The LX570 with its 5.7-litre 383bhp V8 replaces the capable but ultimately uninspiring and slightly shorter and skinnier 470 model (4.7-litre V8), and the extra litre that has been squeezed under the hood of the LX570 definitely makes a difference when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle weighing just under 6,000lbs. In performance terms the 546Nm powerplant in the LX570 takes it from 0-100kph in just under eight seconds, so it can hardly be called slovenly. Another contributory factor to this is the new 6-speed automatic gearbox which not only offers improved gearing for acceleration and general movement in city traffic, but also contributes to improved fuel economy.

We’ll get on to the off-road capabilities of the LX570 in a little while – you can assume that they are as good as the Land Cruiser – but there is one reason you might buy the LX570 over the Land Cruiser: Luxury.

A top spec Land Cruiser comes pretty well equipped and to be honest the only extras that you get on the LX570 over and above its cheaper Toyota cousin are the hi-tech gadgets which just make for a more refined ownership and driving experience: the driver selectable responsive suspension; automatic front and rear suspension levelling; pearlescent exterior paint; roof rails and spoiler; electric rear gate (which I couldn’t get to work from the key fob, the button on the dash or from the gate itself); wood trim on the doors; Mark Levinson sound system; DVD player; satnav; and voice activating system. Chuck all these in to the options package of the Land Cruiser and you will be well in range of the $90,000 LX570 price tag, but without the Lexus badge for that extra touch of prestige.

And prestige is what the LX570 does very well. Both exterior and interior fit and finish is very good with quality wood veneers used sparingly just as accents to the subtly luxurious theme of the cabin. Ventilated front leather seats as well as a 10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat add that touch of sophistication and comfort which most other luxury manufacturers overlook, especially in the 4x4 market. Soft leathers are used on all tactile surfaces of the cabin, such as the door handles and rests, the centre split armrest which covers a cooler box, the top of the gearshift and handbrake levers, and either side of the gun metal/aluminium look centre console.

The amount of interior storage is sufficient but not ample: the space is more utilised for passenger comfort with plenty of headroom and a general airy feel. With the 50/50 split third row folded and electrically stowed to either side of the rear there is ample space for 5 passengers and their holiday luggage. With the third row in place, I wouldn’t ask more than two small children to sit back there, and rear storage is reduced to a couple of sets of golf clubs.

And golf clubs are more likely to be the luggage of choice for the new Lexus owner which, in price terms, is alongside the Range Rover HSE, a mid-range Porsche Cayenne and the Mercedes GL-Class. But where the LX570 truly comes into its own is the number of boxes that it ticks for all-round versatility: comfort, off-road ability, power, technology, seating capacity, build quality… Where many competitors can claim to tick a few of these boxes, the Lexus is the best all-round package and the closest thing to a true off-road ‘limousine’. There is good reason why most desert tour companies use the Land Cruiser on which the LX570 is based: it is awesome away from the asphalt. Unlike its more sports-oriented competitors, the LX570 is designed primarily for going into the wilderness. High clearance both at the front and rear combine with the world's first four-wheel Active Height Control and Active Variable Suspension (also on the Land Cruiser V8), which Toyota says is the most sophisticated suspension system fitted as standard to any SUV. It links the suspension of all four wheels and controls the rate at which the springs compress and release, improving comfort, pitch and reducing body roll.

It also features a 3-speed crawl control which maintains a controllable driving rate of 1, 3 or 5kph over awkward obstacles either up or downhill, controlling acceleration, braking and traction, leaving the driver to concentrate on steering.

Back on tarmac, the LX570 is just as impressive with very low noise levels even around the 160kph mark. The Sports setting for the suspension doesn’t really feel as if it has much effect and the steering feels a little too light and vague, which you don’t want either on or off-road. While most of the gadgetry is useful, even if it caters to the rather lazy occupant, the wing mirror-mounted camera is more confusing than helpful. It gives you a 180 degree view of the area around the front of the vehicle – which you can see anyway. The front grill-mounted camera, however, does assist when pulling out of blind alleys or obstructed parking, for example. The only other aid that this feature offers is the passenger side kerb view, even though the image you see on the centre-mounted monitor is distorted and potentially misleading.

But this aside, there really is very little that you can realistically complain about with the LX570 with its abundance of passive and active safety features, including adaptive cruise control. You could say that 5.7 litres is nothing to write home about if you care for the environment, even though it falls within the ULEV II certification.

My final little niggle is with the Mark Levinson Reference Sound System. Having been astounded by this 19-speaker setup when I heard it in the LS460L last year, I was disappointed with the way it struggled with my Motorhead CD, lacking the real bass ‘oomph’ you would expect from the masters of heavy metal. Although, maybe that was a reflection of the innate character of this Lexus: the LX570 is the SUV for the sophisticated and refined off-road driving enthusiast who enjoys experiencing wilderness from the luxury of a well appointed cabin. It’s not for motorheads.

Image Gallery