Solo Truck

Highs: Strong engine, smooth ride, wider appeal without abandoning Land Cruiser roots. Lows: Sticker shock at the fuel pump, top model has only four seats and a staggering price.

- DAN EDMUNDS

The 2022 Lexus LX emerges from its fresh redesign carrying more weight on its shoulders. The Toyota Land Cruiser's fancy sidekick now flies solo in the U.S. market, so it must satisfy a wider audience. The new LX600 lineup ranges from the $88,245 five-seat base model offering zero options to the Ultra Luxury model we tested, a $127,345 four-seat version with second-row recliners. In between are Premium, F Sport, and Luxury trims with a power-folding third-row instead of the previous jump seats.

In the new design, body-on-frame construction returns, with the LX now on the TNGA-F platform that also underpins the new Tundra and Sequoia. While the 112.2-inch wheelbase length is unchanged, both tracks are an inch wider. The chassis features control arms in front and a live rear axle located by four links and a Panhard rod.