In the Middle East, many would consider Luxury SUVs to be the best automotive segment in existence. The logic behind this is really simple— buyers here love premium, comfortable and luxurious cars. Add road presence, a 4WD system, immense space, and practicality, and you end up with a luxury SUV.
When you think of luxury SUVs, it is impossible to miss out on one name — Lexus LX. More popularly known by its model names — LX470, LX 570 & LX 600. Launched halfway through the 90s, the Lexus LX is often considered the ultimate Luxury SUV.
Some might argue that SUVs like the Land Rover Range Rover & Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class offer more luxury. However, they do not offer the reliability and practicality of the Lexus LX as it is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. When all these factors are taken into consideration, it becomes quite clear that the Lexus LX is a unique SUV that’s quite hard to ignore, especially if you’re in the UAE and other GCC nations.
In this edition of DubiCars Car Spotlight, we focus on the Lexus LX.
Lexus LX History & Heritage — Models Over The Years
Roots Of The Lexus LX
Toyota had been exporting its Land Cruiser series of SUVs to the USA since 1958. It became the best-selling Toyota vehicle in America from 1961 to 1965. It was quite obvious that the Toyota Land Cruiser was a popular SUV in the USA. However, it was more on the rugged and utilitarian side of the spectrum.
American and European manufacturers started coming up with more luxurious and feature-oriented SUVs over the next two decades and Toyota had to do something about it. In 1989, Toyota formed a completely new brand called Lexus to produce premium and luxurious vehicles. The idea was for Lexus to build upon existing Toyota vehicles and platforms, and the Lexus LX was the first SUV produced by the new luxury division.
First Generation – LX 450 (J80) | 1995 – 1997
As aforementioned, the Lexus LX was always based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. The generation code name J80 too was borrowed from its Toyota counterpart. Back when the development of the first LX began, the Toyota Land Cruiser 80-Series had been in production for a few years. In fact, Lexus didn’t even wait a couple of years for the next-gen Land Cruiser to go into production.
On the outside, the LX 450 wasn’t all too different from the Land Cruiser 80-Series. The design was exactly the same and the only difference was in a couple of styling elements. The grille up front was redesigned and the LX 450 featured contrasting body cladding to set it apart from the LC80.
The interior was more luxurious as the SUV came with leather seating for seven. Features that were ahead of their time included a car telephone system, remote key entry, a 6-disc CD changer, and a powered moonroof. The SUV used the same 4.5-litre inline-six-cylinder engine as the LC80, but featured softer suspension settings and a locking differential at the rear.
Second Generation – LX 470 (J100) | 1998 – 2007
One must have surely seen loads of this generation’s Lexus LX on the roads of the UAE. It was extremely popular back when it was launched and still remains a popular choice among locals. It was based on the Land Cruiser 100-Series and was obviously more luxurious.
At the rear and on the side profile, the LX 470 mimicked the LC100. However, the front end featured a polarising quad headlamp setup. Some liked it, and others didn’t. However, everyone loved the performance on offer.
It was powered by the infamous 2UZ-FE 4.7-litre V8 engine which still remains one of the most reliable engines ever made. It was mechanically similar to the LC100. However, the LX 470 came with the Adjustable Height Control, and Adjustable Variable hydraulic suspension as standard. The Interior too was more luxurious. It came with a Mark & Levinson 11-speaker music system with a sub-woofer, as standard.
Third Generation – LX 570 (J200) | 2007 – 2021
By far the most popular and highest-selling generation of the Lexus LX, the J200 was based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 200-Series. Lexus had become a popular brand indeed and as a part of the attempts to place the LX on a higher pedestal than its Land Cruiser counterpart, for the first time, the LX was released ahead of the Toyota.
The LX 570 featured an electro-hydraulic suspension system with Automatic Height Control. For the first time, the Lexus LX was made available with multiple engine options and this included even a 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel.
The interior was more luxurious than ever before with features like leather seats, four-zone climate control, 19 speaker Mark Levinson audio system, a powered tailgate, a cooled centre console, etc. The LX 570 underwent three facelifts during its 14-year production run.
Fourth Generation – LX 600 (J310) | 2021 – Present
It is the largest, most luxurious, and most powerful Lexus LX model yet. Based on the new 300-Series Land Cruiser, the new LX is also arguably the best-looking version of the SUV yet. For the first time ever, the LX went on sale in the USA without its Toyota counterpart.
Engine options are from Toyota as usual. This includes a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine across all markets. While some markets also get the V6 diesel engine as an option. Transmission duties are handled by a 10-speed automatic gearbox.
The new Lexus LX 600 is available in multiple variants and for the first time includes an F-Sport variant which until now was reserved only for the sports cars made by the Japanese manufacturer. It features a dual-screen infotainment system, a 25-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, 22-inch alloy wheels, etc.
Most Popular Lexus LX Models In The UAE
The Lexus LX 600 was only launched in 2022 and while it is still extremely popular in its segment, the LX 570 and LX 470 certainly enjoy more popularity in the UAE even years after they were launched. The LX 470 still turns heads despite it being 25 years old. In this Blog, the fact that the Lexus LX is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser is mentioned multiple times. You can read more about the Toyota Land Cruiser’s generations & models.
If you’re on the lookout for a luxurious, reliable, and practical SUV, here are hundreds of used Lexus LX for sale in the UAE & new Lexus LX for sale in the UAE.
Also Read:
– All You Need To Know About The Mercedes-Benz G-Class
– Top 10 SUVs To Buy In The UAE
– All You Need To Know About The Nissan Patrol
