2
0
Premium large SUV; Built in Japan
  • 4-door wagon
  • longitudinal front-engine/all-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $30,900 – $71,800*


2008 Lexus LX 570 Front


2008 Lexus LX 570 Rear


2008 Lexus LX 570 Interior


2008 Lexus LX 570 Profile

Pros:
  • Interior materials
  • Quietness
  • Ride
  • Seat comfort (except third row)
Cons:
  • Cargo room
  • Fuel economy

The redesigned “Lexus Land Cruiser” still doesn’t have quite the cachet of an Audi Q7, which could be equipped with thrifty diesel power. Nor did Lexus offer the in-your-face style of the Cadillac Escalade, which added a fuel-saving gas/electric hybrid version. Regardless, LX 570 offers plenty of room, refinement, and luxury; laudable safety and performance features; and is highly capable off-road. The only reason to pay more for the LX 570 over the Land Cruiser is Lexus’ reputation for kid-gloves customer treatment, though this benefit might not apply to used models.

Overview

The 2008 Lexus LX 570 replaced the LX 470 as the largest, most expensive sport-utility vehicle from Toyota’s luxury brand. LX 570 shared the basic redesign of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Both had three-row seating for up to eight passengers. A 383-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission supplanted the LX 470’s 268-hp 4.7-liter V8 and five-speed automatic. All-wheel drive with low-range gearing remained standard. So did a height-adjustable suspension and self-adjusting shock absorbers.

Standard safety features included antilock brakes, traction control, an antiskid system, curtain side airbags with rollover deployment, front side airbags, and second-row side airbags. Driver and passenger front knee airbags also were installed. Hill ascent/descent control was standard. Lexus’s Pre-Collision Safety System was a new option, as was remote engine starting.

A newly standard Crawl control limited speed in low range to settings of 1, 2, or 3 mph. Also newly standard were a 60/40 split power-sliding second-row seat, 50/50 power-folding third-row seat, power liftgate, four-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry/pushbutton engine start, and 20-inch wheels instead of 18s. An included navigation system with rearview camera (optional on Land Cruiser) was now available with front- and side-view cameras, too. Capable of towing as much as 8,500 pounds, the LX 570 competed against the Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

Yearly Updates

2009 LX 570
A new Luxury Package became optional that included upgraded wood and leather trim along with a cooled center console for beverages. Otherwise, little changed for the 2009 model year on Lexus’ premium large SUV.
2010 LX 570
The 2010 Lexus LX 570 gained the brand’s new Enform with Safety Connect assistance systems. Lexus Safety Connect includes collision notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency assistance, and enhanced roadside assistance. This feature is standard on all LX 570s. Enform is available on models equipped with the navigation system. In addition to the Safety Connect features, Enform includes customizable navigation destinations that owners can program on their home computers and send directly to the vehicle.
2011 LX 570
The 2011 Lexus LX 570 sees no major changes.
2012 LX 570
There were no changes of note to the 2012 Lexus LX 570.
2013 LX 570
The LX 570 received slightly freshened styling and an updated version of Lexus’ Enform infotainment system for 2013.
2014 LX 570
The 2014 Lexus LX 570 was unchanged.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/all-wheel drive

The only powertrain offered in the LX 570 is a 5.7-liter V8 engine generating 383 horsepower driving a six-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. Premium-grade fuel is recommended.

dohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 5.7/346
Engine HP 383
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 403
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed automatic

 12/18

 14.1

Road Test

Performance is a plus. Lexus said the LX 570 could accelerate to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, which seems about right. LX 570’s muscular V8 and smooth, responsive transmission deliver good highway-speed passing punch. Like the similarly redesigned Land Cruiser, LX towing capacity rose from 6,500 to 8,500 pounds.

Fuel economy is considerably less enticing. A test LX 570 averaged a mere 14.1 mpg. Lexus recommends premium-grade fuel.

Comfortably composed despite the low-profile 20-inch tires and billy-goat off-road ability, the LX 570 generally rides comfortably. Still, small bumps can induce mild side-sway, and Lexus’ Adaptive Variable Suspension-those self-adjusting shock absorbers-do little to enhance ride quality on any of the three available settings.

Steering is too light for some drivers, but is quick and has good feedback. A fairly tight turning radius aids maneuverability. Stable highway feel and fairly modest cornering lean earn praise, but this SUV’s high build and hefty weight demand plenty of slowing down for tighter bends. Brakes have ample stopping control with progressive, well-weighted pedal action.

The LX 570 maintains Lexus’ library-quiet reputation. Highway wind rush is impressively low, but coarse-surface tire thrum is noticeable. Also discernible is the V8’s classy-sounding growl at full throttle.

Gauges are crisply legible except in bright sunlight. The extra-busy dashboard contains no fewer than 49 buttons and switches, and an overhead panel adds several more. Most are easily accessed, though a few icons demand study. The navigation system is standard Lexus/Toyota fare. It’s simple to program, but annoys by absorbing some basic audio and climate functions such as air conditioning on/off.

Here’s another Lexus interior that impresses for high-quality materials and thorough detailing. Still, despite plentiful padded surfaces and handsome real-wood trim, cabin decor lacks the richness of other premium rivals, looking more “upscale Toyota” than true elite class.

Front occupants enjoy ample space on supportive but rather flat power/heated seats. The three-position seat memory and power tilt/telescopic steering wheel cater to most any size driver. The LX 570’s high stance and rear-roof styling hamper visibility, but that’s offset by large door mirrors, standard front/rear obstacle detection, and a rearview camera. The available front/side cameras would be useful, too, though maybe not at night. Standard lighted running boards mitigate the tallish step-in. So does the “Easy Access” feature that lowers the suspension about two inches to assist entry/exit.

Second-row seat sections power about four inches fore/aft, providing more than ample legroom at full stretch. Foot space is tight without the front seats elevated somewhat, but there’s good headroom despite the standard sunroof. The low-set third-row bench has only short-trip space for adults, so it’s best left to kids, who will have an easier time squeezing in or out of there. Both rear-seat rows are comfortably padded, but need longer cushions-especially the third row. Small door openings complicate entering and exiting the vehicle.

LX 570 mirrors Toyota’s Land Cruiser with total cargo volume that’s sub-par for the class. Nothing more than grocery-bag space is available behind the third row. That seat conversion remains clumsy: Though each half now power folds up to the side, they still hinder visibility-and the middle headrest must be removed and stowed first. Second-row seats tumble and fold easily, but are no less bulky. The cargo deck is a bit high for heavy loads. It demands dealing with a power liftgate and a stubby manual-drop tailgate that cannot be opened separately. Ample interior storage includes a bi-level dashboard glovebox, twin-lid console bin, and large map pockets on doors and seatbacks.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2009 LX 570

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 6
60%
Fuel Economy - 3
30%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 4
40%
Quietness - 8
80%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Front - 9
90%
Room/Comfort Rear - 8
80%
Cargo Room - 8
80%

Other

Value - 4
40%

Total: 63

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
112.2 196.5 77.6 75.6
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
83.1 24.6 8.0
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.3 38.9 42.9 34.4
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: N/A Not tested. 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Doors
Description: The driver’s door lock may be hard to operate with the key and an improved lock cylinder has been made available. (2008-09)
Oil leak
Description: Engine oil may leak due to bad O-ring on the dipstick tube. (2008)
Seat
Description: The third row seats may rattle requiring striker replacement, the power stow function may not work requiring a revised striker switch and/or may not fold up occasionally. (2008)
Sunroof/moonroof
Description: The moonroof may not close requiring re-initialization of the module. (2008-09)
None
Description: Squeal from under the hood due to misalignment of the accessory drive belt requiring installation of an improved tensioner. (2008)

Recall History

2008-2011 LX570
Description: The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver’s floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. The remedy plan is under development, but will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat. Toyota has not provided a schedule for owner notification at this time.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on April 21, 2016.
Share this:
, , , , , , , , , ,