Want the off-road capability of the Toyota Land Cruiser, but with more in terms of luxury features? Consider the Lexus LX 570, which builds upon the legendary SUV by adding more creature comforts and design tweaks without making any significant changes to Toyota’s flagship SUV.

The LX 570 shares the same boxy profile and large glass area as the Land Cruiser. But Lexus designers made some changes to make the LX 570 stand out. The most apparent change is in the front, where the largest version of Lexus’ spindle grille resides. A small strand of LED lights accent the LED headlights. Around back, the LX 570 features a split-opening tailgate. A set of 20-inch alloy wheels comes standard.

The LX’s interior may not look as contemporary as its competitors’, but it does score very high in terms of luxury appointments. Leather upholstery, wood trim, and soft-touch materials make for a very posh cabin. Those sitting up front get ventilated and heated power seats. Second-row passengers will appreciate the large amount of head- and legroom on offer. As an added bonus, second-row passengers get heated seats and climate control. The third row offers limited legroom and minimizes cargo space, as the seats fold against the side walls, not into the floor. With the third row folded, the LX offers 41 cubic feet. This increases to 83 with the second row folded.

A vibrant and crisp 12.3-inch touchscreen sits atop the LX’s center stack and features the latest version of the Lexus Enform infotainment system. Lexus owners now get complimentary access to Enform Safety Connect and Service Connect for a full decade, compared to previous models, which offered only a 1-year trial period[SH1]. Moving around the system is Lexus' Remote Touch interface that uses a mouse-like controller. Reviewers are not impressed with this controller, as it can be quite distracting when trying to select a menu option while on the move.

Those looking for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto need to look elsewhere, as the LX 570 doesn’t come with either. However, iPhone users can take advantage of Siri Eyes Free mode to help with navigation or choosing the next perfect song. Optional tech features include a 19-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system, heads-up display, and wireless phone charging.

Powering the LX 570 is a 5.7-liter V8 with 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with an 8-speed automatic and a full-time 4-wheel drive (4WD) system. The V8 delivers brisk acceleration with a 0-60 mph of 7.3 seconds, about one second slower than its competition. The 8-speed automatic transmission delivers buttery-smooth shifts, and when properly equipped, the LX 570 can tow up to 7,000 pounds. EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2018 LX 570 are 13 mpg city, 18 highway, 15 combined, which are some of the lowest numbers in the class.

Potholes and other road imperfections are made imperceptible to those riding inside. Road and wind noise are noticeable, but not to the point that drivers will need to turn up the volume to drown them out. Handling is about average for this type of vehicle, with a fair amount of body roll and numb steering. Take the LX off road, and it begins to redeem itself. Since it’s based on the Land Cruiser, the LX gets the rugged body-on-frame construction and off-road suspension that make it quite capable in any condition. The LX also features a Multi-Terrain Select system that optimizes various settings for different types of terrain, and Crawl Control, which acts as a low-speed cruise control to help keep the vehicle moving in difficult conditions.

The LX 570’s list of standard safety equipment is quite extensive, with 10 airbags, traction and stability control, a multi-view camera system, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and the Lexus Enform telematics system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not conducted any crash tests on the LX 570.