Tow Test: Lexus LX570

Big Lexus SUV tows like nothing’s behind it

Platform sharing is ingrained in the automotive industry, but not many are as obvious as the linkage between the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series and the Lexus LX570. The Lexus isn’t just a tarted-up ‘Cruiser, though.

Its lusty 270kW 5.7-litre V8 and thicker wedge of infotainment gear sets it apart from the Toyota. The LX570 does share the Cruiser’s legendary rock-solid towing platform, but does the bigger ticket price and big petrol V8 thirst make the LX570 a better towing package than the LandCruiser?

Petrol power
While diesel appears the only way to go for a large SUV tow truck, that news hasn’t sunk in with the upper luxury SUV segment.

Here in Australia, petrol is king; no-one in their right free-market mind is going to want diesel fuel spilled onto their suede tasseled loafers at the bowser. Besides, if you can afford to drop $160k on a new wagon, why would you care how much petrol it sucks down?

Not to mention that you’re not going to impress anyone with your new wheels if it sounds like a truck. Lexus doesn’t even offer a diesel version of its LX570. In fact, it doesn’t offer diesel in anything it sells.

Loaded with gear

The second-generation LX570 landed here in 2008, but in early 2016, Lexus gave the model a big pull-through.

Outside, only the roof and doors are carried over, while the cabin has also mostly been renovated.

While the 275kW/530Nm V8 continues unchanged, it has an eight-speed auto behind it in place of the previous six-speed unit – and a new Drive Mode Select system for powertrain and suspension responses.

The LX570 is $143,300 (plus on-road costs) but the vehicle we drove came with the $16,500 Enhancement Pack option package (21-inch alloy wheels, heated steering wheel, front seat ventilation and second row seat heater and ventilation) making for a total of $159,800 (plus on-road costs).

This makes the LX570 about $45,000 more than the 4.6-litre petrol V8 LandCruiser Sahara.

Lush interior

The Lexus has side steps and an access mode (the suspension can lower the vehicle down to make getting in and out easier), but you still need to use the grab handles to climb aboard, thanks to its body-on-chassis construction.

There’s no lack of room once you’re in the lush cabin, and you get a good view out the front and sides. The around-view and reversing camera make parking in tight spots easier (at 5.1 metres long and a shade under 2.0m wide, most parking sports are going to be tight).

The side mirrors are large – making towing mirrors unnecessary for all but the widest trailers.

There has been a huge increase in driver assist technology since this LX570 arrived in 2008, and while Lexus topped-up the LX570 to include all the latest technology in its 2016 renovation, it’s clearly easier to incorporate such features in an all-new design.

It’s like a flight deck in there, with so many switches, buttons and dials it’s hard – even after a week’s driving – to be confident that you’ll stab the right button without having a quick look first.

The infotainment menu isn’t the most logical or user-friendly either…

Plenty of performance

The LX570’s V8 moves the 2700kg SUV surprisingly quickly when you give it everything it’s got. It’s smooth and quiet too.

The eight-speed auto slurs through its ratios imperceptibly when cruising, yet gear changes become crisp and decisive when you’re driving more urgently.

There are big luxury SUVs that can be enjoyable to drive quickly, but the LX570 isn’t one of them. In short, it’s no Range Rover.

Steering is quick to turn in but it’s light and lacks feel. Even though the 21-inch tyres provide plenty of grip, understeer comes in early. The seats are too flat to keep you planted when reeling in a bunch of corners too.

With its three suspension modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+), it becomes obvious very quickly that Sport is the pick – Comfort is too floaty while Sport+ makes the LX570’s lack of rigidity more obvious, with the body shaking and flexing over harsh bumps.

Towing the big stuff

The LandCruiser’s 4.5-litre V8 might have more torque (and at lower rpm) but the LX570 still has plenty enough Newton-metres to lug a heavy trailer without much effort.

Like the ‘Cruiser, the Lexus has a 3500kg maximum towing capacity (with 350kg maximum on the towball). Lexus recommends that you select the ‘S’ mode when towing, which not only makes the LX570 more keen to downshift and to hold onto gears longer but also keeps the transmission from shifting up any further than sixth gear.

Getting a trailer that’s nice and heavy to loan for tests like these is not easy – so we had a 2366kg tare (with 192kg towball download) tandem-axle caravan behind the Lexus, and it hardly knew it was there.

Getting up to cruising speed and holding it there was easy for the LX570, but a couple steep hill climbs saw it digging deep into its power band to keep 100km/h on the needle.

Engine braking in a free-revving 32-valve V8 is never going to be great, and sure enough plenty of dabbing on the brakes was needed to keep speed pegged downhill.

The paddle shifts that seem such a gimmick in a large SUV like this come into their own when towing in hilly terrain; you can quickly knock the transmission back a gear or two to help stop the rig from getting up too much speed on the downhill run.

Loves a drink

The sad but inevitable fact about a large displacement engine is that it burns a lot of fuel. The big V8 is actually not too thirsty on an easy highway cruise, with a 12.8L/100km consumption achieved on test.

In city driving you’ll be lucky to dip below 20.0L/100km, and when towing, the Lexus chewed through 26.5L/100km. Look on the bright side: you’ve got a 138-litre fuel tank, so the Lexus will tow for about 500km before it’ll need a fill.

The Lexus felt planted with the caravan behind it, with none of the sway or bobbing about that can curse some towing rigs. As when cruising without a trailer, body movement when towing was much more contained in Sport than Comfort suspension mode.

The verdict

Even though it has an aircraft-like complexity to its controls, and is thirsty when towing, the LX570 has a solid towing platform with plenty of power and torque to keep up a good average speed during a transport stage when on tour.

Whether the extra driver assistance gear and better outright performance is worth the extra slab or money over a LandCruiser 200 is another question.

2017 Lexus LX570 pricing and specifications:

Price: $157,000 (as tested, plus on-road costs)

Engine: 5.7-litre eight-cylinder petrol

Output: 270kW/530Nm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel: 14.4L/100km (ADR Combined)

Tow capacity: 3500kg maximum, 350kg (ball)

With thanks to Sydney RV Group for the loan of the caravan.

Tow Test: Lexus LX570

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