The level of damping is selectable. It’s possible to select Sport, Normal, and Comfort damping via a switch on the dash, which allowed us to tune ride quality depending on the road surface. We think we would operate on Comfort for highway driving, and Sport if we were faced with a mountain road with a lot of side-to-side transitions. The difference between Normal and Comfort was not apparent to us as we drove, but the difference between Sport and Comfort was definitely discernable.

Unless you drive a truck regularly, parking and maneuvering any big SUV will take some practice. Driving the LX, we found that the hood is tall, making it hard to keep track of the right front corner in particular. Rear visibility is compromised by headrests and sheer height. On the LX, the problem is made easier in two ways. First, steering at slow speeds requires very little effort, and second, visibility is enhanced by new electronic systems.

One such system uses wide-angle cameras located in the front grille and passenger-side mirror to give the driver an enhanced view along the front and side of the vehicle by projecting images of these blind spots on a split-screen display. Another system uses ultrasonic sensors to warn of contact with objects around the front, rear and corners of the vehicle when parking. We found that, with these systems operating simultaneously, even a driver who normally operates a smaller car can park and maneuver the LX in close quarters with accuracy and confidence. They all work together intuitively; it just takes a little patience.

The LX is built with the strong brakes a capable hauler requires. They include large ventilated disc rotors with multi-piston calipers, enhanced by numerous active safety systems. These include Brake Assist (shortening stopping distances in emergencies), all-terrain ABS, and Electronic Brake Force Distribution to balance braking on slippery surfaces.

We towed an 8500-pound trailer for an hour or so with the new LX 570 and found the engine and transmission had no trouble hauling the load up hills, as we expected. The downhill side is often the bigger challenge, as both brakes and transmission are part of what it takes to maintain control. We found that the transmission willdownshift on its own, from sixth to fifth gear then to fourth gear, to enhance engine braking and fuel economy. The uphill/downhill shift logic seems flawless, responding to very slight tip-of-the-toe throttle inputs. But for those times when manual control seems called for, there is a sequential shift mode that gives the driver this control.

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