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We cannot wait for the 2022 Lexus LX. For one thing, the aging Lexus flagship SUV could use an update. For another, Toyota Group’s newest chassis and engines are cutting-edge technology that belong in a Lexus. And finally, the 2022 Lexus LX may be the closest American customers can come to buying the incredible 300-series Land Cruiser.

The 2022 Lexus LX Will Have Eye-Catching Good Looks

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 14: A 2022 Lexus NX is introduced to the media at the Chicago Auto Show on July 14, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The show, which opens to the public tomorrow, is the first major auto show to be held in the United States since the start of the pandemic. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) We will have to wait to see if any of these new design cues are shared across the 2022 Lexus LX.
A 2022 Lexus NX | Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The 2020 leak of Toyota’s future plans gave us a sneak peek of a dramatic new 2022 Lexus LX. The imposing SUV featured an hourglass grille stretching from hood to bumper.

Lexus has only revealed a few 2022 models. One model is the all-new Lexus NX. This model features a chin diffuser, wrap-around LED lights, and extra grill space with two “side grills” beside the center grill. We will have to wait to see if any of these new design cues are shared across the 2022 Lexus LX.

The 2022 Lexus LX Will Likely Ride On Toyota’s New Global Architecture Chassis

2022 Toyota Tundra on the TNGA-F Chassis it will share with the 2022 Lexus LX
2022 Toyota Tundra on the TNGA-F Chassis | Toyota

Historically, the LX has been Lexus’ premiere body-on-frame SUV. If the 2022 Lexus LX is still a truck-based body-on-frame SUV, we know which chassis Lexus will build it on–and we could not be more excited.

To consolidate its technologies and simplify manufacturing, Toyota Group–Lexus’ parent company–launched its Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) initiative in 2015. Moving forward, each vehicle class will share a cutting-edge architecture. Toyota and Lexus will build all full-size, body-on-frame SUVs and trucks on the TNGA-F chassis.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 300-series was the first TNGA-F vehicle. The new chassis improved every aspect of the Toyota SUV: It is over 400 pounds lighter than its competitor with a lower center of gravity. At the same time, the new Land Cruiser has a more robust frame with a better-engineered suspension structure. The off-road-ready Land Cruiser even boasts 9.1 inches of ground clearance.

Toyota will not sell the new Land Cruiser in the United States. But Americans glimpsed the new TNGA-F chassis again in photos of the 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. The re-engineered truck forsakes outdated leaf springs in favor of rear coil springs and control arms. We hope the GX shares the Tundra’s extended travel racing shocks and skidplates too.

The 2022 Lexus LX Will Probably Be Powered By A Turbocharged Dynamic Force Engine

The Lexus LS 500s 3.4-Liter Engine it will share with the 2022 Lexus LX
The Lexus LS 500s 3.4-Liter Engine | Lexus

When Toyota consolidated its chassis, it also consolidated its engine offerings. Toyota once produced about 800 engine options. With the manufacturer’s Dynamic Force engine initiative, it sought to cut that number to seventeen.

With its Dynamic Force engine family, Toyota combined its VVT-iE system with modular, long stroke and high-compression engine technologies. The new flagship engine is known internally as the V35A-FTS. It is a 3.4-Liter V6 with twin turbochargers. It is capable of producing 10.5:1 compression and achieving 37% thermal efficiency.

Lexus has offered this cutting-edge V6 in LS 500 since the sedan’s 2017 redesign. It produces 416 horsepower while maintaining 18 city/29 highway mpg (22 combined).

With no V8 in the Dynamic Force engine family, it appears that every TNG-F chassis SUV and truck will share this turbocharged V6. We cannot wait to see how it performs in the 2022 Lexus LX.

Lexus Is Hitting Its Stride

Three 2020 Lexus SUVs outside a Lexus dealership. Not pictured: the 2022 Lexus LX
Lexus SUVs | Photo by John Nacion/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The golden age of Lexus is upon us: Consumer Reports is giving excellent five-year reports to Lexus SUVs, such as the 2016 Lexus RX. Consumer Reports also names the 2021 Lexus RX among the most comfortable SUVs. CR even ranked the 2021 Lexus GX above the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, and our reviewer liked the GX’s cool features. Then, MotorTrend listed the 2021 Lexus LX among the best full-size luxury three-row SUVs.

Some of the technology in 2021 Lexus SUVs is, admittedly, old-school. Yet the 2021 lineup wowed fans and critics alike. We cannot wait to see what Lexus can do with Toyota Group’s cutting-edge chassis and high-tech new engines. The 2022 Lexus LX cannot come soon enough.

RELATED: 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro: A Cost-Effective Ford Raptor

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.