If you need seating for seven with unbridled luxury and copious amounts of off-road capability, then the 2022 Lexus LX 600 could be for you. The LX 600 is the brand’s flagship model that oozes enough comfort, beauty, and muscle to satiate any budding American family or Middle Eastern diplomat (The LX is widely popular in the Middle Eastern market). I got to spend a week with this large, pricey SUV and realized that while it may be a flashier version of the Toyota Land Cruiser, its craftsmanship is worth the extra money.

What’s new for 2022?

Lexus completely redesigned the LX for the 2022 model year. It now sports a refined look inside and out in addition to a modernized platform and a new twin-turbocharged engine. As stated before, the Lexus LX is based on the Land Cruiser, which means that it carries all of the off-road prowess you could need with a healthy dose of automotive caviar sprinkled on top.

For the new model year, there are five different trim levels to choose from:

• LX 600: $88,245
• LX 600 Premium: $96,345
• LX 600 F Sport Handling: $102,345
• LX 600 Luxury: $104,345
• LX 600 Luxury: $127,345

My tester for the week was a Lexus LX 600 F Sport in Manganese Luster (dark gray) and a red and black interior. The price as tested was $107,585, which included extra features like the Active Height Control ($1,300), a Mark Levinson 25-speaker sound system ($2,660), cross bars ($450), and a carpeted cargo mat ($140).

The Lexus LX 600 F Sport has a sophisticated look with a spunky, but comfortable interior

Take one look at the 2022 Lexus LX 600, and it’s hard not to ignore the giant “spindle grille” and broad proportions. The front grille is just as polarizing as ever, but I happen to like it, especially with the F Sport treatment. The large exterior feature complements the LX’s body-on-frame stature well, and the 22-inch wheels fill out the fender wells just right.

On the inside, the Lexus LX 600 F Sport is as comfortable and luxurious as you would expect. There is semi-aniline leather upholstery, soft-touch materials everywhere, and open-pore wood trim to tie the whole look together. Speaking of the interior’s aesthetics, the red and black theme fits the sportiness of the F Sport trim level, but I think it looks a little in a vehicle of this caliber.

I would suggest opting for Palomino (light brown) or black/white color combination for a more luxurious atmosphere.

In terms of comfort, the LX has plenty of head and legroom in the first and second rows for five adults. The third row, however, should be used for children on longer drives. However, my 5-foot, 8-inch frame was able to fit back there with a decent amount of room to spare.

The LX 600 has all of the tech that you need

Considering the LX 600 is Lexus’s flagship model, it’s loaded with in-cabin technology. My test car was equipped with a head-up display, a panoramic-view monitor, and a multi-terrain monitor. There’s also a large 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity in addition to a wireless phone charging dock. One feature I really liked was the Cool Box in the center console. It keeps drinks cool with a constant blast of cold air.

There are also automatic climate controls in the first and second rows and heated and ventilated outboard seats. My only gripe is that weren’t any front seat massagers, which should be offered at this price point.

There’s plenty of cargo room with the seats folded down

When it comes to cargo volume, the Lexus LX 600 has plenty of it, provided you don’t have the third row folded up. When all of the seats are utilized, there’s only enough room behind the third row to fit a small backpack or two. However, with the third row folded, there’s 44 cubic feet of space. Folding the second row reveals 64 cubic feet of space, which was enough to haul a lot of my stuff when moving into a new apartment.

The Lexus LX 600’s twin-turbo V6 engine is powerful and somewhat efficient

Under the hood of the 2022 Lexus LX 600 is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that generates 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Long gone is the tried-and-true V8 engine that sat between the fenders on the last LX. However, the good news is that this new engine is slightly more efficient.

According to the EPA, the LX 600 can achieve up to 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. During my week of driving the LX, which included a mix of city, highway, and mountain driving, I averaged 16.6 mpg. That’s not bad considering its 5,665 curb weight.

As far performance goes, Lexus says that the LX 600 can go from 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds. The editors at Car and Driver managed a 6.1-second 0-60 mph time. So the LX is a little faster than Lexus lets on. It can also tow up to 8,000 pounds.

How does the 2022 Lexus LX 600 drive?

You can feel the SUV’s power on the road as it makes its way through the RPM band. The turbochargers kick in smoothly and provide a good thrust of acceleration off the line. I didn’t even notice a hint of power loss when driving the Lexus LX 600 at 10,000-foot elevation. Also, the brakes worked when going downhill, and the suspension was compliant.

I didn’t detect too much of a difference between the different drive modes. I also liked that the suspension could be raised and lowered with the push of a button. That feature could come in handy during some heavier off-road driving. Ultimately, the LX 600 was a pleasure to drive with its serene in-cabin experience and excellent on-road manners.

MotorBiscuit gives the 2022 Lexus LX 600 an expert rating of 8.1 out of 10

The editors at MotorBiscuit awarded the 2022 Lexus LX 600 an overall rating of 8.1 out of 10. The Lexus LX 600 exudes the type of luxury that you would expect from a large SUV at the six-digit price point. However, it lacked some of the cargo volume and features that its competitors offer. That said, there’s no doubt that the LX 600 will provide plenty of opulence for well-heeled families or the Middle Eastern market for many more years to come.