2010 Lexus LX 570 Review

The 2010 Lexus LX 570 offers a remarkable combination of around-town civility and off-road capability. Add a powerful V8 and a luxurious eight-passenger cabin and you have an upscale SUV with few equals.

At some point someone has probably told you with an air of smug certainty that "you can't have it all." Well, frankly, all that proves is that this poor misguided individual has never had the pleasure of driving the 2010 Lexus LX 570. Most vehicles are compromised in one way or another, but the full-size LX 570, which is based on the legendary Toyota Land Cruiser, is a notable exception to this rule.

Instead of sacrificing serious off-road capability in order to give the LX 570 the civilized ride and handling qualities you'd expect from a luxury vehicle, the engineers integrated a technologically sophisticated four-wheel-drive system and an electronically adjustable suspension that makes the LX every bit as comfortable and capable off the pavement as it is on it. But whereas other luxury SUVs with this level of off-road prowess may have a trucklike ride, nothing could be further from the truth here. Like all Lexus models, the LX 570 rides smoothly, and it also offers a handsome cabin with a long list of high-end comfort, convenience and safety features.

That's not to say the LX 570 is perfect. The interior offers seating for up to eight passengers in three rows of seats, but the third-row seat and cargo hold aren't quite as spacious as those in some rivals. Still, this big Lexus is one of the best of its breed. Land Rover's more expensive Range Rover flagship offers similar luxury trappings and off-road capability, but its five-passenger interior puts it at a disadvantage. And while the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has seven-passenger seating, it falls short in off-road capability.

An interesting new alternative is the Land Rover LR4, which offers generous three-row seating, a rich interior, excellent bushwhacking potential and a powerful V8, all for far less money. Yet LX buyers are unlikely to be disappointed in their purchases. The 2010 Lexus LX 570 is in that rarefied class of vehicle that's able to thumb its nose at the notion that it just isn't possible to have it all.

The 2010 Lexus LX 570 is a midsize SUV offered in one well-equipped trim level. Standard exterior and mechanical features include 20-inch alloy wheels, an electronically controlled suspension that automatically adjusts ride height and firmness, adaptive auto-on/off xenon headlights, front foglamps, a sunroof, a roof rack and a power liftgate.

Step inside and you'll find leather upholstery and wood trim, power-adjustable heated front seats, driver memory functions, power-sliding second-row and power-folding third-row seats, quad-zone automatic climate control, a 115-volt AC home-style power outlet, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio connectivity and a nine-speaker audio system with a six-CD changer, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. A voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic and a rearview camera is also standard, as are the new Lexus Enform and Safety Connect telematics systems.

The options list includes a Luxury package, which adds exclusive alloy wheels, upgraded leather and wood interior trim, a chilled center console bin, heated and ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats and keyless entry/ignition. Other add-ons include ultrasonic parking assist, front and side-view parking cameras, adaptive cruise control, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

Underneath the LX 570's hood is a gutsy 5.7-liter V8 that produces an impressive 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque. Power gets sent to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature. Lexus says this powertrain allows this 6,000-pound beast to do zero to 60 mph in an impressive 7.2 seconds while also giving it an 8,500-pound towing capacity. EPA fuel economy estimates are 12 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 14 mpg in combined driving.

The 2010 Lexus LX 570 comes standard with antilock brakes, stability control and no fewer than 10 airbags, including front knee airbags, front and second-row side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Active front head restraints are also standard.

The optional Lexus Pre-Collision System uses input from the adaptive cruise control system's sensors to help detect an impending collision. When it determines a crash is imminent, the system automatically takes up the slack in the front seatbelts and primes the braking system for faster response in panic stops.

The 2010 Lexus LX 570's calling card is its versatility. The powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine provides remarkable acceleration for such a large and heavy vehicle, and it makes quick work of even heavy-duty towing tasks. And despite its old-school body-on-frame construction and hefty weight, the LX 570 rides and handles well, with the electronically controlled suspension smoothing out bumps in everyday driving. The topper, though, is how good this luxury vehicle is once you leave the pavement. The LX 570's combination of rugged construction, advanced suspension design and off-road Crawl Control program lets owners easily motor through all but the toughest terrain.

Step inside the LX 570 and you'll find a cabin that's every bit as stylish as any high-end luxury sedan's. Supple leather upholstery for each of the eight seating positions is complemented by wood accents, and this luxury lounge effect is only amplified by the LX 570's comprehensive array of standard and optional accoutrements. Both the 14-way power-adjustable front seats and the 60/40-split power-adjustable second-row bench offer exceptionally comfortable accommodations. The 50/50-split third-row seat, on the other hand, is short on both leg- and headroom (unlike in the GL-Class and LR4), making it best for kids.

The other downside to the third-row seat is that its two halves power-fold toward the sides of the vehicle instead of folding flat into the floor. This means they eat into the usable cargo space behind the second row. However, there's still a healthy 41 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row and a maximum of 83 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded.