2026 Lexus LX review

The Lexus LX range is extensive, offering a variety of choices for plenty of different customers. Indeed, on the back of a recent range expansion, there are now a dozen different derivatives of the Japanese luxury brand’s biggest SUV available.

In this test, we’re focusing on the LX Overtrail diesel model, which is somewhat perplexing to me. It’s a hardcore off-roader and has all the big-ticket items covered – but at nearly $200k, I had no plans to risk damaging the duco of this commanding machine.

And I have to wonder – are any customers actually going to use all the hardcore hardware this big unit provides?

Let’s go through it, and I’ll tell you what it’s like – whether you plan to go off-road, or not.

How much does the Lexus LX cost?

Until just a short time ago, the LX Overtrail grades were the range-topping versions of Lexus' take on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

But now there are some high-end LX700h hybrid variants, although they are more focused on the luxury side of things, being offered in F Sport and Sports Luxury trims. You can read more about them here.

As such, the Overtrail variants squeeze in towards the top of the petrol and diesel model range, but below the 700h hybrids.

The prices listed above position the LX as a more expensive luxury family SUV than the Audi Q7. They're also up there alongside some of the Land Rover Defender 130 variants, and well and truly above what Denza is charging for its three-row B8 off-road luxury SUV, but not as pricey as a Range Rover.

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Lexus LX like on the inside?

We’re talking about a vehicle nudging the $200,000 mark, so it’s fair to assume that your expectations are pretty high, right? 

While this interior is unquestionably luxurious in plenty of ways, I don’t think it really offers the wow-factor you’d expect at this price point. It feels expensive, sure – but not $200,000 worth. At least not in my opinion… nor in the opinions of my passengers during a week of testing.

Let’s start up front, where you get a fully digital instrument cluster with plenty of information available via the steering wheel controls. Unlike those in other Lexus models, they are proper physical buttons rather than haptic-touch items. There are adaptive cruise and lane-tracing controls, and paddle shifters, too. 

The 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is fine, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, and connected services with live mapping. 

It’s reasonably intuitive to use, although some audio settings are oddly split between menus, so audiophiles might find it frustrating when fiddling for the correct feel and vibe… it is a point of contention, considering this thing comes with a 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, which is excellent.

Along with the main infotainment display and digital instrument cluster, there’s an additional lower display handling functions like ambient lighting colours, suspension height settings, and climate controls. 

There are physical temperature toggles and a ‘Climate Concierge’ automatic setting, though fan speed adjustment remains buried in screen menus.

There are heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, multiple USB ports, an HDMI jack, and even a refrigerated cool box hidden in the centre console. The centre bin itself opens either way, too.

Of course, this big 4x4 has dedicated controls for terrain modes, Crawl Control, low-range gearing, and even front, rear and centre differential locks. Yep, it’s got all the off-road gear, but I’ve got no idea why…!

The front seats are power-adjustable and exceptionally comfortable, while storage throughout the cabin is decent thanks to generous door bins, a usable glovebox, and welcome loose-item options, but it’s not excessively practical, either.

Overhead you’ll find a digital rear-view mirror, sunglasses holder, and various lighting controls.

In the second row the packaging feels a little less convincing.

Despite this being a massive SUV, rear-seat space is adequate rather than generous. 

At six feet (182cm) tall, I found the knee room tight behind my own driving position, and taller occupants may need the front passenger seat shuffled forward to get truly comfortable. The second-row seats don’t slide to deliver extra space, either.

Amenities back there are impressive though, with heated and ventilated seats, dedicated climate controls with individual zones, overhead air vents, sun blinds, USB-C ports, a 12-volt power outlet, and a fold-down armrest with cupholders.

For parents, there are ISOFIX points in the window seats and three top-tether anchors for child seats.

Still, for something this large – and this expensive – you can’t help but feel the second-row accommodation should be more generous.

The boot makes up for it, though, because the Overtrail is exclusively a five-seater. There is no seven-seat option offered in this grade.

What that means is you have a generous 1109 litres of cargo capacity to play with, accessed via a traditional power tailgate rather than a side-swinging door like on some of the others in this class. It doesn’t have the clever split tailgate like the previous-gen LX, though.

In the cargo zone there are plenty of useful inclusions, like cupholders and third-row vents… which are there because other LXs have three rows of seats. But they might be handy if you’re camping and hanging out in the boot area, or if you have dogs and want to keep them well ventilated in the cargo zone. There are also bag hooks, a 220V/100W powerpoint, lighting, and a cargo cover.

And of course, because it has a traditional tailgate, the spare wheel is underslung, which could be a pain if you get a flat when you’re off-roading. Or even just if you haven’t washed under the car for a while.

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Since it was the diesel model tested for this review, the details below only pertain to this powertrain. If you want more info on the other Lexus LX engine options, check out our dedicated Lexus LX showroom for reviews and news. 

I was a little disappointed with the real-world fuel consumption of this SUV. I mean, it’s massive, and heavy, and has a big diesel engine.

But the claim is 8.9L/100km, and I saw 11.9L/100km, and I wasn’t asking much of it either. Pretty much just urban and highway driving, in fact, yet I managed to record a figure 33 per cent higher than the claim.

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Lexus LX drive?

Sorry to disappoint you here, but I didn’t get a chance to go off-road in the Overtrail, because: (a) the route I intended to take was closed due to flooding, and (b) I didn’t want to potentially damage a $200,000 Lexus.

That’s one thing I just struggle to fathom about this car. It makes perfect sense to me as an option for towing – maybe for horse people, camper trailers or caravanners – but I don’t see why you’d want to bush-bash a car like this. 

Yes, it has serious four-wheel-drive cred – complete with low-range gearing, locking differentials and sophisticated all-terrain tech – and I’ve driven this generation LX off-road, not to mention its LandCruiser donor vehicle, and it’s a weapon. This one takes things further with even more hardcore inclusions. So to hazard a guess here, it’ll do the job off-road.

But what about daily duties – the boring stuff we all do? Well, it’s excellent, frankly.

Of course it is a civilised thing. Not like a Defender, or a Range Rover. But it’s plush and comfy, thanks in no small part to the hydraulic suspension system, which is height-adjustable and comfort-changing as well, courtesy of adaptive dampers.

Don’t drive it in the lowest setting on urban roads, as it can feel lumpy. But the ride settles nicely into a comfortable and composed rhythm at normal height, and those tall tyre sidewalls help soften sharper impacts too, which is important given the ladder-frame chassis has a fairly stiff setup due to its off-road focus.

That said, those off-road tyres can feel squishy and lack some cornering grip at pace in the wet. 

The steering is well judged overall. It’s light enough to make parking and low-speed moves easy, but weights up naturally as speeds rise. It is less intimidating to drive than its sheer size might suggest.

There’s also plenty of praise to be levelled at the diesel engine in the 500d model.

The twin-turbo diesel V6 delivers effortless torque and a relaxed character that suits the LX perfectly. There’s ample pulling power on tap, and the 10-speed automatic does an excellent job of keeping the engine in its sweet spot without ever feeling overly busy in daily duties.

If you’re planning to tow regularly, this powertrain’s low-end grunt and smooth power delivery feels entirely appropriate for a vehicle of this size.

As for fuel consumption, the diesel performs noticeably better on paper than the petrol-powered LX 600, though real-world efficiency during testing sat at 11.4L/100km in mixed driving conditions. That’s not exactly remarkable, especially given the relatively relaxed driving I did, but the large 110L fuel tank provides a long touring range between refills – even if they're going to be expensive.

On the safety front, Lexus’ driver assistance systems are mostly well integrated. The lane-keeping assistance can occasionally feel a little intrusive, and disabling it isn’t as straightforward as it could be, requiring a dive through on-screen menus rather than a quick-access button.

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

2026 Lexus LX Luxury standard equipment highlights:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Height adjustable suspension 
• Seven-seat configuration
• Soft-close doors 
• Three-beam LED headlights, adaptive high-beam
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• DAB+ digital radio
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto 
• 7.0-inch lower screen
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 
• 6 x USB-C outlets
• Head-up display
• 'Hey Lexus' natural speech recognition
• 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
• Four-zone climate control
• Centre console cool box 
• Leather upholstery
• 10-way driver and 8-way front passenger seat power adjustment
• Heated front seats
• ‘Shimamoku’ wood trim
• Wireless phone charging
• 360-degree camera
• Multi-terrain monitor
• Trailer wiring harness and towing hitch
• Lexus Connected Services with stolen vehicle tracking, automatic collision notification and SOS call functionality

Overtrail adds (over Luxury):

• Five-seat configuration
• Sunroof
• Hands-free power tailgate
• 18-inch matte grey alloy wheels
• Toyo 5 Open Country all-terrain tyres
• Locking front and rear differentials
• Black grille, bumpers, door handles, wheel-arches, mirror caps and door window mouldings
• Leather-accented seats in Monolith
• Sumi Ash black inlays

Sports Luxury adds (over Luxury):

• 22-inch forged alloy wheels
• Five seats as standard
• Ventilated front seats
• Heated and ventilated second-row seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Centre console cooler box
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Fingerprint identification push-button start
• Premium leather-accented seats
• ‘Takanoha’ ornamentation – wood veneer
• Dual 11.6-inch rear-seat screens
• Massaging front seats 
• Four-way adjustable head restraints

F Sport gains (over Luxury): 

• Darkened 22-inch alloy wheels
• Sunroof
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Blacked-out mesh grille
• Hadori aluminium ornamentation
• Aluminium pedals and scuff plates
• Perforated F Sport seats with added bolstering
• Flare Red interior trim option
• Torsen rear limited-slip differential
• Performance dampers
• Adaptive Variable Suspension
• Five-seat configuration
• Massaging front seats
• Four-way adjustable head restraints 

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Lexus LX safe?

The Lexus LX still hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the LandCruiser that it’s based on was awarded a five-star safety rating in 2022.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Pedestrian detection (day and night)
• Cyclist detection (day and night)
• Motorcyclist detection (day)
• Intersection turn assist
• Front and rear parking support brake with obstacle and vehicle detection
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane departure alert
• Lane-keep assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Emergency steering assist
• Safe exit assist (NEW)
• Emergency driving stop system (NEW)

There are 10 airbags fitted – dual front, driver and passenger knee, front and rear side, and full-length side curtain coverage. 

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Lexus LX cost to run?

Lexus models are covered by a standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre new-vehicle warranty.

But be prepared for an expensive experience when it comes to servicing.

The LX requires maintenance every six months or 10,000km, and each of the first 10 services costs $795. Yes, that means if you maintain it on time, the first five years or 100,000km of servicing will set you back $7950. Yikes.

At least Lexus offers five years of free roadside assistance, and the brand offers a number of perks for its customers, like free loan cars and servicing concierge.

To see how the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Lexus LX

There’s a lot to like about the LX Overtrail diesel. As a capable tow vehicle – for hauling a big caravan, boat or horse float – it would certainly be a compelling option. 

As a status symbol, it definitely gets a lot of attention. And if you want a big 4x4 that's highly capable off-road straight out of the box, which also happens to be a luxurious family wagon, then go for it. 

Even if I didn’t take it off-road for this review – where we know it arguably does its best work! – I still think the LX500d Overtrail is an intriguing and enticing option.

Interested in buying a Lexus LX? Let CarExpert find you the best deal here

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MORE: Explore the Lexus LX showroom