are fed into the revised 12.3-inch display, while a lower 7-inch display gives more information on the MTS modes when you switch between them. Those screens also dole out navigation, media and climate controls through Lexus’ updated infotainment system.

Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 makes an appearance in the new LX, offering a wide range of driver-assistance tech from automatic emergency braking to intelligent high-beams, radar cruise control, lane departure alert and roadside assist.

2022 Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury

Getting a “VIP experience” in the Ultra Luxury

In addition to an available 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, the 2022 Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury also offers more of a chauffeured experience for the rear seat passenger. The front seat can move out of the way to provide 43 inches of rear legroom, and a powered footrest can even deploy from the back of the front passenger seat. The rear seat display can also fold out of the way to offer better visibility.

Other Ultra Luxury touches include rear sunshades shown in the photo above, as well as curved headrests, seatbacks and cushions for that more plush experience.

No pricing just yet

As ever, we’ll have to wait until closer to the launch to see official pricing for the 2022 Lexus LX 600. The old model started off at $86,930, so it’s likely this new model will start off more expensive than that.

The 2022 Lexus LX 600 will actually hit showrooms in the first quarter of 2022. Check out more in our reveal video below: