Not gonna lie, the Lexus LX 600 F Sport is very amazing. And I’ll preface by saying, I wasn’t a huge fan of the last model LX. The last generation LX was very nice, and its V8 will probably outlive us all. But man it felt heavy. And while I guess that translated to a traditional ‘Toyota’ sense of indestructibility, you just couldn’t overlook the fact that… it drove like you were carrying a cruise ship anchor on the roof. This new model LX 600 F Sport however, is different…
The LX 600 F Sport still feels heavy… but with a sense of momentum rather than drag.
And that changes everything about the feel of the new LX. It makes the weight feel much more desirable & satisfactory. I’ve never really experienced a vehicle quit like it. The LX 600 F Sport moves like a tank, but effortlessly. And I attribute a lot of that to the new model’s V6 twin-turbo (with 479lbs torque!) mated with a 10-speed transmission. That’s versus the old-model’s naturally aspirated V8 with an 8-speed transmission. You can’t deny that it’s game-changing. And even addictive. This LX feels different. The new twin-turbo is always in boost, it’s never searching around for a gear, and it feels like it’s got the momentum of a wave behind it.
I found myself driving the Lexus LX 600 in Comfort Mode 90% of the time.
Comfort Mode seems like the natural sweet-spot for the LX 600. It doesn’t feel slow or sluggish. But it DOES soften up the suspension, absorb the impacts, and makes the LX feel like it’s cruising on a cloud. Overall, it’s just very well matched to the vehicle’s size & demeanor.
But in the mountains on switchbacks, I went to Sport S+ Mode.
And was truly impressed at how well dialed-in the Lexus LX 600 F Sport was. In Sport S+, the suspension gets firm under the LX 600, but not brutal or jarring. The LX 600 still feels heavy, but when you turn in, it doesn’t body-roll like you’d expect it to. It stays relatively flat in corners for such a big boy. The throttle in Sport S+ is responsive & crisp, but it’s not frantic… and that makes for a much better experience. The F Sport model comes with limited slip, active height control, and 22″ wheels. And in Sport S+, the LX 600 still knows exactly what gear it needs to be in… without jumping around or awkwardly stringing-out RPMs. Everything feels right where it ideally needs to be to keep composure… just at a brisker pace. And for old-soul car enthusiasts like myself who aren’t big on tech, it’s one of those rare instances where technology feels like it’s working with you, rather than against you.
Speaking of tech…
In the cabin, I feel like Lexus got pretty close to mastering the balance between tech & analogue in the LX 600 F Sport. It’s still got some stuff that annoys me personally, like a too-deeply-embedded Lane Keep Assist that I didn’t have the patience to try & figure out how to turn off. But overall, the interior of the Lexus LX 600 really is a sanctuary. It’s quiet & calming… but with a strong presence, especially in the F Sport. Too many interiors are senselessly overcomplicated these days, and the Lexus LX 600 doesn’t necessarily follow that trend. It feels like a cockpit for a capable adults… who still like a sense of control over their vehicle.
On the outside…
I don’t personally think the LX 600 is gonna win any timeless beauty contests lol. BUT – the F Sport definitely has some hard-edged design cues & character traits that are rugged & appealing… even if not ‘beautiful’ in the classic sense. There’s no denying that the LX 600 F Sport has a commanding presence that’s hard to ignore – especially in F Sport trim. I’ll put it this way: The LX 600 F Sport grows on you. It fills a need you didn’t know you had. At least it did for me & my family over the course of a week. If we’re being honest, it made us get back in our own cars & go “Oooof”. And I’m pretty convinced that whatever car you ‘go back to driving’ after the LX 600 F Sport (whether it’s fast, sporty, large, small, rugged, luxurious, EV etc)… there’s going to be at least something that you noticeably miss from the LX 600 F Sport. It really does tackle a lot of different challenges very well.
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