Lexus Tyres A Let-down
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday July 5, 2008
The car Lexus LX570.
The price Two models: $136,700 and $151,700.Vital statistics 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine, six-speed automatic.Consumption and emissions 14.8 litres/100km, 350g/km.HE This is the Lexus version of the new Toyota LandCruiser and it has just gone on sale. It has more Lexus-made body panels than previous models but it still looks a lot like a LandCruiser.SHE That's always been the case for this model.HE But don't you think it's time for the Lexus to have its own body? I think buyers in this price range are pretty discerning and want their car to stand out, not potentially be mistaken for a cheaper four-wheel-drive.SHE I agree. Lexus has spent more money on more new panels but they're not enough.HE And they've made those special panels look remarkably similar to the LandCruiser's. Just look at the front guards and tailgate, for example.SHE At least it gets a new dashboard, with the Lexus treatment.HE In other words, lots of buttons.SHE And wood grain, where you can't tell if it's real or fake.HE The instruments are clear and there are some nice touches.SHE But one of the models comes with front, side and rear-view cameras and they really annoyed me. I turned the screen off.HE The camera view also made the obstacles seem closer than they were, so it was difficult to judge distances accurately. I think the intentions are good but the execution needs a bit of work. For example, the side camera switches off when you're moving forward. That's silly, as that would be handy when off-road.SHE Oh, and how many people are going to take these off-road?HE Not many, I guess, which is a shame because it's a very capable vehicle. After all, it has the LandCruiser as a base and then they have added air-suspension and more techno gadgets to help it climb up and down rocky terrain.SHE I didn't like the suspension. It felt too wallowy for the size of car. I know they're trying to make it luxurious but it felt unwieldy.HE It subtly changed lanes without me steering in that direction, the steering was so vague. That hasn't happened in any other car I've driven. I reckon the soft off-road tyres are a poor combination with the air-suspension. In the US (where most of these are sold), it comes with 20-inch Michelin tyres biased towards on-road driving but Australian LX570s get off-road tyres.SHE They should make the Michelin tyres standard here then.HE I agree. But when I asked I found out that Australia is considered too harsh for them.SHE I didn't like the way it drove at all, especially when you consider the types of vehicle the LX570 competes with.HE It's a shame because the rest of the car is so good. It's serenely quiet and refined, can seat eight adults, has the most airbags in its class and is superbly finished but the tyres are a real let-down, if you'll pardon the pun.SHE I did like the engine. It shifts the weight well - pity the transmission shudders sometimes between gears.HE So, would you buy one?SHE No. I prefer the LandCruiser and would probably get a higher-grade variant instead of the Lexus version. You?HE I'd go for a top-end turbo diesel LandCruiser. Most Range Rovers and BMW X5s are diesels and I think that, and driving dynamics, weigh against the LX570.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald