Use the wake words “Hey, Lexus” and the digital assistant is at the ready, and there are hard controls for drive and climate functions. The old joystick and tiny screen are gone, replaced by big pretty units that have touch and voice commands. The infotainment system is also finally thoroughly modern. The design is elegant and clean, and all the furnishings radiate the high-quality feel that made Lexus’ reputation three decades ago. Those foibles aside, the interior is vastly improved from any previous LX. Somehow there’s also slightly less cargo space than before.

That said, the optional third row is small and cumbersome to reach, and the lack of second-row captain’s chairs in all but the very pricey top-level trim is a demerit. Like the Land Cruiser and Lexus’ smaller GX, the LX’s calling card is off-road talent, but for a big off-roader it isn’t brutish at all on the pavement, and its quiet manners illustrate why this SUV has been a staple for affluent families who want to reach ski slopes and sand dunes for years. It preserves the best traits of past LXs while offering big leaps in efficiency, refinement and in-car tech. Redesigned last year, the 2023 Lexus LX 600 (there’s only one model) continues unchanged. The LX has the off-road chops to match the best of these and even the Range Rover, and lots of towing power, but it isn’t as family-friendly as the domestics. These are all huge gains, but top-tier full-size SUVs are a tough crowd, and the LX faces off against the Cadillac Escalade, the recent Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Mercedes-Benz’s GLS, Land Rover’s new Defender 130 and the Infiniti QX80. With zero-to-60 times in the 6-second range and a 19 mpg combined EPA rating, the new LX is about a second faster and 5 to 7 mpg better than the old model. And yet, it all still feels like the familiar LX formula. The interior finally feels up to the LX’s lofty price. Its digital systems are all-new and more user-friendly than ever. While that might seem counterintuitive to SUV brawn, it has 26 more horsepower than before and boasts 1,000 pounds more towing capacity. The styling, interior, infotainment and many other elements are new, with the old gas-guzzling V8 swapped for a more powerful and efficient twin-turbo V6. Redesigns are often billed as being “from the ground up,” but in this case that isn’t hyperbole. The LX 600 (there’s only one model) is far more modern than its circa-2008 predecessor, and faster and more efficient, too. It still shares its platform and go-anywhere capabilities with the famous Toyota Land Cruiser, but after years of Americans choosing the LX far more often, the more humble Toyota now lives on only in global markets and the Lexus has doubled down on refinement and luxury. Totally redesigned last year, the fourth-generation Lexus LX builds on the formula of its predecessors and stands alone at the top of the automaker’s SUV pecking order.

2023 lexus lx