Test driving the Lexus LX 450d

No doubt this is the largest and most intimidating car in the Lexus lineup Its also the most expensive considering its tag of a whopping Rs 232 crore Thats considerably more expensive than fullfledged luxury SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and MercedesBenz GLS But Lexus has a plan and we try to unravel it The LX looks like an SUV on steroids Its length of 5080 millimetres and overall size make other cars appear microscopic The family Lexus design continues to dominate with the largest spindle grille one can image Narrow LED headlamps make the design look sleeker and seek help from the boomerangshaped foglamp console The side profile gives away its Toyota Land Cruiser genes With not too many radical lines the LX appears at its sober best from the side although the wheelarches deserve 20inch wheels instead of the standard 18inch ones it getsThe design gets more interesting at the rear with Lshaped LED taillights that come with a chrome garnish The split tailgate has an electrically operated upper half while the lower bit opens manually Like the rest of the Lexus brought to India the fitandfinish is topnotch The SUV is 1865 mm tall and that makes getting in and out quite a task mdash even with the help of the sideboard You sit tall on the drivers seat and literally look down upon other cars on the road The visibility is great and you get an imposing driving positionSharp headlamp design is a standout elementThe two words that best describe it are Plus Size There is good use of leather wood and brushed metal which gives the cabin a premium feel Similar to the Lexus RX the LX gets a large 123inch infotainment display with the same user interface and joystick controller This unconventional setup takes a little time to get used to but is fairly simple and intuitive The icing on the cake is the stunning Mark Levinson music system which comes with 19 speakers With the cabin insulation also working as a noise cancelling system it delivers one of the best sounds that one can expect in a carCompared to the other Lexus cars we found the LXs controls most confusing Toggling through the driving modes can be tricky because the 4x4 knob is identical and sits right next to the driving mode knob Practically every change in setting requires a stopover because you dont want to get the wrong button or dial And there are just too many of them Also abundant are the features which include tyre pressure monitoring system parking sensors with a 360degree camera stability control hillstart assist ABS and 10 airbags This is the only Lexus in India than can comfortably accommodate five adults We especially liked the front two since they can be electrically adjusted and come with adjustable lumbar support The secondrow seats could do with more underthigh support Seats are ventilated and the base can be adjusted electricallyGetting used to the LX 450ds controls do take some time PicsSanjay RaikarTheres not one but two ac vents at the back and rearseat passengers can also control the temperature using the controls on the armrest It also gets a pair of infotainment screens that can be operated using a remote The sunroof comes as standard and ensures theres always enough light coming into the cabin Unfortunately in India the LX is offered as a fiveseater while the Land Cruiser comes with a sevenseat option Theres a reason why the bonnet is of such generous proportions Its so as to accommodate a gigantic 45litre V8 diesel motor punching out 265 PS and a massive 650 Nm of torque Yes this is the only car in the Lexus lineup in India that doesnt wear the hybrid halo No surprise this oversized SUV claims a fuel efficiency of just 96 kmlCrank it up and fellow motorists around you turn their heads towards the LX trying to complain about the diesel clatter it emits Meanwhile youll be sitting nonchalantly in the wellinsulated cabin wondering what the fuss is all about Even as it builds up speed and gets louder it can barely be heard within And only when revved harder can a murmur filter throughWith the gigantic wave of torque flowing in at as low as 1600 rpm the LX doesnt need to be poked hard usually Its a big and heavy car and the power delivery is leaner but never explosive This Lexus doesnt like being hustledThe sixspeed automatic gearbox isnt the slickest either even in Sport mode The shifts feel jerky and uncertain especially at lower speeds Climbing the hilly road even as we try using the steeringmounted paddleshifters the downshifts arent smooth and feel hesitant Its best to play with the abundant torque and let the LX cruise ahead For its size and weight the LX does have a remarkably quick 0100 km time of 86 seconds This is just a second slower than the much smaller Lexus RX and surprisingly matches the time of the ES sedan Were not sure how many owners will be interested in taking their twoandahalf crore SUV offroad but the LX has all the tools if they so desire right from ladderonframe underpinnings to proper 4x4 system with adaptive suspension multiterrain mode and active height control to raise the ground clearanceThe Lexus can practically tame any road surface including something resembling the Moons But in doing so it does threaten to toss around the occupants who are held in place by the wellcontoured seats and seat belts The driving modes can alter the steering powertrain and suspension settings with Sport keeping the suspension at its firmest best It never becomes unbelievingly stiff but does control bodyroll to a great extent Its only when you brake hard that you can feel some pitching and wallowingThe handling did surprise us It remained fairly planted for an SUV of this proportions even during some enthusiastic driving The steering felt heavy for city driving and was relentless even as the LX gathered pace We think the weight might come handy during offroading but on road theres no feedback coming to the driverFor this price there are more than a handful of luxury SUV options available in the market Practically every manufacturer from Porsche Jaguar Audi Mercedes and Range Rover has very capable and attractive offerings And almost all of them cost less than the Lexus Those who buy the LX will have just two reasons First is the remarkable reliability and ease of ownership the brand has carved for itself internationally The second is exclusivity