LEXUS LX 500d

The Lexus LX is one of the last bastions of post-apocalyptic SUVs

- BENJAMIN GRACIAS

One of my personal quirks while reviewing an SUV is classifying them into two broad categories SUVs meant for your day-to-day usage and those built to survive the post-apocalyptic world. The latter category understandably has a smaller volume but includes SUVs ranging from the Maruti Suzuki Jimny to the MercedesBenz G-Wagon (the regular one, not the AMG kind). The Lexus LX sits in this category. In my mind, its close cousin, the Toyota Land Cruiser LC-series has been the flagbearer of said postapocalyptic society but the LX feels set to dethrone it.

Seeing it in the flesh seems to confirm this feeling. The massive grille with its horizontal slats not only makes it look intimidating but also offers it a road presence unlike no other. Everything is supersized here. The oil-tanker-like dimensions extend to the large air dams, the 22-inch wheels, the mirrors and the impossibly long bonnet. Despite this, there is an air of coolness around it. The mammoth grille aside, everything fits together nicely and there is a sense of cohesiveness to the design. And if the grille is not your cup of tea, you can try replacing it with the sportier one on the F-Sport variant sold abroad. The only letdown was the rear end with its horizontal tail lamp setup which looks more van-like and out of sync with the rest of the design. Overall, the Lexus LX 500d has a stately presence around it, no doubt aided by the massive dimensions.