The LX is versatile enough to carry people, or cargo, or a mix of both. The bias is toward carrying people, and keeping them comfortable. But for those occasions when bulky cargo is the order of the day, the rear interior seats fold out of the way to create 83.1 cubic feet of cargo area. The rear hatch opens using the key fob; the tailgate opens manually via a lever on the top of the tailgate. Cargo lift height is about average for a vehicle of this size. For groceries or other everyday uses, the 15-cubic-foot area behind the third row is sufficient. The third-row seats split 50/50 and stow against the side of the cabin, creating 41 cubic feet. Although that arrangement supplies less room, we like folding away the seats better than removing them altogether, which is the drill on some competing vehicles. Removing heavy seats is not a fun job for dad, and having loose seats kicking around the garage, taking up space and getting in harm’s way is a nuisance.

On the move, the 2008 Lexus LX 570 is smooth, quiet and untroubled. The higher seating position permits long-range forward visibility, keeping occupants and passengers above the flow of ordinary traffic, and eye-ball-to-eyeball with full-size trucks. The commanding view, combined with the lack of noise and vibration, combine to create the sensation of a protected cabin, and a sense of well being.

The LX moves out readily at part throttle, creating the sensation of power in reserve. The engine is an advanced 5.7-liter V8 shared with the Tundrapickup truck and Land Cruiser SUV. It’s built for torque, and it produces a lot of it, 403 pound-feet, early in the rev range. More than 90 percent of the torque is available before 2200 rpm, so most of the time the engine is loafing along with very low effort, which adds to the quiet, untroubled manner the LX conveys on the move. This ability to provide power without spinning the engine faster gives the LX a different character than the Cadillac Escalade or Land Rover Range Rover, which produce their peak torque at higher rpm levels.

The new six-speed transmission has a very low first gear, complementing the engine’s torque with enhanced mechanical leverage. The net effect, once again, is low effort in ordinary driving. At higher speeds, the six-speed offers a double overdrive combination, with a sixth-gear ratio of just 0.588. This very tall cruising gear allows for quiet, effortless cruising. At 2000 rpm, our test unit indicated a speed of 72 mph. At speeds over 75 mph we were able to detect some wind noise coming from the mirrors, but thanks to careful noise isolation work, the powertrain is not the source of noise or vibration until much higher speeds are demanded.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9