When you think of full-size SUVs, does the Lexus LX come to your mind? More often than not, Lexus comes to mind only when you’re thinking about an upscale luxury car. When it comes to large SUVs, other automakers, like Chevy, are more apt to pop into your head. 

MotorTrend came up with their list of the Best Full-Size Luxury Three-Row SUVs for the 2021 model year. Surprisingly, though, the Lexus LX found its way into the sixth spot. Why is it surprising, and what did MotorTrend like about it?

Why it’s a surprise to see the Lexus LX on the list

The Lexus brand is well known for its luxuriousness and spacious vehicles. The LX is certainly no exception to this rule, but the brand isn’t exactly a household name when you think of 3-row SUVs. 

Lexus is actually known for its dependability and reliability, but more so for sedans. The Lexus line of cars is a big seller, according to TheDrive.com believe it or not. Being a sister company to well-known Toyota, it isn’t as well-rounded when it comes to its offerings. 

The LX is one of Lexus’ SUVs, one that comes with the option to upgrade to a third row of seats. When it comes to the most reliable vehicle the Lexus brand has, you’ll be surprised to see that it’s not any of its SUVs at all. It’s one of the sedans they produce. 

What made it a winner with MotorTrend?

As with all the other Lexus vehicles, the LX has the iconic high-quality upscale interior that can rival the likes of Mercedes-Benz with its comfortable seating and smooth ride. It has the same underpinnings as the Toyota Land Cruiser, so it’s basically an off-road SUV with its infrastructure and its performance. 

Under the hood, there’s a powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine that produces a whopping 383 hp and 403 lb-foot of torque. Paired with it is an eight-speed transmission and a four-wheel drivetrain. MotorTrend estimated that the LX could go from 0 to 60 in about 7.3 seconds because they tested a 2016 model with the same powertrain. 

Cargo space for the two-row SUV is 53.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. If you have the three-row model, you can still get 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row. If you fold down the third row, you can get up to 41.6 cubic feet for storage. 

One of the big disappointments about it was its fuel economy ratings, which MotorTrend editors felt was abysmal. The LX only gets 12 mpg when traveling on city roads, and only 16 mpg when driving on the highway. 

What can you expect to pay for the Lexus LX?

For the standard two-row SUV that can seat up to five people, you can expect to pay around $86,730, according to MotorTrend. This gets you the powerful motor, high-quality interior, and tons of standard active safety features. 

Those would include automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. When you upgrade to the third-row SUV you can seat up to eight people, and you pretty much inherit the off-road capability from the Land Cruiser.

 You can expect to pay around $91,730 MSRP. That’s $5,000 more for just adding another row of seats that doesn’t offer a whole lot of room for full-size adults. 

Finding the Lexus LX on the list of the Best Full-size Luxury SUVs is a bit of a surprise. Lexus is known for reliability, but mostly for its sedans. It’s nice to know that they’re expanding its dependability into the line of SUVs as well.