Indian car buyers have a very strong affinity towards SUV/Crossovers. And why not, since customers today are practically spoilt for choice with an SUV/Crossover available in every price range in the country. The Lexus brand needs no introduction in India, for its vehicles have been making their way to our shores long before they made their official debut this year. The Japanese carmaker began their Indian venture with a three car line-up. The ES sedan and the RX crossover promptly went on sale, while the big daddy of the SUV, the flagship LX, is expected to follow soon. Here is what to expect from the flagship LX450d.
Platform and Styling
The LX doesn’t just garner road presence, it simply demands all the respect while cruising its way through any thoroughfare you could throw it into. The kinked rectangular front grille gets horizontal slats in the spindle motif, flanked by sleek LED headlamps looks a lot funkier as compared to the older car’s plain Jane appearance. And it’s not just good looking, but built-to-last as well, being based on the new Land Cruiser LC 200. The large road presence is complemented by huge body proportions which have its share of curves and creases, while the tail lights add a bit of a flair to the modern LX. The 285/60R18 section wheels are subtle, and the seven available body colour paints add a finesse to this big hunky SUV. Everything about this eight-seater is larger than life.
Hardware and equipment
Under the hood of the LX450d is a 4.5-litre V8 pushing out 270bhp and a mammoth 650Nm. The six-speed automatic gearbox transmits the power to all four wheels sending the 3.3tonne monster to a 100kmph from standstill in just 8.1seconds before hitting its top speed of 210kmph. There are four driving modes to choose from - Normal, Eco, Sport S and Sport S+. There are a plethora of driving aids, for on and off-road assists such as multi-terrain select, crawl control, variable flow control (VFC) for steering, active height control (AHC), multi-terrain monitor, adaptive variable suspension (AVC), stability and traction control, hill-start and hill-descent assist, and variable gear ratio steering (VGRS) to name a few.
Interior and features
The inside of the LX is as opulent as you could expect - a huge cabin which is loaded with features. The cabin has wooden highlights with Shimamoku ornamentation and the upholstery is done in Aniline leather. The 12.-inch screen dominates the dashboard, and the instrument cluster is a 4.2-inch TFT screen. There is a heads-up display, wireless charging, cooled box in the centre console, sunroof, automatic climate control and 19-speaker surround sound. On the safety front, there are 10 airbags, ABS with EBD, seatbelt pre-tensioners and even stability control programme as standard fitment.
Pricing and competition
Although the Lexus brand was launched in India last month, the carmaker hasn’t yet officially revealed the price for its flagship SUV. However, since it is positioned at the top-end of the SUV spectrum in India, we expect Lexus to price the LX450d in the range of Rs 2.2-2.5 Crore. The LX will face stiff competition from the likes of Mercedes-Benz GLS, new Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sports and its sibling Toyota Land Cruiser.
